Recent insider chatter has the New York Giants targeting a rookie quarterback with their second selection of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I think there’s a very good chance that [the Giants] use their second pick [on a QB] — whether that’s a second-round pick or trade-up to a second first-round pick — I do think there’s a chance that’s what they end up doing at quarterback,” New York Post media member Ryan Dunleavy told the Talkin’ Giants podcast on February 20.
Adding: “And then you’re looking at the J.J. McCarthy’s, Michael Penix’s, Bo Nix [or] someone like that after picking a Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers at six.”
Coincidentally, that was the exact gameplan that The 33rd Team writer Marcus Mosher predicted during a mock draft on February 19.
As many others have suggested, Mosher first had Big Blue selecting Nabers at No. 6 overall. Later, the analyst had them landing Nix at No. 39 and Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul at No. 47 — effectively tripling down on the offensive side.
For the record, Mosher also mocked McCarthy to the Denver Broncos at No. 12 overall. He did not include Penix in his two-round prediction, meaning the Washington Huskies signal-caller was on the board for the Giants in this scenario.
Pros & Cons of Drafting Bo Nix to Develop Behind Daniel Jones
Assuming Daniel Jones is healthy and ready to go in Week 1, he’d most likely still be the day one starter if the Giants target a QB prospect like Nix.
At his core, the Oregon playmaker is an athletic dual threat with shades of Baker Mayfield to his game. His major concerns involve the technical and mental aspects of the position, however.
“Nix is still an incomplete player for someone who has played so much football, but his tools are undeniable,” Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen scouted candidly.
“It’s hard to get a sense for where Nix is at in terms of being an NFL processor,” he noted later. “Oregon’s offense lightened the load on him mentally by spamming screens, run-pass options and simple vertical concepts to unlock his arm.”
The Draft Network’s Damian Parson agreed that Nix is “far from a slam dunk pro-ready quarterback” because of his processing, pocket presence and ability to work through progressions.
If Nix does slip to pick No. 39, it’ll be because of those weaknesses. Physically, the Heisman Trophy finalist is power packed with rare traits.
“Nix’s greatest asset is arguably his athleticism,” Klassen relayed. “He is flexible, quick on his feet and dangerously explosive. He consistently escapes pressure and finds a number of different ways to do so.”
The Bleacher Report scouting expert also praised his “loose arm” that can “bomb [the ball] down the field” and hit “tight windows” on the run.
If the organization truly trusts head coach Brian Daboll’s ability to develop a quarterback — and they should based on his distinguished track record — Nix could be the guy to take a chance on. Klassen called the Oregon star a “dice roll” of a prospect, while Parson projected him as a “high-end backup quarterback with starting potential.”
Explanation for LSU WR Malik Nabers to Giants
Mosher did not explain the second-round predictions, but he did include a write up for each of his first-round picks. Below was his explanation for Nabers to Big Blue:
“In most drafts, Malik Nabers would be the clear-cut No. 1 WR and a lock to be a top-five pick. But in this draft, he’s not even the second pass-catcher off the board.”
“The New York Giants get a steal at No. 6 with Nabers, who isn’t that far off from Marvin Harrison Jr. in the class. Nabers can be a bonafide No. 1 receiver for New York, which it has been missing since trading away Odell Beckham Jr.”
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Giants Predicted to Land ‘Dice Roll’ QB With Dual Threat Potential