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Giants should focus on quarterback, offensive line at combine

Sam Darnold will get a long look from the Giants, who hold the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft. Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire

A closer look at the positions the New York Giants could target at the NFL combine in Indianapolis:

Positions of need: Let’s start with offensive line and quarterback. General manager Dave Gettleman has made it a priority to rebuild the offensive line -- his "hog mollies" as he likes to say. The Giants can use guards and tackles. Maybe even a center. They won’t discriminate. If you’re an offensive lineman, you’re in play.

The quarterback position is also one to watch closely. The Giants have the No. 2 overall pick and a 37-year-old Eli Manning on the decline. Even with Davis Webb on the roster, the opportunity for a team to grab its top-rated quarterback doesn’t come around that often. The Giants don’t expect to draft this high again for a while, so they must do their due diligence. There might be an option too good to bypass.

Also, don’t discount the linebacker position. The Giants need major upgrades if they’re going to utilize more 3-4 fronts under defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Right now, they have only B.J. Goodson under contract. The linebacker position will need to be addressed after former general manager Jerry Reese neglected it for years.

Three players the Giants should focus on at combine:

Sam Darnold, QB, USC: This is the quarterback who seems most likely to check all the boxes for the Giants. Darnold is big and talented and calm, cool and collected. He has performed well in big games and proven he can handle the spotlight. He’s a leader with all the intangibles. If the Giants can verify all this at the combine, Darnold could be their guy -- if they can get their hands on him with the No. 2 overall pick.

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: There is little doubt Rosen is overflowing with talent. Just watch him throw the football. It’s pretty. What NFL teams and the Giants will want to see at the combine is what the former UCLA quarterback is really all about. Does he have the it factor? There are concerns about his ability to carry a team, his attitude and his motivation. The combine is the place where teams can sit down with Rosen and really get to know him on a personal level. He’s going to have some convincing to do.

Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame: It’s not the sexy name or position, but Nelson and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, whom everyone seems to expect will blow up at the combine, might just be the two best players. Nelson can do it all for a guard. He’s a technically sound mauler who can move and pull. The hype for Nelson will only rise at the combine after he gets on the big stage. Maybe even to the point where he is considered a realistic option for the Giants at No. 2.