Unless you’re the Green Bay Packers, finding a franchise quarterback after a legend retires is an extraordinary task. The New York Giants learned this the hard way after future Hall of Fame quarterback Eli Manning retired after 16 seasons in 2020.
Manning remains tied to the Giants in a consultant capacity and — if asked — is willing to assist his former team in its quest for the holy quarterback.
Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart: Which Rookie QB Would Eli Manning Scout First?
Anyone following the NFL knows New York’s most glaring need in the 2025 NFL Draft is at quarterback. The Giants thought they had their answer when they took Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall in 2019. But now it’s back to the drawing board after six quarterbacks have started games for the G-Men since.
While Manning’s consultant role doesn’t involve scouting or player evaluation, he arguably knows the quarterback position better than anyone currently in the Giants organization. General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll would be fools not to ask his expert opinion.
When the subject comes up, Manning will be ready.
On the Jan. 31 episode of “Up & Adams,” Manning was asked which quarterback’s film he’d watch first. Manning didn’t seem too thrilled to answer but did anyway.
“Obviously, there’s a couple names out there,” Manning said. “There’s Shedeur [Sanders], Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart’s name is popping up a little bit more.”
As a former star at Ole Miss, Manning is partial to Dart, who is likely the No. 3 or 4 quarterback on many draft boards.
“I’ve known Jaxson a long time through Ole Miss, and watching him these past three years, I’ve gotten to know him personally.”
Eli Manning's all-IN on helping the @Giants find their future QB.
Whose tape is he popping in first ???
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) January 31, 2025
Manning explained how different it is watching a player in person versus on film and what he looks for through his quarterback lens. He highlighted progressions and the timing of ball releases.
“You look at all those things. The thing about all these quarterbacks is there is a lot of film, they’ve played a lot of games. They should be playing at a high level by their senior season. Have they fixed their mistakes? Are they getting better? And do you think they have room to grow?”
For Manning, it’s more about what is unpredictable.
The quarterback’s ability to make fast decisions, get the ball out on time, and create plays when there are none is vastly different at the collegiate level than in the pros. Scouts can use their experience to gauge this, but it won’t become evident until after the quarterback spends some time as a starter in the regular season.
“I think it’s interesting. That’s what you’re looking at as a scout from a quarterback mentality. Will their game transfer easily to the NFL, where they have to make fast decisions and get the ball out on time?
“Obviously, you want to look at that ability to create. It’s great to have that ability when you need it, but you can’t rely on it. You’re gonna get hit, you’re gonna get beat up, you’re gonna create some fumbles and bad plays as well.”
Giants Predicted To Trade Up for Ward, Not Sanders, in Mock Draft
Mock drafts are in full force, and Pro Football Network’s latest sees New York trading two spots up with the Tennessee Titans to grab Ward — not Sanders — with the No. 1 overall draft pick.
“The Giants, concerned with Sanders’ boom-or-bust risks, believe they can win with Ward’s strong arm and mobility,” wrote Chris Dodson. “Ward is accurate and not prone to boneheaded decision-making or holding on to the ball too long. That is a big upgrade over what Daniel Jones was putting on tape the past few seasons. It’s also the first thing the NYC media would scrutinize with Sanders.”