Smokescreen? Giants official hints at QB plans in upcoming NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, which will take place in Detroit, Mich. from Thursday, Apr. 25, until Saturday, Apr. 27. One of the more intriguing teams to follow during the pre-draft process are the New York Giants. The team holds the sixth overall pick and the buzz is that they are looking to find another quarterback one year after giving Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract. But with injuries derailing his season once again, the buzz at the NFL Scouting Combine was that the Giants were "absolutely done" with Jones.

The main issue for the Giants is that if they want one of the top quarterbacks not named Caleb Williams, they will have to trade up to take one that they really like. The problem is the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are quarterback-needy teams sitting in the second and third positions, respectively. So, what are the Giants to do on the opening night of the NFL Draft?

According to ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller ($), a "high-ranking official" on the Giants said they feel it's "highly unlikely" they use their first-round pick on a quarterback. However, Miller does float the idea that the team could try to move up in the second round to draft someone like Washington's Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon's Bo Nix, granted if they are even sitting there on Day 2.

"A high-ranking official with the team told me their draft plans are unlikely to include a first-round passer. However, that doesn’t rule out a quarterback being a target in Round 2, where the team owns pick No. 47. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix are expected to be off the board by that point, but a small trade up on Day 2 — similar to what the Titans did last year to land Will Levis at pick No. 33 — is possible," writes Miller.

'High ranking official' on Giants reportedly says team unlikely to draft QB in first round

While that would upset those who are in the camp of using a high draft pick to replace Jones, it's important to note that this is "smokescreen season." Every team is looking to get everyone else off their scent to avoid showing their hand on who they want to draft, particularly with a high pick.

ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan wrote in that same article linked above that if the "right quarterback is there" for the Giants, they "wouldn't hesitate to make the move."

Again, a team is never going to outright say this is the player we are going to target or this is the position we are addressing with our first-round pick. That would allow other teams, possibly rivals, to leapfrog them to take the prospect they were targeting.

We have seen various reports throughout the pre-draft process that the Giants "prefer" a different top quarterback prospect. Whether that's Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, LSU's Jayden Daniels, or North Carolina's Drake Maye. Whoever the Giants prefer, they would have to move up to take them or have another QB-desperate team like the Denver Broncos or Minnesota Vikings leap ahead of them.

If the Giants were to forgo moving up to draft a quarterback or if none falls to them, they would be in a position to take one of the top three wide receiver prospects in the draft. Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington's Rome Odunze, and LSU's Malik Nabers are all in the "elite tier" of wide receiver prospects this year. It just so happens that the Giants desperately need to address this position.

Giants fans, just a little over a week until you can see who the team was targeting with their first-round pick and if they will even draft a quarterback throughout the seven-round draft.