NFL: Giants hire scout director

At heart, Jerry Reese is a scout, but with his increased workload in his first year as the Giants general manager, he had to give up much of those duties. Now that the NFL draft has come and gone, Reese yesterday filled the role he once held, naming Marc Ross the team’s director of college scouting.

Ross, 34, has 11 years of NFL experience. He spent the past three years as a national college scout with the Bills.

Reese also announced that Jerry Shay, a member of the Giants’ scouting staff since 1977, was appointed assistant director of college scouting, and longtime scouts Joe Collins, Jeremiah Davis and Steve Verderosa were named executive scouts and will be given increased responsibility. – Paul Schwartz

* Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre said he never suggested he couldn’t win with this current group of Packers.

“Not once did I say anything about the guys I play with,” Favre said at a news conference.

NHL: Devils opt to keep Brylin

In Trenton, Lou Lamoriello yesterday told The Post the Devils will pick up the option on Sergei Brylin‘s contract, preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

In addition, Lamoriello said he will tender qualifying offers to all of his big-club restricted free agents, all but ensuring Cam Janssen and Johnny Oduya will remain with New Jersey. That announcement also will cover Zach Parise and Paul Martin, who may not be satisfied with the minimal pay raises of their qualifiers, but would remain subject to matching or stiff compensation.

Lamoriello was here to unveil the new name and uniform of the ECHL Trenton Devils, formerly the Trenton Titans. The Devils now are the only franchise with the same nickname in the NHL, AHL (Lowell Devils) and ECHL. The new uniform is a duplicate of the parent club’s, except for a small Devils’ “NJ” logo beneath a horned “Trenton.” – Mark Everson

BLOTTER: Bengals LB arrested

Linebacker A.J. Nicholson was arrested on a domestic violence charge, the first arrest of a Bengals’ player since NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cracked down on misconduct last month.

RUNNING: Khannouchi in N.Y. race

Two-time marathon world-record holder Khalid Khannouchi, who lives in Ossining, will run in his first pro race in New York City when he headlines today’s Healthy Kidney 10k in Central Park. – Brian Lewis

SOCCER: Reyna questionable

Red Bulls captain Claudio Reyna‘s injured groin leaves him as a game-time decision, questionable for tonight’s tilt vs. Columbus (7:30 p.m., MSG). – Brian Lewis

GOLF: Matteson shares lead

In Duluth, Ga., Troy Matteson shot an 8-under 64 for a share of the second-round lead at 10-under in the AT&T Classic with Ryuji Imada at the TPC Sugarloaf.