Daniel Jones was once taken sixth overall by the New York Giants. He may not be guaranteed to enter his sixth season as a starter with the team.
GM Addresses Daniel Jones’ Giants Future as Well as the 6th Pick
After succeeding franchise legend Eli Manning behind center, Jones is facing the inevitability of entering an even more crowded quarterback room with the only NFL team he’s ever played for, as the Giants have become open about drafting a quarterback at sixth overall per the New York Post on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Post in Mobile, Ala., for the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Giants general manager Joe Schoen addressed the future for Jones as well as what the vision is for the sixth overall spot of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Schoen says that all options are on the table — including taking a QB at No. 6 for the second time in five years.
“Where we are, we’re in a good spot at [No.] 6. We’re gonna look at every position; we have needs across the board, offensively and defensively,’’ Schoen said on Tuesday morning to the Post.
This further puts Jones in an awkward spot after once being tabbed as the franchise quarterback. Already, he spent the 2023 season watching undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito become a fan favorite by handling the reins in an injury-filled QB room.
DeVito kept the Giants competitive, including pulling off the late-season upset of the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
However, Schoen isn’t ruling out Jones completely losing his starting role just yet.
“Daniel’s in the building every day working hard. The expectation is for him to be the starter when he’s healthy going into camp, and we’re gonna be thorough with our process at every position during the draft, regardless of whether it’s quarterback, running back, safety, corner, whatever it is. We’ll take a good player at [No.] 6,” Schoen said.
Bo Nix? Michael Penix Jr.? A Look at New York’s Possibilities at No. 6
Say Schoen and the Giants pivot to quarterback for sixth overall, Giant fans will likely come to grips that Caleb Williams (USC) and Drake Maye (North Carolina) are all but assured to be taken off the draft board by the time the Giants pick.
Perhaps even LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels will be swooped up before Pick No. 6. Will Helms of PFN has all three aforementioned passers going in the first three selections of his Tuesday mock draft.
Yet, there’s no shortage of talented signal-callers in this draft class.
Heisman Trophy finalist Bo Nix of Oregon will expect to hear his name called on Night 1 of April’s NFL Draft. Nix has earned a first-round grade by PFN and, at age 24, is considered one of the more mature prospects for this draft cycle.
With Nix having his own background in providing a running and throwing element, he could become a potential Josh Allen-like dual-threat QB for Brian Daboll and his offense (as Daboll previously coached Allen as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills).
But if Nix gets passed over or taken even earlier, one more of New York’s possibilities is Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington. The national title runner-up got better each collegiate season and ended up rewriting the record books at UW. He’s also the QB who got the Huskies back in the national title game for the first time since the 1991 season.
MORE: Top QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Helms, however, has the Giants getting help for the QB room rather than adding to it with Malik Nabers slotted at the sixth selection. Helms wrote that the LSU wide receiver “makes plenty of sense for a team with several receivers who fit well as complementary pieces but that lacks an alpha on the outside.”
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!