With the 6th overall pick in the 2024 Bleeding Green Nation community mock draft, New York Giants GM 89Tremaine selects ...

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Current Roster and Ranks

Before we get into what the Giants should do with the 6th pick in the draft, we should first look at how they fared last year as well as the roster composition.

Traditional YPG Stats (Rank) / (2022 Rank)

Giants fans entered the 2023 season with elevated expectations after a surprising run to the Divisional Round in 2022. Advanced statistics (and the eye test) suggested that a regression was coming, but New York stubbornness trumps all. Making matters worse, the team re-committed to Daniel Jones on a 4-year, $160 million contract, alienated their best offensive weapon by using the franchise tag, and traded draft capital for an aging and often injured TE. The Week 1 thrashing at the hands of the Cowboys foreshadowed what would become a dreadful season. At times the Giants became unwatchable and uncompetitive last year. However, a saviour by the name of Tommy DeVito led the Giants on a 3-game winning streak which did nothing but hurt their draft position. At least they were smart to recoup some value by trading Leonard Williams to the Seahawks at the trade deadline.From a roster perspective, the Giants lack playmakers on both sides of the ball. The defensive line should be one of the best in the NFL after the trade for Brian Burns. Having Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the outside with Dexter Lawrence in the middle should give new DC Shane Bowen opportunities to be creative. The secondary suffered a big loss with Xavier McKinney moving on to Green Bay. Old friend Jalen Mills provides a competent starter, but does not have the same physical tools as McKinney. The back seven needs an upgrade if the Giants are to become competitive. Unfortunately for Giants fans, it will take at least one more offseason to restock the talent.

On offence, it says a lot about the state of the team when their best player for the last six years was a running back. The Giants were painful to watch on offence last year, and that was before Daniel Jones was injured. Their OL has a stud at LT in Andrew Thomas, but despite a significant investment in draft capital, is a mess everywhere else. They have a roster full of #2 and #3 WRs, and most are better suited to the slot than outside. Now they have lost their best offensive weapon and replaced him with Devin Singletary. Singletary had a great stretch run in Houston last year, but has not shown the ability to be a true bell cow. Jones was given ample time and opportunities to show that he could be the guy, but he’s fallen flat every time. One playoff win in six seasons does not justify the contract that he was given last year, and he is likely playing in his final season for the Giants (much to our dismay as Eagles fans).

The Pick

The way the board fell, coupled with the inability in this setting for teams to trade in front of them, is perhaps the ideal scenario for the Giants. They desperately need to add a franchise QB so they can stop being the doormat that they have been for the last decade. If this is how the board fell, I believe that the Giants would draft JJ McCarthy from Michigan to be their long term solution. However, I get to make the pick for the Giants and with the sixth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Giants select: Jayden Daniels, QB LSU (and I’m a Michigan fan).

Long term development should be the goal, and not short term results. Daniel Jones’ career was perhaps doomed by poor line play and a lack of playmakers. Those issues still exist on this Giants roster. Jones’ presence gives them the opportunity to allow Daniels to develop, without throwing him on the field before he is ready. It should be the same approach that the Packers took with Jordan Love, and we all saw how that paid off last season.

The Rationale

Simply put, with Saquon Barkley leaving, the Giants need a new face of the franchise and the reigning Heisman trophy winner gives them just that. Daniels is a modern-day QB combining an accurate arm and deadly deep ball with the ability to take any run to the house. Playing in the SEC should have been the best preparation possible for NFL defences, and his stats compare very favorably with two of the best Heisman winning QBs from the SEC:

Being more efficient as a passer than Burrow and more explosive than Cam Newton as a runner should scare NFL defensive coordinators. As an Eagles fan, my least desired outcome would be Daniels ending up in the division (really hoping the Commanders take McCarthy and the Giants take Drake Maye or get shut out). He has everything you would want in a prospect and could develop into Lamar Jackson. However, I will present two concerns that would scare me as a GM. First, Daniels’ pressure to sack rate is alarming (20.2%). Per Brett Whitefield of Fantasy Points, this is one QB stat that is sticky from college to the pros. That would scare me as it gives the negative Justin Fields vibes. The second is his penchant for trying to extend the play and not slide. While that leads to some of his highlight runs, he’s only 210 lbs so he will not be able to withstand big hits in the NFL without ending up on the injury report. Overall, he would be an excellent choice and would bring excitement to Giants fans and give the team the opportunity for continued success.

Professionals Breaking Down Jayden Daniels:

I defer to the experts in breaking down film. Below are some of the better breakdowns that highlight Jayden Daniels.

Strengths (via NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein)

• Game is marked by command of the field and football intelligence.
• Recognizes pre-snap pressure and has a plan to counter it.
• Gets everyone on the same page when setting up protection.
• Full-field reader with good rhythm through his progressions.
• Willing to plant his flag and attack defenses from the pocket.
• Maintains passing platform when sliding around the pocket.
• Has made footwork as a passer a priority during his career.
• Anticipatory thrower with accuracy and feel for attacking zone windows.
• Has the running talent to turn scrambles into back-breaking plays.
• Has the speed to keep defenses honest with zone-read concepts.

Greg Cosell Breakdown: [Link here]

Weaknesses (via NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein)

• Slender frame will lead to durability concerns.
• Lack of zip creates danger for him outside the numbers.
• Will drop his eyes in the pocket to scan for exits.
• Below-average push and placement on deep throws.
• Substantially more accurate on rollouts than as a scrambling passer.
• Has a tendency to fall off of fade throws, leaving them short.

2024 BGN Mock Draft Order

1) Bears (Draftjunky): Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2) Commanders (surefooted): Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
3) Patriots (niels.rosenquist): Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
4) Cardinals (eaglenomics): Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
5) Chargers (SeanEFootball): Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
6) Giants (89Tremaine) Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
7) Titans (Philly21)
8) Falcons (BrianLee0480)
9) Bears (pheebthegoose)
10) Jets (GreenGrampa)
11) Vikings (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop)
12) Broncos (PBARB1978)
13) Raiders (iam4theBirdz)
14) Saints (Fly Like An Eagle)
15) Colts (J. Wil)
16) Seahawks (Phreezy E)
17) Jaguars (dredscottroberts)
18) Bengals (grantspectations)
19) Rams (Nolo0oo)
20) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen)
21) Dolphins (Neil Dutton)
22) Eagles (ablesser88)
23) Vikings (RabidPanda13)
24) Cowboys (Elliptical Man)
25) Packers (LeFire)
26) Buccaneers (FlJoe)
27) Cardinals (green1us)
28) Bills (Leo Bedio)
29) Lions (MrOilman)
30) Ravens (LancGuy)
31) 49ers (SakPrescott)
32) Chiefs (Hoosinole)

Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2024 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.

1) Bears: QB Caleb Williams
2) Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels
3) Patriots: QB Drake Maye
4) Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
5) Chargers: WR Malik Nabers
6) Giants: