We interrupt the hysteria and widespread panic running rampant among Giants fans during their offseason of Eagles-fueled hell to point out a shining, rising star in the Blue Blue sky, brought to you by general manager Jerry Reese.

When the Giants made Jason Pierre-Paul the No. 1 pick of the 2010 draft, they were doing backflips in the war room, and now we know why.

Reese, we have learned, has the courage of his convictions, and even those Giants fans apoplectic over his free agent inertia cannot possibly complain that he had a strong conviction about Pierre-Paul.

VIDEO: SCHWARTZ ON SMITH

Reese may be proven to be dead wrong about trusting Travis Beckum and Bear Pascoe to replace Boss, and about Domenik Hixon or Victor Cruz or Darius Reynaud to replace Steve Smith. But no one, on the morning of the Giants’ preseason opener tonight in Carolina, should question whether he was right on Pierre-Paul, who is the young lion destined to be The Next Monster of the Meadowlands. Who teammates believe is ready to lead the league in sacks.

Among the many hammers the Giants have held during the Osi Umenyiora Bikeathon, Pierre-Paul lurked front and center as the most visible of them, all 6-foot-5, 280 freakish pounds of him.

If push came to shove, if Umenyiora opted not to blink, as much as the Giants would have preferred not to do it, they would have felt compelled to hand the right defensive end position to Pierre-Paul and not look back. Osi Pipp-enyiora indeed.

“I’m more right end at this point,” Pierre-Paul said, “but I prefer to play both.”

NFL scouts salivate over prospects like Pierre-Paul, a veritable Roy Hobbs in shoulder pads. Pierre-Paul flashed his enormous promise with 4 ½ sacks over the last six games of his rookie season, and what ought to send shudders down the spines of quarterbacks and offensive linemen and coordinators everywhere — even where Mike Vick plays — is the game has slowed down for him.

Pierre-Paul, asked if he had a sack number in mind for 2011, said: “Unlimited. That’s all I can say. Try to get ’em all.”

More than anyone perhaps . . .

“He definitely has that potential,” Justin Tuck said. “It’s our job to let him know potential means nothing.”

But Pierre-Paul’s potential is something.

“He’s 6’5″, 280 pounds . . . he can run like a deer . . . he has those long arms everybody puts emphasis on in a defensive end . . . he’s fast and explosive . . . he’s a powerful guy. . . . That’s a rare combination,” Tuck said. “The things I’ve seen, the kind of positions he can get his body in and out of, it’s pretty amazing.”

David Diehl, from the other side of the line of scrimmage, marvels at Pierre-Paul.

“He’s an athletic freak,” Diehl said. “As an athlete, he’s everything you want in a defensive end.”

Is he the kind of guy who could lead the NFL in sacks?

“I think he definitely has it in him,” Diehl said. “Now you’re starting to see the technique and all that come around. So there’s no telling how good he could be.”

Pierre-Paul loves sacks, of course.

“I don’t have a dance yet though (smile).” he said. “I will have one.”

This year?

“This year.”

Pierre-Paul, as Michael Strahan always did, relishes playing the run too.

“You don’t allow yourself to be pushed,” Pierre-Paul said. “You push them.”

Remember, Pierre-Paul played at South Florida. And remember, he is just 22 years old.

“He has the freakish ability to be like a Julius Peppers,” former Giant Carl Banks said.

Pierre-Paul reminds Banks of former 49er Charles Haley.

“You’re talking about a playmaker,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “I think he’s gonna come into his own this year.”

Pierre-Paul has paid little attention to L’Affaire Osi.

“Whatever happens, happens,” he said.

He’s about to happen. A joyless offseason, to be followed by The Joy of Sacks.

steve.serby@nypost.com

