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Defense has been the strength of the New York Giants for the past several years. However, the defense sagged in 2012, allowing nearly 130 rushing yards per game. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the Giants are addressing their run defense in SB Nation's newest mock draft, selecting LSU middle linebacker Kevin Minter with the 19th overall pick:
After releasing Michael Boley, the Giants' needs on the defense continue to grow. Minter specializes in working between the tackles and stopping the run. That's good for New York, one of the league's worst run-stopping teams.
Minter's skill set would be a welcome addition to the Giant defense, and would help shore up their run defense. He's also the first middle linebacker off the board in this mock, selected ahead of Georgia's Alec Ogletree, Kansas State's Arthur Brown, and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o.
The Giants would also be interested in pass rush and secondary help, but most of the good first-round values at those positions will likely be off the board by the time the Giants pick.