The NFL draft’s disadvantage is this: When you watched Iowa last year, were you focusing on No. 78? Robert Gallery is the Giants’ must-have tackle, but he was hardly must-see TV.

Back in the day, all the players in the NBA draft came from places like North Carolina, Indiana and UCLA. You knew who they were. Today, who the heck knows a thing about Zarko Cabarkapa, Boris Diaw or Ndudi Ebi? They were all first-round picks last June.

The biggest difference between the NBA and the NFL drafts is predictability. While the NBA scouts make mistakes, the Top 5 picks almost always have the biggest impact. Rarely do future All-Stars slip. In the NFL, it happens seemingly every round.

So your passions will rise when ESPN’s Chris Berman says, “The Giants are on the clock.” Because you know the Giants need a tackle, but a young, stud quarterback would be nice, too, right? Their choices in Round 2 and 3 are also important.

That is why, with our pick, The Matchup selects the NFL Draft No. 1.