1979 Profile: Earnest Gray

Wide Receiver

2nd Round

Memphis

Gray has the speed (4.4 in the 40) to catch long passes and the size (6-3, 195) to catch passes over the middle. As a senior, he had a 94-yard TD reception, setting the Memphis record, and caught 35 passes for 690 yards, a 19.7 average. Gray played in East-West Shrine and Senior Bowl games after his senior year and made the All-South Independent first team, as well as All-American honorable mention from the Associated Press and Sporting News.

As a junior he broke a 27-year-old NCAA record with 29.5 average yards per catch on 28 receptions for 826 yards. He was first-team All South, as well as an AP and Football News All-American.

For his career at Memphis, Gray had 97 receptions for 2,123 yards for a 21.9 average yards per catch, with 17 touchdown catches, and is the only Memphis receiver with 2,000 career yards.

1979 Profile: Phil Simms

Quarterback

1st Round

Morehead State

Phil Simms could be the answer to the Giants' quarterback woes of recent years. A four-year letterman at Morehead State, he had 409 completions, 836 attempts, 5,545 yards, 32 touchdowns, all school records. He also established the school's single-game records with four touchdown passes, against Marshall, and 370 yards passing, against Tennessee Tech. In his junior year, Simms completed 134 passes for 2,041 yards and 15 touchdown passes.

He was a Sporting News honorable mention All-American and Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

1979 Profile: Odis McKinney

Free Safety

No. 23

Colorado

A 2nd round draft choice of the Giants last year, McKinney showed great promise until an injury in the final preseason game sidelined him for the first two games of the regular season. He made what appeared to be a game-saving interception against the Eagles before the Giants fumbled on the last play of the game.

He began his college career at Los Angeles Valley Community College, where he was all-conference for two years. At Colorado he was a starting cornerback for two seasons. As a junior had five interceptions and was named second-team All-Big 8. As a senior, he was first-team All-Big Eight.

1979 Profile: Beasley Reece

Strong Safety

No. 28

North Texas State

In his two seasons since coming to the Giants from the Cowboys, Reece has been a starting strong safety and a kick returner. His playing time limited by injuries in those two years, he had two kickoff returns for 40 yards last year after having seven for 159 yards in 1977.

A non-scholarship student at North Texas State, he made the varsity as a defensive back. Against Tennessee he returned a touchdown 41 yards to set up a score. As a safety, Beasley is a solid hitter with the speed and football know-how that is essential to his position.

1979 Profile: John Skorupan

Linebacker

No. 57

Penn State

Coming to the Giants from Buffalo just before the 1978 season opener, Skorupan played in all 16 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams. He had four kickoff returns for 52 yards and a 13.0 average.

With the Bills, he made the UPI All-Rookie team in 1973 and missed most of '74 due to a knee injury. A starting linebacker for Buffalo in 1975 and 1976, he missed most of 1977 with another knee injury.

A three-year starter at Penn State, Skorupan was named All-East in each of those seasons. An AP, UPI and Kodak All-American as a senior, he was named AP Lineman of the Week after the Nittany Lions' 1972 victory over Navy.

1979 Profile: George Martin

Defensive End

No. 75

Oregon

Martin has started every game at defensive end for the Giants since 1976, except for games he missed in 1977 due to injury. He had 117 tackles in '76, and last year led the club with 10 quarterback sacks, including four of Joe Theismann.

He began his college career as a tight end for Oregon, switching to defense in his junior year. As a senior, he had 83 tackles and distinguished himself against Michigan and Northwestern. George shows great promise of being an important part of New York's rebuilt defense.

1979 Profile: J.T. Turner

Guard 

No. 68

Duke

Turner was signed by the Giants as a free agent for the 1977 season after a full year with Charlotte of the World Football League. That year he was a reserve defensive lineman and got into 13 games playing mostly on special teams. Last year, he started 16 games at offensive guard.

J.T. is a determined blocker. He has outstanding speed leading on sweeps, always getting a fast start from the line of scrimmage.