Which quarterbacks did the Giants like at the NFL combine?

Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff WriterMar 2, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
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INDIANAPOLIS — The New York Giants spent the week at the NFL scouting combine digging deeper into what is generally considered a stacked quarterback class.

That included meeting and interviewing all of the top quarterback prospects, starting with USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who most expect to be the top three picks in the draft. They also met with Washington’s Michael Penix, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, perceived to be a strong second tier.

The Giants own the No. 6 pick, and multiple sources told ESPN that the Giants will seriously look at the position if the right opportunity presents itself. Whether that means drafting a quarterback at No. 6, trading up or perhaps using their two second-round picks to move into the back half of the first round, it’s all on the table.

“Where we are at six, we’re going to look at everything,” general manager Joe Schoen said at the combine. “We’re going to look at everything. We’re going to look at all positions.

“You hope you’re not up there [at pick six] again. You don’t want to be picking in the top 10, but it’s a good draft. It’s a solid draft across the board, and we’re going to have an opportunity to get a good player, and we’re going to evaluate all the positions and take the best player we can.”

This is considered an especially strong quarterback draft. Add in that they have a high first-round pick and plenty of draft capital, and it is all the more intriguing. But can the Giants even get in the mix at the top if that is their desire?

The feeling among the halls of Indianapolis is that the Chicago Bears are going to draft Williams No. 1 overall. The Washington Commanders are going to then take a quarterback at No. 2. The third spot is believed to be where a window could open for the Giants. If the New England Patriots‘ top two options are off the board and they aren’t crazy about QB3, that could be an opportunity for Schoen and Co.

The quarterback who several scouts and executives believe would really pique the Giants’ interest in this scenario is Maye.

“He’s a stud,” said a scout who has seen him play several times and knows the Giants well. “I would take him over Daniels. He would fit what [coach Brian Daboll] does. I can see that happening.”

The likelihood remains that if the Giants land a quarterback in this draft, it would be from the second tier. The combine, pro days and official visits will go a long way in determining if McCarthy, Penix or Nix are ideal fits.

“It’s a good quarterback draft. It’s not just at the top,” Schoen said.

The reason quarterback is on the table in the first place is not because the Giants don’t believe in Daniel Jones, who signed an extension worth $40 million a year last offseason. They didn’t change their opinion based on the four games he started behind a weak offensive line last season.

It’s more that Jones’ injury history is something that can not be ignored. He has three notable injuries in the past three years: two neck injuries and a torn right ACL that he is still rehabbing.

The reality is that the deal they made with Jones last season allowed the quarterback to reach the financial benchmark he wanted. The Giants, in return, got the structure they desired. They’re able to reasonably get out of the deal after the 2024 season.

So it’s not inconceivable to see a rookie sit behind Jones to start this year. It’s what happened with Eli Manning, who sat behind Kurt Warner in 2004, and Jones behind Manning in 2019.

Jones is almost certainly going to be the team’s starter come Week 1, especially after Schoen said there has been some talk about him being able to participate in some drills this spring.

“I have faith in Daniel as our starting quarterback,” Schoen said.

But faith to start Week 1 isn’t the same as faith in the long haul, especially if the right opportunity presents itself.