The New York Giants entered this offseason with a desperate need to fix their quarterback room. This offseason, the Giants brought in two quarterbacks with starter's experience — Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. With these signings, the Giants don't have to use the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft on a quarterback, and could instead have the luxury to draft the best player on their board if they so choose.
ESPN's NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes the Giants can do just that in the first round, while also addressing the quarterback position in the second round.
In Kiper's latest mock draft, the Giants use the third overall pick on Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter. The Giants have been linked to Carter lately with the Cleveland Browns supposedly leaning towards taking Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter with the second overall pick.
With Shedeur Sanders being mocked to the New Orleans Saints with the ninth overall pick, where do the Giants turn for a potential quarterback of the future? Well, Kiper has the Giants taking Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the second round.
"After the Giants passed on Shedeur Sanders in Round 1, they could come back to the quarterbacks on Day 2. There is some love for Milroe in NFL circles right now, and he could fit well in New York," writes Kiper. "He'd have the chance to learn behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, developing his pre-snap reads and improving his short-to-intermediate accuracy. Milroe throws a great deep ball and can change a game with his legs. He ran for 20 scores in 2024."
Mel Kiper has Giants selecting Alabama QB Jalen Milroe in latest mock draft
Milroe is an intriguing quarterback prospect. With a strong season, Milroe could have been a lock to go in the first round, due in part to his insane athletic ability. The thing is, his accuracy and in-game decisions left a lot to be desired, especially in a quarterback-friendly system implemented by head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Milroe's biggest weakness is on passes between 0-9 yards downfield. This past season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Milroe completed 87-of-115 attempts for 836 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions. Compare that to his numbers 20-or-more yards downfield, and Milroe was more productive. Sure, he did complete 22-of-56 throws at that range, but 10 of those completions were touchdowns.
Milroe makes the most of his deep passes, but also knows how to give defenses fits with his legs. This past season, Milroe ran for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns on 168 carries. Once he sees an opening in the defense, he can make them pay immediately.
For the Giants, they do have the luxury of not needing to take a pro-ready quarterback. With Wilson and Winston, they can both start games this season. That would be the perfect landing spot for Milroe, as he can sit and learn behind both former Pro Bowl quarterbacks to ensure he won't see the gridiron until he is 100 percent ready.
We'll see if this is the strategy Giants general manager Joe Schoen goes with on Apr. 24. Until then, let the speculation continue.