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Football has its prognosticators and so does the legal world.

They were out in front of the 17th precinct, on E. 51st Street, in New York City on Monday, when Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress surrendered to authorities.

Burress walked into the precinct at 8:03 a.m. ET — Tom Coughlin would have fined him for being three minutes late — and walked out shortly after 1 p.m., handcuffed.

The consensus of legal reporters and people with ties to the police department is that Burress ultimately will not go to jail, but will get hit with probation and a hefty fine to go along with community service.

Granted, New York’s gun control laws are as tough as they come. But Burress, by hiring attorney Benjamin Brafman — who defended Sean “Diddy” Combs on weapon charges and Michael Jackson during his child molestation trial — got the type of quality defense attorney only money could buy.

It’s like Burress going against a smaller cornerback — hard not to like his chances.

Brafman won’t be able to help Burress when the NFL is deciding how long to suspend him. Nor can he do anything about the Giants decision to pay or keep him.

But Burress has a decent shot to avoid jailtime.

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