By ERNIE PALLADINO
The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Eli Manning had a rough first day of the rest of his football life Friday.

New York Giants draft pick Eli Manning passes the ball during mini camp Friday. (AP photo)

Just ask the tackling dummy he hit with a pass in the afternoon session of the New York Giants' first minicamp. No, not some under-IQed defensive lineman. A real tackling dummy, which replaces a real defensive end in shell drills.

So maybe Manning will need a little more time to develop into a star NFL quarterback.

Though he did well in the mental aspects of quarterbacking, the first-round star showed mechanics that generally left much to be desired.

The few passes he threw fluttered instead of spiraled. He completed only two passes to wide receivers in drills that involved defenders that actually had heartbeats - a flutterball to Tim Carter in the morning, and a decent throw to Tiki Barber in the afternoon.

He fumbled two snaps. And he threw an interception to second-year cornerback Frank Walker.

"I'm just trying to figure out what I can do and what the offense is about right now," the 6-foot-4, 218-pound Manning said as the media smothered him like a blitzing linebacker. "I fumbled a couple of snaps out there because I'm getting used to the centers."

None of what Manning did moved the Giants away from their desire to find a veteran quarterback as a potential season-starter and tutor to Manning. Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon remain on the radar screen, even though the St. Louis Rams have said it's not a sure thing they'll cut Warner after June 1.

But coach Tom Coughlin didn't see Manning's first day as a total disaster.

"Well, he had excellent huddle command," Coughlin said, drawing laughter from the media swarm that initiated the University of Mississippi record-setter to the big-city spotlight. "He'll be fine. A lot of new things were thrown at him. Picking up his receiver, getting his feet up underneath him in the high grass, all that stuff; it'll come.

"His ability to repeat the play and make the snap count, and notice who's lined up well, that was there."

Manning made mistakes aplenty, however. He got out of one with a nifty leaping and spinning dumpoff to running back Antwoine Womack.

But he failed to see a number of open receivers downfield.

"He's not used to the offense," wide receiver Amani Toomer said. "He has to kind of feel his way through the offense."

His hands weren't steady at all. And even a youngster like Manning knows what's in store if he continues to mishandle snaps.

"Oh, Coach Coughlin's a disciplinarian," Manning said. "You can't put the ball on the ground, or he's gonna get on you. That's something that can't happen."

Coughlin laid off him Friday, however. The man who threw for more than 10,000 yards in three years as the Rebels' fulltime starter will get a grace period of sorts. Even defensive end Michael Strahan said the front abandoned its usual goal of confusion to ease Manning's first day of transition to the pro game.

Such leniency won't last. In due time, a veteran signal-caller will have to help Manning read the defenses. One can safely assume that person won't be Jesse Palmer, the fourth-year player known more for his role on "The Bachelor" than his playing exploits. Nor can Coughlin turn to 275-pound undrafted quarterback Jared Lorenzen or second-year veteran Kevin Thompson.

"Our objective was to have a veteran quarterback here, and it continues to be that, provided it's the right combination," Coughlin said.

For now, Manning has a lot of learning ahead of him. If he proved anything Friday, it is that he is hardly a finished product.

"I'm just trying to retain as much information as possible," Manning said. "Whether you're in there or not in there, I just try to make everything a mental rep.

"I wasn't too nervous. I was anxious to get out there and start passing and getting with the guys. I'm going to get better every day. I've got a long time to study before the games start, a lot of preparation on my part."

Notes

The Giants made official the signing of 17 rookie free agents, all of whom participated in camp. They were QB Jared Lorenzen of Kentucky, RBs Chris Douglas of Duke and Keylon Kincade of SMU, FB Edgar Cervantes of Iowa, WRs Chris Davis of Southern and Andrae Thurman of Southern Oregon, TE Beau Fullerton of Tennessee Tech, DE Khaleed Vaughn of Clemson, LBs T.J. Hollowell of Nebraska, Levi Madarieta of Brigham Young, Jim Maxwell of Gardner Webb, Lewis Moore of Pittsburgh, and Robert Peace of Tennessee, CBs Curtis DeLoatch of North Carolina A&T, Dewitt Ellerbee of South Carolina State, and Charles Jones of Alabama, and P Mark Gould of Northern Arizona.

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