The Giants were enamored with Saquon Barkley to the point they didn’t waste much time turning in their card. And the team is now prepared to enter the season without a surefire heir apparent behind Eli Manning.
It turns out, Big Blue’s brass didn’t appear to have a consensus among which of the quarterbacks they would take, with Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reporting different sects of the Giants’ decision-makers preferred three separate signal-callers. And they didn’t feel strongly enough about one of them to pull the trigger at No. 2.
Mostly, the Giants were down to Sam Darnold or Josh Allen, with some Josh Rosen support in the building as well. Schwartz reports there wasn’t much love for Baker Mayfield among the new-look Giants power structure.
If it were up to Pat Shurmur, Allen would have been the quarterback pick — had the franchise been leaning in that direction. Upside drew Shurmur to Allen. However, the Giants would have selected Bradley Chubb if Barkley wasn’t available, per Schwartz.
The Giants placed the same grade on Barkley and Chubb, but the Penn State running back was listed atop Chubb’s name on Big Blue’s board. They proceeded accordingly, and are “ecstatic,” Schwartz writes.
Additionally, Schwartz lists second-round pick Will Hernandez as a near-surefire starter at guard. Hernandez caught the Giants’ eye at the Senior Bowl, and one staffer told Schwartz the the team’s consensus was the UTEP lineman’s Combine performance would not have him available by the time New York’s second-round window opened. The Giants signed Patrick Omameh in free agency and still have returning starter John Jerry on the roster. And Schwartz adds that Lorenzo Carter could well get a strong push to start ahead of free agency addition Kareem Martin, the latter’s knowledge of James Bettcher’s system notwithstanding.
I’m willing to bet this will haunt the Giants unless they turn in another significant losing season. Doesn’t matter how good your rb is when your qb can’t win games ie pitt. Terrible call going forward for the franchise if they truly want a super bowl.
They still got a years or two of Manning. It is a bit off rolling the dice.
They have two young QB’s to groom who were both excellent in college.
I want whatever you’re smoking bro
There is always next year’s draft.
I can’t believe Pup n Taco closed.
Why are the Giants even discussed? They haven’t been relevant in a while and won’t be relevant any time soon. Barkley was a fantasy football pick, nothing more. The Giants caved to the pressure of the masses. You never take a RB ahead of a QB.
Darnold the highest grades QB since Andrew Luck and RG3 were drafted in 2012. So, I dont get the no consensus nonsense. They liked Barkley, RB has the easiest path to success on the field. QB is the most difficult and Chubb was not an exact fit for their Hybrid 3-4, youd play your top pick out of position in a stand up OLB role. So I get RB over QB, just dont but this oh we liked Allen too nonsense.