▁jump ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁was ▁the ▁best ▁ever ▁by ▁a ▁Maryland ▁def ensive ▁lin eman ▁to ▁that ▁point . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NFL ▁Com bine ▁▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁M err iman ▁was ▁draft ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁round ▁( 1 2 th ▁overall ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NFL ▁D raft ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland ▁by ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Ch arg ers . ▁He ▁was ▁selected ▁using ▁a ▁pick ▁acquired ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁R ivers - M anning ▁trade ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁NFL ▁D raft . ▁ ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁trad ed ▁Philip ▁R ivers ▁( selected ▁ 4 th ▁overall ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁D raft ), ▁and ▁their ▁ 1 st ▁round ▁selection ▁for ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁( am ong st ▁others ) ▁for ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁sign ▁Eli ▁Mann ing , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Ch arg ers ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁overall ▁pick ▁that ▁year . ▁Mann ing ▁had ▁made ▁it ▁clear ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁interested ▁in ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁Ch arg ers , ▁in ▁a ▁similar ▁fashion ▁to ▁John ▁El way ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁when ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Col ts . ▁ ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁draft ▁pick ▁ended ▁up ▁being ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁overall ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NFL