NFL: 3 Quarterbacks New York Giants could draft
It’s often said in the NFL that if you don’t have a franchise quarterback under center, you don’t really have a quarterback at all.
After the New York Giants selected Daniel Jones in the top 10 of the 2019 NFL Draft, they thought they might have had their next franchise guy after Eli Manning sailed off into the sunset.
However, Jones’ NFL resume has been kind of a mixed bag. Early on in his rookie season, Jones showed the ability to keep plays alive with his legs. He ran for first downs and bought time outside the pocket to find receivers down the field.
It seemed like Jones was going to be on track to play like the ideal modern NFL quarterback.
However, his propensity to turn the ball over has left the New York Giants in bad spots, leaving opposing offenses short fields against team's defense. Jones has fumbled 29 times in his first two NFL seasons and thrown 22 interceptions, which is unsustainable for a viable NFL starting quarterback. He will have to cut down on those numbers drastically in 2021 to retain his job.
Three quarterbacks the New York Giants could sign in the 2021 NFL Draft:
The New York Giants might not want to wait for Jones to blossom into the player they need him to be. They might take matters into their own hand and bring in another young signal caller in the Draft. On that note, let's take a look at three such players whom the New York Giants might target.
#1 Mac Jones
If there’s one thing the New York Giants need Daniel Jones to do better, it’s consistently get the ball in the hands of his weapons.
The New York Giants have not fielded a bad team around Jones in his first two seasons in the NFL, surrounding him with talent such as Sterling Sherpard, Darius Slayton, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley. That ability on the perimeter could get even better in 2021 with the additions of Kenny Golladay and Kyle Rudolph.
While it seems unclear about how good the University of Alabama quarterback Mac Jones truly is, one this is for certain: he was able to get dynamic weapons on the football last season.
His NFL Draft ranking might be a byproduct of how good his team was and not necessarily how good he is, but for the Giants, that could be acceptable. They just need someone who can stand in the pocket and ensure that the ball isn’t turned over while also delivering accurate throws.
Mac Jones could be a good fit at the New York Giants with those expectations.
#2 Kyle Trask
While not quite the same prospect as Mac Jones, Kyle Trask out of the University of Florida might be another guy the New York Giants could have their eye on.
Trask is more of an option for the team towards the end of the second or third round in the NFL Draft. But he could have a sneaky Kirk Cousins-like career trajectory if he usurps current starter, Daniel Jones.
Kyle Trask had a fabulous season with the Gators in 2020, throwing for 43 touchdowns in just 12 games. He certainly looks the part of an NFL quarterback—at 6’ 5” 240 pounds, he should have no trouble surveying the field.
One concern about Trask’s game, though, is his lack of mobility. He’s not really the type of player who will pick up first downs with his legs, which is a strike against him in today’s NFL.
#3 Trey Lance
At the other end of the spectrum, we have North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. While he brought all of his passing skills to the table as a sophomore (throwing for 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions), Lance is an incredibly dynamic runner with the ball.
In 2019, Lance picked up 1,100 on the ground and scored 14 touchdowns, which would be a great NFL season for a running back, let alone a quarterback.
However, Lance comes with a couple of red flags of his own. He didn’t play in the 2020 NFL season and will be nearly two years removed from competitive game action when he suits up for his first NFL training camp.
Additionally, Trey Lance did not play in one of the power conferences against widely respected competition. So teams might view his numbers as somewhat hollow. Nevertheless, he could be an exciting dart throw for the New York Giants in the upcoming NFL Draft next month.