Some thoughts about the Giants’ quarterback hunt as the draft approaches

New York Giants co-owner John Mara has given GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll the “green light” to select a quarterback early in the 2024 NFL Draft if they are in love with one. The way the pre-draft process is playing out, there shouldn’t be any doubt that the Giants are considering doing exactly that.

Whether they ultimately will or not remains to be seen. I think, though, that as we have watched Giants’ brass criss-cross the country to watch and meet with the top quarterbacks in the draft class, we should put away the notion that they are simply putting up a smokescreen to get a better non-QB pick at No. 6.

That might end up being the result if a quarterback-hungry team or teams move past the Giants in the draft. All the man hours, the meetings, the travel, the expense, the giving up of holidays wouldn’t be happening unless the Giants were seriously considering selecting a possible successor to Daniel Jones.

A Giants’ contingent is in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Easter Sunday for a private workout with J.J. Mccarthy. They met with McCarthy at the NFL Scouting Combine and hosted him in East Rutherford, N.J. for dinner and a facility tour.

They have have met with and hosted Drake Maye, and will at some point hold a private workout for the North Carolina quarterback. They have met with Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr., with Schoen and Daboll attending their pro days. Private workouts with them will happen at some point, as well.

Was it a tad of misdirection that Schoen and Daboll skipped the pro days of McCarthy and Maye, the two quarterbacks my instincts say are the ones they have the most interest in? Maybe.

Skipping Caleb Williams because that isn’t realistic, the one quarterback we have heard almost nothing about in connection with the Giants is Bo Nix of Oregon.

• 2024 NFL Draft quarterback deep dive: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

Here are some quick thoughts on the four quarterbacks the Giants seem to have paid the most attention to in the pre-draft process:

J.J. McCarthy

“Ed loves J.J. McCarthy.”

Might as well take out a billboard and advertise it, or plaster Big Blue View headquarters (my sparsely decorated office) with 8x10s of McCarthy’s face.

Only, that’s not the case.

Objectively, when I watch McCarthy play I see a lot of things to like. I have been over them before — accuracy, touch, the ability to make NFL-caliber throws into tight NFL windows even though he doesn’t have the big arm of Drake Maye, athleticism and the ability to make plays off-platform, winning pedigree and a personality honed by dealing with the controversies Michigan was always embroiled in that would serve him well if he landed in New York.

I also understand the concerns, primarily that the Wolverines ran a run-heavy offense that did not rely on McCarthy to be the focal point all the time.

What I recognize is that the NFL doesn’t care that media scouts had McCarthy as a Day 2 prospect months ago. So many things go into these decisions beyond a quarterback’s college stats. The NFL keeps telling us that when it comes to all of those “beyond the stats” things teams care about that McCarthy checks every box.

One nugget from ESPN’s Matt Miller is that “multiple NFL teams have McCarthy ranked ahead of North Carolina’s Drake Maye. A high-ranking evaluator I spoke to this week said McCarthy’s winning résumé, upside as a mobile QB and impeccable poise under pressure all graded out higher for them than Maye. When under pressure last season, McCarthy completed an FBS-best 68% of his passes and averaged 10 yards per attempt (second-best).”

• Giants will hold private workout for J.J. McCarthy
• Ex-GM Mike Tannenbaum explains why NFL teams love J.J. McCarthy
• ‘A lot of people think the Giants’ guy is J.J. McCarthy’
• Harbaugh: J.J. McCarthy ‘plays quarterback’ better than any QB in the draft
• Mel Kiper: J.J. McCarthy ‘makes sense’ for New York Giants at No. 6

Drake Maye

Despite all of the McCarthy hype, my gut says THIS is the guy the Giants would love to have.

Aside from Williams, he is probably the toolsiest — if that’s a word — of the group. Size, arm strength, mobility, upside. Let’s be real — he is the closest thing in this draft to Josh Allen, the guy who helped Daboll and Schoen get the jobs they now have. That has to count for something.

Maye, and McCarthy, too, are most reminiscent of what the Giants have always had at quarterback going all the way back to Phil Simms. I wouldn’t discount the fact that Maye has worked with Eli Manning, and with quarterbacks coach David Morris, Manning’s collegiate backup, who also works with Jones.

• Are the Giants or Vikings in better position to get a top quarterback prospect?
• Big Blue View rules for draft success, 2024 edition
• Drake Maye soaking up knowledge from ex-Giants’ QB Eli Manning

Jayden Daniels

When I first started really looking at the quarterbacks in this class, it was easy to be wowed by Daniels. He can spin it with everyone in the class, and he is the most dangerous runner of the group. The Lamar Jackson comparisons are easy to make.

Here’s the thing: I don’t think it’s worth getting fired up about the possibility of Daniels to the Giants, despite the young man’s obvious talent. Draft analysts have thought for a while that Daniels would not get past the Washington Commanders, with the second overall pick in the draft.

LSU coach Brian Kelly even let slip that he believes that is where Daniels will land:

“He [Daniels] is going to be so committed to taking care of himself that you’re not going to have to worry about size or [if] he doesn’t weigh enough,” Kelly said. “Lamar [Jackson] has done a pretty good job with his size. [Patrick] Mahomes I wouldn’t consider him a giant. Because he [Daniels] is going to get the ball out to the playmakers and make plays. For Washington.”

• 1-on-1 with Chris Simms: Daniel Jones is ‘problem 74’ for the Giants

Michael Penix Jr.

I knew about the arm talent of Penix, although I am mystified by occasional misses on short throws that should be easy completions. What I did not know about was the athleticism. I was stunned by the athletic testing numbers Penix posted at the Washington Pro Day:

I still think Penix’s injury history — two torn ACLs and season-ending dislocations to each shoulder — make Penix unlikely to be a Giant. If you are using Jones’ injury history as part of the justification for drafting a potential replacement, how do you select a quarterback who, while three years younger, already has a longer injury history?

• Giants’ brass chooses Washington over North Carolina in dueling pro days
• 2024 NFL Draft quarterback deep dive: Michael Penix Jr., Washington

In defense of Mike T.

Every time I post something involving a comment or opinion from former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum there is a tremendous amount of vitriol spewed in Tannenbaum’s direction. There is certainly plenty of it in this post.

Honestly, I’m tired of it. What I’m not tired of, though, is taking advantage of opportunities to talk with Tannenbaum and others like him who have worked or played in the NFL.

Tannenbaum offers some nutty takes, like his off-the-wall idea of trading Daniel Jones for DeShaun Watson. That was bizarre. I get it.

Here’s the thing. You can disagree with anyone’s opinion. That’s fine. There is, though, ALWAYS value in hearing from people who have played the game at the NFL level or had to make decisions in an NFL front office or on an NFL sideline.

Tannenbaum worked in the NFL for 25 years. He made the kind of decisions Joe Schoen is now charged with making for the Giants. Whether he was a successful GM or not, he still understands the process and all of the things that go into making decisions about NFL rosters. There is a lot more that goes into it and a lot more that ends up being considered than any of us fully realize.

That is why Tannenbaum’s thoughts on why the NFL seems more enamored of J.J. McCarthy than the media or perplexed Giants fans are valuable. He understands the things that teams value and discuss when facing a choice like this. He has the ability to go places, see things and talk to people that we don’t have.

There are things to be learned from Tannenbaum and people like him. So, whenever I get an opportunity to talk to Mike and others who have been in those positions I am going to take it. If it isn’t valuable to you, fine. Just move on to something else.