Giants may target quarterbacks in later rounds of the NFL Draft.
Because it has been done, it is possible to do.
Not infrequently, mind you, but not infrequently enough to be written off.
After the first few picks in any given NFL draft, a quarterback with the potential to be a franchise player can be found, or at the very least, a respectable and successful starting quarterback.
During Washington’s Pro Day, Michael Penix Jr. attempted a pass. The Giants may consider selecting him in the later rounds.
It is typically too easy for a general manager to resist the desire to choose one at No. 1 overall, No. 2, or No. 3.
Because of this, players at this position suffer from more severe overanalysis and misevaluation than players at any other position.
This time of year, team executives shouldn’t be trusted with much of what they say, but Giants general manager Joe Schoen has stated this so many times that it would be foolish to disregard the message.
He maintains that while the top of the draft is usually a good place to look for quarterbacks, it’s not the only aisle with high-quality options.
Schoen cited the 2017 draft as an illustration of how moderation may yield fruitful outcomes.
That year, only one quarterback was selected in the top nine: Mitchell Trubisky, who was selected by the Bears at No. 2 overall and ultimately proved to be an unwise choice.
At No. 10, the Chiefs selected Patrick Mahomes, and at No. 12, the Texans selected Deshaun Watson. That was a gold mine for both teams.
An even more striking instance of the draft’s deeper jewel-mining occurred in 2012.
It seemed obvious that Andrew Luck would be selected first by the Colts, and his only real obstacle to long-lasting fame and potential Hall of Fame status was injury.
That year, Robert Griffin III was selected by Washington with the second overall pick. His run-passing prowess made him a formidable opponent for defenses, but his lean frame failed him.
“Some of the best quarterbacks from that draft, including the Andrew Luck draft, are still playing,” Schoen recently stated at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Orlando. Last year, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, and Ryan Tannehill were all still starting. Those guys behaved like Robert Griffin—not one, not two.
“I simply believe that the quarterback position is the most crucial one. In one of our meetings, a general manager stated as much. In sports, it’s the most significant position. Given how tough the position is to play, I wouldn’t disagree. Yes, it plays a crucial role in the process. Since it’s an imprecise science, you attempt to perform as much research as you can to reduce your margin of error and arrive at the best conclusion.
Schoen’s first two years managing the draft were not spent by the Giants acquiring quarterbacks.
This time, they’re not going all in for one, but they are at least speculating about joining a group that already includes Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones.
With the sixth overall pick, the Giants are not in a great position to wait to select one of the top passers because Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and Caleb Williams could go undrafted in the first three rounds.
Prospect J.J. McCarthy is very subjective; he may finish in the top 10 or fall a few spots.
The Giants now have just six selections this year after giving up one of their two second-round picks to acquire defensive end Brian Burns in a trade with the Panthers.
If they want to trade up to snag a quarterback, they won’t have a lot of 2024 draft equity to work with.
Schoen’s analysis of the 2012 draft, which takes historical precedent into account, gives credit to astute teams with top-notch coaches and the capacity to nurture talent for selecting a quarterback outside of the top five or ten.
Tannehill was drafted by the Dolphins with the eighth pick that year. He started for the majority of 11 seasons in Miami and Tennessee, finishing with an 81-70 record. He’s searching for his next project right now.
Wilson was selected by the Seahawks in the third round, and Cousins by Washington in the fourth round, both from same draft.
With Cousins joining the Falcons and Wilson joining the Steelers, both players have been highly productive and will be starting in different roles in 2024.
It became out that both were draft snatchers.
Beyond the first round this year, is there a hidden gem?
The guys in the next quarterback tier, which includes Jordan Travis (Florida State), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Pratt (Tulane), Spencer Rattler (South Carolina), and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), are probably going to be selected in the second round and, for some of them, in Day 3 (rounds 4-7) of this draft.
You can laugh at them all you want, but nobody is demeaning 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who finished dead last in 2022 (ranked 262) yet is a lock to start for the NFC’s Super Bowl bid a few months from now.
