After a season marked by extreme disappointment despite having great hopes from the beginning, the New York Giants are atop the draft board. They might also have to make a QB selection soon.
The Giants’ quarterback position is the subject of a lot of talk. The Giants’ interest in the position has been reaffirmed by numerous well-connected insiders and draft experts, and even marked them as a team to watch or a potential trade up. And not only did Giants’ GM Joe Schoen personally scout every top QB prospect at least once (and usually a couple times) during the 2023 season, the Giants have also formally met with each of the top prospects as well.
One of the highlights of the combine was Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whose draft stock increased significantly in 2023 and 2024. Since it’s unlikely that the Giants will have a chance to choose UNC quarterback Drake Maye—who is probably the team they want most—he has also been linked to the team.
Coaches and evaluators have raved about McCarthy’s work ethic, leadership, processing, and football IQ. Likewise, he has plenty of athleticism himself and arm strength.
McCarthy has some mechanical issues that would need to be addressed, mostly when throwing outside the numbers to the left. That’s not foreign territory for Daboll, who had to rebuild Josh Allen’s throwing mechanics from the ground up over his first two years in the NFL. There’s obviously an opportunity cost to selecting a quarterback as opposed to another position.
So, leaving aside the possible necessity that the Giants would have to trade up to secure a quarterback, would you want to see the Giants select McCarthy at sixth overall?
