The NFL Draft is still weeks away, but already the talking heads on the sports shows are talking about little else.
I always follow the draft, but this year, for a change, I won’t have to wait for four hours for my teams to make a pick.
The Giants were supposed to be Superbowl contenders last season. Instead they finished 3-13, so they have the second overall pick in the draft.
The Jets were supposed to be really really really bad last season, go winless, and get the first overall pick. Well, no, turns out they were just bad, not really really bad, so they got the sixth overall pick. Last month, however, they made a trade with the Colts, gave up some picks, and move on up to #3… aiming for a quarterback, clearly. This is supposed to be an unusually good quarterback class.
So my teams are picking second and third. The hapless Cleveland Browns are first, where they usually are. Also fourth. So Gang Green and the G-Men are in a sort of Browns sandwich.
So… if I was a GM (I’m not) or an owner, who would I pick?
Most of the mocks have Cleveland taking qb Sam Darnold with the first pick. He’s the highest rated of the four big quarterbacks that year. Assuming Darnold is off the table, I am hoping the Giants take running back Saquon Barkley with the second pick. Yes, lots of folks want Big Blue to grab Eli’s successor, but I don’t. Eli still has some good years. He’s won us two Lombardi Trophies, I would rather see us build around him and make a run for a third than start rebuilding already. Barkley is supposed to be a surefire Hall of Famer, a generational talent, better than Todd Gurley or Ezekial Elliott or any other RB to come out in the last decade… and gods know, Eli could benefit from a running game. He hasn’t had one since Ahmed Bradshaw moved on.
There’s also a lot of talk that the Giants might trade down, and harvest a lot of extra picks from some team wanting to jump ahead of the Jets. That would be okay too, provided (1) they get enough for it, and (2) they don’t go any lower than #6. Given the likely run on QBs at the top of the draft, if the G-Men stay at #6 higher, they can land either Barkley, the monster DE pass rusher Chubb, or the road grader guard out of Notre Dame, Nelson. Any of those would be fine. If they go down below #6, though, they could miss out on all three, and no amount of second- and third-rounders would make that worthwhile.
As for the Jets… they definitely need to take a quarterback at #3. Which one, though? Darnold will be gone, so the choice comes down to the two Joshs (Allen and Rosen), and Baker Mayfield out of Oklahoma. I like Rosen, but he makes me nervous. His injury history, especially the concussions, is worrisome. The last thing the Jets need is another terrific, smart, accurate signal caller whose career is cut short by injuries. Been there, done that. See Pennington, Chad. No, I’d take Baker Mayfield. Yeah, he’s “short” (six feet is short?), but he’s accurate, he’s fiery, he has “intangibles.” He reminds some people of Johnny Manziel, but that’s wrong. He’s closer to Brett Favre. I’ll take that. Broadway Baker… why the hell not? Bake us A SuperBowl! The Jets have been waiting since 1969.
((And no, if I were the Giants, I would NOT trade Odell. I am already pissed that they traded JPP. Didn’t get enough for him either)).
((Comments welcome… on topic. That means NFL football and the draft. Off topic comments will be nuked)).
Current Mood: 
thoughtful
Comments
Comments have been closed for this post.
Agree with your thoughts on who the Giants should prioritize. If Barkley is truly as good as he seems (and he sure does SEEM, coming from a Michigan fan who watched the guy trounce us almost single-handedly), he should be at the very top of our wishlist, ahead of any of the QBs. Jacksonville showed last year that you don’t need a top-5 QB in order to succeed if you’ve got an elite run game and a top-notch defense. With regards to the former, Barkley is an upgrade over the formidable Fournette in my book and as for the latter, I like what I’m hearing/reading about the Giants’ new defensive coordinator and the approach he wants to take. We can rely on Eli to do what needs to be done inside the pocket as long as those two other cylinders are firing.
I dont think the Giants are in a spot to waste the 2nd overall pick on Barkley. I’ve been hearing rumors that the Browns would rather pick Rosen over Darnold (dont read much into rumors during the draft). But if Darnold is available it could change the franchise for the next 10 to 15 seasons and help us compete against the Eagles who have Wentz!
Really hoping that the Giants don’t take Barkley, because as a Penn State/Eagles fan, I want him to go where I can continue cheering for him. Maybe my previous statement is clouding my judgement, but I think the Giants need to look a few years down the road and start grooming a successor to Eli and working to rebuild their D.
Wow. I am a huge NFL fan and love the draft…this was very insightful and a great read! Truly, much better than 99% of the “analysis” out there (and the “talking heads” as you say). And yes, Barkley is the best running back prospect I have ever seen and the best player in this class. Great to hear you follow the NFL Draft closely!
Your football analysis is just as good, if not better, than anyone out there who is getting paid to do it. You gotta do color commentary on a Giants game one of these days!
Hear, hear! I would LOVE to see George RR Martin commentating on the Giants or the Jets! I absolutely agree – his opinions and insight are as good as the sports reporters who do this for a living, and more enjoyable to read, because of his skill as a writer. 🙂
If I was GM, I’d do exactly what George says for each of his teams. That being said, I’m a fan of one of the teams George dislikes. Thus, I really hope the Giants don’t take Barkley. I think combine him with better protection for Eli and the Giants will come roaring back. As for Baker, I would love to see his confidence dealing with the New York media. 🙂
I don’t think any RB is worth drafting in the 1st round anymore, and Teddy is going to claim your heart and the Jet’s QB position – can’t believe my Vikes let him go – so don’t worry about drafting a QB there (although they probably will).
This will go down as an all time QB class. I doubt the Giants will be picking top 3 again in the next decade. Take Eil’s successor. They wont get a chance at a franchise qb when Eli retires in 3 years. Saquon is great but what good would he be behind that depleted offensive line. This year is rich at running back as well .
I could see the Browns pulling a fast one and drafting Josh Allen at number 1 (Dorsey likes a big arm). I think it’d be very hard, if you’re the Giants, to pass up Darnold. Then I think the Jets take Rosen at 3 (injury history be damned) and the Browns get Barkley at four. Gonna be a good draft. I could also see the Dolphins trading up for Mayfield, the Bills taking Lamar Jackson at 12 and the Pats taking Mason Rudolph with their first pick. This draft could define the AFC East for years to come.
I could see Miami trading up for sure. It sounds like Gase loves Rosen so even if NYJ go Mayfield, it could still happen. Buffalo has some firepower so I could see them moving to 4 or 5.
From the sound of it (Pat Kirwan and other insightful sources who know CLE’s as well as NYG’s) more and more people think John Dorsey might be thinking the strong armed Josh Allen at #1. I think it’s the wrong choice, but it sounds more and more likely it could happen. Would you then want Darnold at 2? Similar demeanor to Eli, and he could benefit from sitting. It sounds like Dave Gettleman really likes Darnold as well as Josh Allen and that they were really impressed with Chubb as well as, obviously, Barkley. It’s fascinating this time of year. This draft has more suspense with the 4 QBs because the top 5 is sort of a mystery. My prediction is 1) Allen (which I think is a mistake). 2) Darnold 3) Mayfield 4) Barkley 5) Chubb. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets took Rosen either. I think Buffalo could move up to 2,4,or 5 as well which would be interesting. Good luck! I’m a Bears fan. I want Nelson to fall to 8 but probably won’t happen.
As a Seahawks fan, I’ve found this offseason really frustrating. We’ve offloaded a lot of starting stars. I get it… we finally had a bummer of a season for the first time in a few years. We can’t tolerate people coasting on good reputations if they’ve lost their spark. I’ll admit I know little about the Giants or the Jets, but I can deeply relate to hoping they don’t trade away big stars like OBJ… after losing Sherman and many more, I’m just terrified we’ll come up with a reason to drop Earl Thomas or Russell Wilson.
You’d fit right in, in our sub on Reddit, r/NYGiants. We have an AMA with one of the beat writers coming this Tuesday. Should be interesting! Plenty of draft discussion going on… maybe that’s why this off-season in particular seems to be particularly tiresome. The interesting thing about this draft is that you can make a valid argument for 6 or 7 players at the #2 spot, and also valid arguments why those 6 or 7 should not be drafted at 2. I don’t envy Getty.
Giants should grab Barkley. His skillset expands beyond just a running back, and the character he brings is worth a ton. His integrity and work ethic are infectious – Penn State killed the combine; he got the headlines, but all the players did well. If he can bring some of that with him he benefits any locker room in so many more ways than just performance on the field.
This is a great draft for the Jets to grab a QB – he’ll hopefully (for them) mature right when Brady is stepping down.
PS I’m a Pats fan but a Pennstate alum who is rooting for whatever team gets Barkley next year. I think I’d even root for the Jets. That’s how much I like this kid.
Hi George,
What if Browns take Allen? There’s a lot of chatter that this is possible. If Darnold is available at two, because the forever inept Cleveland thinks Allen can be the next Rothlisberger, would you want the Giants to take him? Even if Eli has a couple more years in him, I think so too, at 37 its still time to think about post Eli. Look what’s happening to New England, and what happened to Denver, and compare that to the Montana/Young, Favre/Rogers, and Manning/Luck transitions. I don’t think a team should sacrifice its continued viability for the sake of loyalty to any particular player. Also this is a terrific RB class, and taking one at two is just too high for that position. Your right about the Jets though. They should take Mayfield over Rosen. Rosen is great but as O lines continue to degrade every team is going to need a guy who can create space. Mayfield is a gamble too. I’d say his high/low comp is Brees/Manziel and that is a huge range but I don’t think he’ll be a bust and will land somewhere in the middle or better.
Hope all is well Mr. Martin, I am a big Giants fan as well and am currently a junior at Penn State. I’ve had the honor of getting to know him as a person and not only is he a tremendous player, he’s an even better person. He is mature beyond his ages and would be a great fit for the Giants so just like you, my fingers are crossed that we take him.
I think you are safe to drop down to #7 if you get an offer. Gotta think all four qbs go and two of Barkley/Chubb/Nelson leaving you the third of that group.
Just so long as Minkah Fitzpatrick falls to my Raiders at 10!
If Giants really want Barkley – its safe (and wise) to move down. RBs generally don’t go as high and similar quality backs may be available in any case (Chubb). Some of Barley “money ball” type stats are not as high as I had originally thought. At 3-13 there are other holes to fill. There is an excellent Guard available for instance etc.
Jets must go high to get one of the QBs really no choice. To get a great QB you have to go all out in draft and then (eventually) overpay. Brady was a fluke in 6th not likely to happen again. Its always a risk – some apparently great college QBs just can’t make the transition. Not to mention injuries – even big strong Luck is plagued by the injury bug. So you can burn a big draft choice and get nothing as Cleveland found out with Manziel.
That’s why arm chair GMing is so much more fun than the real thing. (Not sure if having two rooting interests helps as you have twice the chance something will go right but also twice the chance it something will go wrong.)
May as well keep Odum no one will give market value due to outside issues in any case.
Disappointed Atlanta Braves not have a GOT night (slightly off topic) as many other major league clubs are doing. But May 4 is SW night so that will have to do.
Interesting that the Draft has become a major sporting event in its own right.
TomT
I’m fairly confident that the Browns will indeed take Darnold, in spite of the rumors that they could take Allen. Although… this is the Browns. They have a penchant for doing the exact wrong thing.
The wisest move for the Giants is to take a QB or trade down a few spots. There’s going to be a lot of jousting for the top 3 or 4 QBs in this draft and if the Giants are comfortable with Eli for 2-3 more seasons, trading down a few spots and getting extra picks in this and next year’s draft is the best approach.
Perhaps the Jets should just swap picks with the Giants in that case?
Hey GRRM,
Was wondering about your thoughts on MacAdoo benching a healthy Eli (the closest QB to break Favre’s game starting record)? What was Coach McApoo’s thought process on this? Vengence? Fire and Blood?
I blogged about that. It was a terrible decision, and it cost MacAdoo his job.
Agreed all around. Especially for the Giants, who have more talent than 3-13 teams usually do. I’d trade out of #2 for the king’s ransom that would bring and then use some of those assets to nab Lamar Jackson. Jackson, in my opinion, has the best chance to be a star of the other QBs in this draft. As far as the Jets go, Mayfield is a culture changer like Watson in Houston. He’d have an immediate impact.
George will you join my fantasy football league? or can I join yours?
Trading JPP is horrible not only cause they got squat for him but because the guy ruins his hand in a terrible accident, manages to recover, turns down an offer from arizona to stay with the giants, and returns well enough to earn a Defensive Player of the Week against the hapless Browns with a 40 yard fumble recovery touchdown
Then they give him a nice 4 year contract, he’s probably thinking he’ll be able to retire in New York and then they trade his contract to Tampa Bay the next year!
Jason Pierre Halfhand got the shaft again. At least trade him to a team with some championship potential. He has fewer ring holders as it is, give the guy a break!
My Cowboys got rid of Dez Bryant today. I think Dez Bryant wants to stay in the NFC East since he supposedly told Jerry Jones that he’ll see him twice a year….I’m sure you wouldn’t mind having him on the Giants?
Dallas will be happier without Bryant. At 30 he is past his prime and really can’t cut it anymore. Giants already have one talented pain in the ass WR, they don’t want one who isn’t anymore.
While Barkley is a generational talent and the best player in the draft I think the better decision is to take Nelson. The massive improvement to the O-line will help keep Eli playing, and at a higher level, for the rest of his career. The Giants could use their second or even third round pick to snag a stellar RB, there are a ton of them in this draft class. Barkley is clearly the best of them bu the quality difference between Barkley and the next RBs is lower than the difference from Nelson to the other guards.
All that being said, if there’s an option to trade down a pick or two and still get one of them that’s clearly the correct answer.
Giants – I’ve said for the last 2 years that the Giants needed to address there O-line and they definitely fixed there O.Tackle position bringing in Solder and moving Flowers to RT.
The problem now is they lost Pugh in FA so now they need another Guard to replace him.
I don’t think you can pass on Barkley because he is too good, but if there is not a plug and play OG you can get in the second round. They need to seriously look at selecting Nelson from Notre Dame. Instant plug and play starter that will make your line better.
The only other guard I like as much as him is Will Hernandez from UTEP.
He is a MONSTER! The only difference between him and Nelson on the field is He didn’t get to play against a lot of good teams like Nelson did so the people he man handles are from smaller schools.
The only way they can get Hernandez is if the trade back into the first round at 15-20ish pick to get him through.
Imagine if they got the #1 RB and the #2 Guard… that would be a fans / Eli’s dream scenario.
Out of curiosity, why do you think Mayfield is closer to Favre than Manziel? Something about Mayfield just rubs me the wrong way.
If I was the giants GM I would try to work on the OL. Biggest weakness of the team for quite some time now.
I love reading your NFL commentary, as always. As a Giants fan, I am hoping they pick up Barkley for their #2 pick. After the horrible JPP trade, I’m not confident in the NY Giants’ ability to trade down.
Saquon Barkley looks to be an unmissable opportunity to build the team around Eli in the years ahead, which I completely agree is the right direction for the team. Looking forward to seeing what happens!
P.S. Congrats on the new Not A Blog website. It looks very nice!
For the Jets to move up to 3, it means they are not high on Baker Mayfield. He would have been there for them @ 6.
I think they want Rosen & made that move to go get him.
I totally get the Chad P comparison there, but I think Baker Mayfield comes with his own former Jet QB reference, and that’d be Mark Sanchez.
While both guys had some success in Green & White, I’d take another go with a Pennington-type. Granted we got to those 2 AFC Championships with Mark & Sexy Rexy, but that was a product of defense and a very limited Mark Sanchez playbook. Once this game was opened up to him, he faltered famously.
Health is always the great X factor in any athletes life span. It’s hard to invest in the oft-injured. I get that. But you can’t deny the talent is there & the sacrifice of trading up was made to get, TOP talent. Rosen is superior to Mayfield as a QB. Plain & simple. They will take the risk on the better QB. We can only hope they do enough on the O line to keep him safe & uprIght.
GRRM – you are picking 2nd! And in a draft with QB depth….and you do not take an Eli successor?….so you expect to be picking top 2 again in the next couple of yrs when Eli is well and truly done? This is an opportunity…take it. And sit the new guy for a year or two behind Eli.
Hey George, out of curiosity – have you ever played tabletop RPGs? If so, were you a player or a game master?
Both.
That’s where Wild Cards came from.
Huge Browns fan here.
Completely disagree you won’t Barkley, Chubb, or Nelson at 7, at least one of them will be there.
If the Giants want to contend, they should take Barkley (although I’d be pissed as I want him at 4), and if they want to rebuild, they should grab a QB or trade down.
Jet’s have to want Rosen, as he is the only one not linked to the Browns and they gave up a lot to move up.
Jets –
The hardest position to evaluate is QB. I’m an OU fan born and raised so I’ve been lucky enough to watch 3 different Heisman winning QB’s light people up.
The problem with evaluating these 3 QB’s is they have had AWESOME TALENT around them. Especially Jason White and Sam Bradford.
But Baker is a little different then those two. Bakers first year at OU (as a walk-on) he had a young inexperienced O-Line and had to scramble and evade sacks a lot of the time. He doesn’t HAVE to have elite talent around him to be good like Bradford and White did.
Darnold reminds me of the Bradford type that can thrive in a offense with good players around him.
Rosen I can’t really say cause I never watched him play. But if he is so good then how come UCLA wasn’t very good? College teams thrive with good QB play and I never watched UCLA beat any good teams. They can’t say he had no talent around him either because ever since they brought in Jim Mora they have had awesome talent go into the NFL.
Josh Allen is the same as Rosen… if he is so good how come Wyoming wasn’t good? They played garbage teams.
Then the scouts say “His accuracy is inconsistent “…
I PASS ON THAT!
That’s my *probably bias* QB evaluation for the J E T S JETS JETS JETS!
I gotta disagree with what you think the Giants should do. Eli isn’t getting any better, and you won’t be able to afford OBJ (he wants QB money), so I’d trade him for a 1st and 3rd, or maybe even a 1st and 2nd. The Giants need to build for the future, and that means drafting a QB.
As a 3rd gen Cowboys fan (is that dangerous to say in here?) I may be too distracted by the previous season and the recent news about wide receivers to present any coherent arguments related to the Giants’ choices.
However, I agree that Eli and Beckham Jr. should stay, and I think I have solid reasons…as a vocal coach.
The quarterback position is as much a creative mind game as it is a physical position prone to beat down after beat down after beat down after…you get the idea (as Eli has many times). But the talent is still there. Having a background of solid coaching, the talent has to still be there. The problem with quarterbacks is emotion. When they pull the trigger, the minute adjustments are prone to the slightest adjustments to the emotion-state of the QB. (Incidentally, this is the exact reason people claim they can’t sing – muscles wrapping the voice box become tense from emotional charge, blah blah blah).
So Eli simply needs the right environment. He needs a better running back and a better offensive line. He has to have the freedom to devine the right twitches and bat his eyelashes at the nose guard without wondering who’s at his back. And Beckham Jr. is an important piece of that pie.
After all, as Cowboys fan, I know a few things about choking quarterbacks.
To be honest, if the Browns were smart in the draft, they would take Barkley number 1. They still have the 4th pick. They many miss out on Darnold, but it’s a toss up with Rosen, Allen, and, Maxfield. They get a huge running back and one of the top tiered quarterbacks. Then with the 35th round strengthen the O line a little. That’s just the smart move in my opinion but no one has ever accused the Browns of being smart.
As much as I’d like my Colts get another OL to help build the O line to protect Luck the desperately need help on defense. I hope Bradley Chubb is there when they pick Good luck George.
Personally I think the Giants would be better off drafting Chubb at 2 and take someone like Michel in the second round
Completely agree that Eli has a couple good years left (or at least one for sure). Still furious about the decision to axe his streak last season. Regardless, the Giants are sure to have a better 2018, even if they don’t make a run for the Super Bowl.
Any GM worth his slat will tell you that you have to draft qbs in the first round. IF they are good, that extra year of lower cost contract means you extend your window by a ull year. Capology is the only way to analyze NFL rosters in this day and age, and a starting caliber qb at a cap friendly price makes all the difference. Look at what happened to Seattle when they had to start paying Russell.
I’m still pissed the Giants didn’t get Davis Webb some playing time last year when they ingeniously decided to bench Eli and let GENO FREAKING SMITH play. I mean…seriously? At least then we might have an idea at what they have back there for the future, and we would know whether to take Barkley or one of the QB’s.
But since we don’t, I would like the see them trade down (if they could) to #4 with Cleveland, so CLE can get their QB/RB duo at picks 1&2, then the Giants can get some extra picks, and also decide whether to take Chubb or the remaining “big three” QB at pick #4, or even trade down again with Buffalo and get some more picks.
So basically, I think the Giants are sitting pretty.
Yes, it would have been smart to see what Webb has to offer. For all we know, he could be better than any of this year’s QB class. Until he plays, we will never know.
George, have you thought about being involved as a sports announcer or other football related careers on the side?!
I too think he Giants should use this draft to build for one more Eli Manning Run. Not while some people think that’s dumb, either way you’re be rebuilding the roster to make a Championship Run. I would love for the Giants to trade down to the 5th pick and select Nelson from Notre Dame. That would help solidify their offensive line, to which they’ve already added LT Solder and RG Omameh. With Brett Jones playing better than Weston Richburg was at Center Nelson would step in and play RG right away. If Ereck Flowers can make the transition to RT and have more success there than he has had at LT than the Offensive Line will be leaps and bounds better than it has been the last two year. The biggest struggle the Giants has had has come in the trenches. They haven’t been able to open holes in the run game making the offense one dimensional. Defenses’ ability to drop 7 defenders into coverage while generating a pass rush against the Ol the past two years has really doomed the Giants passing attack over the last two seasons.
If the Giants are able to trade down and Select Nelson than Rashaad Penny RB out of San Diego State becomes a viable option in the second or third round. With the added picks most likely a second rounder and possibly a 3rd, the Giants can add an edge rusher and possibly a successor at LT who can come in and compete for the RT spot, and then take over in 4 years after Nate Solder’s contract expires.
If the Giants were to trade down further than the 5 pick than Marcus Davenport OLB from UTSA would be a good pick as an edge rusher and Will Hernandez G would be someone to look for at the top of the second round if he were to drop from where he’s currently projected to go.
As for the Jets I think Darnold or Either of the Josh’s would be a great pick for them should any of them drop to number 3. Mayfield would also be a great pick. Either way whoever the Jets pick as QB will learn behind Josh McCown and will have to compete with the Jets’ insurance policy in Teddy Bridgewater.
Hello and I hope this finds you in good spirits. I have to offer my condolences to you for being a Giants fan as you will never see the Big Blue win a Super bowl again…ever again but, at least the Giants don’t suck as much as the Jets—
Go PAT’s
I just don’t see how Big Blue can not go QB. Eli with the GMen is going to give us 15+ years of competitiveness and at 38 years old this season and the temperament and ability to be the role of leader/teacher his legacy can live in his successor. In that time none of the Giants RBs were drafted high that panned out on the road to the SBs. It was based on a great QB, great OLine and great Defense. Additionally you can make a point of having an elite WR to run post routes with jump ball ability to maximize Eli. In that time the QB was road to the pinnacle of the sport. Kerry Collins before him was also a key to a SB appearance. Rodney Hampton didn’t make Dave Brown a contender for the Giants. Dont put the cart before the horse.
The Giants will probably take Barkley, but they should take a QB. Trying to make a run with Eli means you have to make a run with Eli, his lifetime 83.5 QB rating, and lifetime TD/Int ratio of less than 1.5. The QB standard has changed since 2011 – top QBs now throw quicker and have single digit Ints. (That’s how Dom Capers lost his job – If the QB doesn’t throw picks, your bend-but-don’t-break defense gets bent right into the end zone.) If the Giants don’t pick a QB this year, they’ll need to pick one in a couple of years, and will have to pay an arm and a leg, a pancreas, and next year’s spleen. And a good QB may not be available.
As a cheesemonger, I’m curious about your opinion of Pettine. What do we have to look forward to?
What do you think about Lamar Jackson?
I think he could be a star QB, even if some pundits doubt if he should be a Wide Receiver. He is fast, he is strong, he is more accurate with the arm that what you could think and, most of all, he is pretty intelligent and an excellent reader of the game. I’d love that my Pats trade up and choose him as Brady heir (with a radically different profile of QB, I know)
Baker would be a good get for the Giants. He’d have a couple of years to learn from Eli, and his biggest strengths should translate well to the pro game: accuracy, durability, & leadership. On another subject, will you ever make it to the Denver Comic Con? Possibly when the Meow Wolf is up and running? We’d love for you to make an appearance in Colorado!
I will definitely be up when Meow Wolf opens. Hey, I make it to Colorado more than you know. Last time was for the Boss.
Wow! Spot on analysis. Being a Cowboys fan I hope the Giants take a Quarterback.
I hope the G-men don’t go for a Q.B , Eli still has some ri gas in him, with Odell by his side all they need is the running game and they can be a powerhouse again.
I’m not sure what either team will do. But I’m confident that Baker is the best of the 4 QBs, unless josh Allen improves on short throws. But statistics show that short throw accuracy doesn’t improve when QBs make the transition to the NFL. I’m also confident that baker will still be the fourth QB taken.
This will be a great year to trade down. But I don’t know if the jets can, or if the giants are willing to fully commit to Eli for another full season
How many 1st round picks have the Jets used for a Quarterback in the past 5 years? Maybe the Jets have a curse going. Call it the Namath Curse caused by an unwanted kiss. The football gods are cruel like that.
The kiss had nothing to do with the curse. It was the deal with the devil Joe Willie made to win SuperBowl III.
Hi George.It confirms one thing to me. If there was Mern IX Gardener, was there also a Mern VII Gardener?
I agree wholeheartedly that the Giants shouldn’t take a QB. They drafted one last year in the 3rd round after all. I think they need help in the O line the most, but if Barkley is as good as people say, that would be ok too. They need to alleviate the pressure from Eli and either road would help that. And yes, I’d be pissed if they traded OBJ
I think the closest pro comparison to Josh Rosen is Aaron Rodgers. Both are mainly pocket passers with the ability to make plays outside the pocket if they have to. I’ve watched interviews, pro days, combines, and game tape of all the “Big 4” QBs, and Josh Rosen jumps out to me as the most NFL ready of them all. I hope the Jets take him at #3, because he seems like a surefire success. His biggest negatives are his injury history and his attitude, but it’s the NFL, there’s a high chance any player drafted gets injured. As for his attitude, both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are said to have bad attitudes, but that hasn’t impacted their respective success at all. Finally, I think Rosen is the best choice for the Jets because I believe they could have drafted Mayfield or maybe even Allen at #6. If they traded up to draft someone who they could have taken at #6, then they gave up three 2nd rounders for virtually nothing.
That injury history is worrisome, though, especially since one of his injuries was a concussion. The more we learn about concussions, the more serious they become… and once a player has had one or two concussions, it seems inevitable that more will follow.
If either the Jets or Giants take Rosen, I will wish him well, of course. He seems like a smart kid and very talented. But I keep remembering Chad Pennington…
Will the G-men sign Dez? I’m not sure how many diva’s 1 team can have, but Odell and Dez make for an interesting pair (on the field and in the locker room).
Especially since they cut B. Marshall today…..
How would you feel about Dez Bryant to the G-men?
-DCFL
I’m a writer at Bleacher Report and I’d love to talk to you for a story I’m working on about the NFL Draft and the Jets/Giants specifically. Please email me if you see this.
If I’m the Giants I’m trading down all day. Force the Jets to move up to No. 2 to get the QB they want. Then you still have the opportunity to trade down again, maybe with the Bills so they can move up and grab the QB they want. At that point they would be absolutely loaded with picks and have the ability to move up and down in the next couple drafts to target the players they covet.
At that point it all comes down to scouting and coaching. If those people do their jobs correctly you could set your franchise up for the next decade.
As a Broncos fan I’m hoping for roughly the same thing from Denver this year!
The Combine measured Mayfield at 6′-2″, a bit taller than Drew Brees. The scouting word is that he’s more than likely a second or third year bloomer which could be a good fit for the Giants, if they’re looking at going that way.
A bit ‘o data to help Giants fans to make a good decision. (note – I’m a Packers fan, though I do not dislike the Giants.)
format – # of seasons QB started more than 9 games / # of those seasons QB had passer rating better than 90.0
Peyton Manning 17/13
Brett Favre 19/9
Matt Ryan 10/6
Phillip Rivers 12/8
Tom Brady 16/12
Aaron Rodgers 9/9
Russell Wilson 6/6
Ben Rothlisberger 14/12
Drew Brees 16/13
Alex Smith 11/6
Kirk Cousins 3/3
Matt Stafford 8/4
Eli Manning 13/4
Eli had two great post-season runs in 2007 and 2011, and should be celebrated for them. (With extra points for GRRM since Eli beat the Pats those years.) But it’s time for the Giants to get a good replacement while the getting id good (and cheap).
I think Cleveland takes Barkley first and the Qb at number four. The Giants improve their pass rushing at two and the Jets get Darnold. Go Jets!
You got both your guys! As a Bears fan, I am super excited that we picked up Roquan Smith to carry on our great middle…ahem…inside linebacker tradition. FOOTBALL!
UPDATE 4/27: per NY DAILY NEWS…”Jets strike gold by lucking into USC quarterback Sam Darnold with No. 3 pick in NFL Draft
The football gods gave the Jets the most precious gift of all Thursday night with this message: Sometimes NOT sucking has its privileges. Less than a year after the Suck for Sam movement was born, this star-crossed franchise lucked into USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the third pick of the NFL draft. It was a Festivus Miracle for Gang Green, a stroke of great fortune typically reserved for others, a watershed moment for legions of tormented fans conditioned to feel unexplainable pain.”
George! I’d love to hear your post draft thoughts! Particularly around the thoughts of the Jets lucking out and getting Darnold
I am excited about the Jets getting Darnold… but wary as well. It was not so long ago that Jets fans were equally thrilled to get Sanchez.
The Giants really hit this one, however. Not just with Barkley, but with Hernandez and the rest of their picks as well.