I'm back from vacation and ready to dive right into the NFL draft with the combine this week. I’ll be in Indianapolis, getting a better grasp on what the New York Giants are thinking in the draft and free agency.

In the meantime, some whispers ...

If you listened late last week, former vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross mentioned three names while serving as an analyst on NFL Live as potential candidates for the Giants with the No. 2 overall pick. They were USC quarterback Sam Darnold, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson.

Before you discount Ross’ opinion because he was fired last month, remember this: He ran the Giants' scouting department. The team’s scouts -- all of whom still are employed by the organization -- reported to him. Ross’ opinion of players undoubtedly is influenced by information provided by the scouts.

Even with Dave Gettleman as the general manager and his former lieutenant in Carolina, Mark Koncz, assisting with the process, it seems logical the Giants’ reports on Darnold, Barkley and Nelson are extremely positive. They likely are graded highly entering this week’s scouting combine.

Nelson is the one who should really stand out. For a guard to even be in the conversation at No. 2 overall pick shows how well regarded he must be by personnel evaluators around the league. Taking Nelson also undoubtedly fits what Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur will be trying to accomplish.

“All the years of talking about, 'The Giants need O-line, the Giants need O-line,'” Ross said, “they may even go that route.”

This is definitely something to monitor over the next few months as the Giants position themselves for the draft with their free-agent maneuvering.

Ross also was high on Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, although he didn’t seem as certain the Oklahoma quarterback would fit the Giants’ mold, especially as the No. 2 overall pick. He seemed to indicate that Darnold checked all the franchise’s key boxes.

“You have to look at a quarterback. But it has to be the right guy. You can’t just force a guy,” Ross said. “The right guy for them, on and off the field, I would think would be Sam Darnold. He’s ultra-talented, he’s a playmaker, he’s a winner. And he’s also very clean off the field. What I mean by that: no issues, great leader, great teammate, great person.”

Barkley, the Penn State running back, seems to be near the top of everybody’s board. He does it all. Ross considers him an “excellent pick.”