LB Herzlich has ties to Giants

One of the linebackers the Giants could be looking at later in the draft is Boston College’s Mark Herzlich. They visited his pro day, but they also have a number of relationships with him beyond that.

Herzlich, who would probably have been a first-round pick had he not been diagnosed with cancer, said he has spoken with a former Boston College coach by the name of Tom Coughlin several times during the pre-draft period. Not about football, but about life and the process.

He’s also been in touch with Mathias Kiwanuka, whose number 94 he inherited at Boston College. Kiwanuka helped steer him while looking for an agent, Herzlich said.

But even with all of that, he’s still uncertain how the Giants feel about him as a player.

“Its’ really hard to judge who’s really interested and who wants your contact information just because,” he said at an NFL Play 60 event in Manhattan on Wednesday. “I’d say yes (the Giants are interested), but at the same time who knows whether it’s real interest or you’re just another player to them.”

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The Giants won’t take Herzlich in the first round, but they could take another Boston College product: Anthony Castonzo is likely on their short list of possibilities at 19.

Herzlich had nothing butt good things to say about Castonzo.

“Anthony is great,” he said. “He’s a very motivated, determined player. But on the field he’s vicious. And that’s what you want in an offensive tackle. You see his size and his stats, he’s long and he’s durable. He’s a big guy. He definitely has a passion. We work out together all the time and push each other to the limit.”

When Castonzo visited Boston College, in fact, he was shown around by Herzlich.

“I hosted him on his official visit,” he said. “He was 6-7, 245 when he came in and now he’s 6-7 315. You can see a big difference.”