Tag: 2024 nfl draft

2024 NFL draft grades for all 32 teams: Who got top marks?

The 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was certainly a memorable one kicking off with a chaotic first round that featured an historic run on quarterbacks, wide receivers and offensive tackles, along with trades galore and some surprising picks.

While it’s far too early to evaluate these draft classes in full — considering they haven’t yet along played an NFL game — there’s been plenty of reaction to these 2024 rookie classes. There were several teams that were clear winners while others had some questionable moves that garnered early criticism. But we truly won’t know who won or lost this draft for at least three years.

Our NFL Wire editors shared their initial grades for their respective draft classes. See who got the top marks:

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New York Giants QB Daniel Jones focused on what he can control

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was not insulated from the rumors and speculation leading up to the 2024 NFL draft. He was fully aware that reports suggested general manager Joe Schoen was looking to trade up for a quarterback.

But Jones, very much like Eli Manning before him, doesn’t let that outside noise impact him mentally. It didn’t change his approach or focus, and it won’t change his preparation ahead of the regular season.

“I’m focused on what I can control and that is preparing to play good football,” Jones said, via The Athletic. “So, getting healthy and I’ll be ready to go.”

Jones added that he continues to progress in his recovery from a torn ACL and expectations remain that he’ll be ready for training camp.

“I’m in a good spot. I’ll be ready to go for training camp,” he said.

Entering his third season under head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Jones needs to turn a corner and establish himself as the unquestioned franchise staple.

An improved offensive line and the addition of first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers should help in accomplishing that goal.

“I’m excited,” Jones said of Nabers, via ESPN.

Jones typically gets his teammates together for an unofficial minicamp during the offseason but given his recovery status, it’s unclear if he plans to carry on that annual tradition.

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3 New York Giants ranked among top-100 picks of 2024 NFL draft

Three players selected by the New York Giants in last week’s NFL draft — or half of the team’s 2024 draft class — are among ESPN’s top-100 picks considered ‘steals and fits’. 

LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, selected sixth overall, was analyst Matt Miller’s fourth-best pick in this year’s draft.

Some will knock the Giants for not drafting a quarterback or offensive tackle at No. 6 overall, but both positions would have been reaches on my board. Instead, the Giants selected my No. 4 overall player in Nabers, who should be the team’s WR1 from the jump. With the explosive receiver on board, the team can fully evaluate Daniel Jones and Drew Lock at quarterback before potentially making a change at the position in the 2025 draft/offseason.

Second-round selection, safety Tyler Nubin of Minnesota, was ranked 56th.

When starter Xavier McKinney left in free agency for the Packers, it was obvious the Giants would target a safety at some point in the draft. Nubin has All-American ball skills (13 career picks) and proved during his college career that he can read the eyes of quarterbacks and then use his range to attack the ball. He’s a classic center-fielder free safety who should top the team’s depth chart in Week 1.

Fourth-round pick, Penn State tight end Theo Johnson, was ranked 69th overall by Miller.

It was very wise of the Giants to grab more options at tight end, and Johnson had flashes on tape throughout his career that would make you think he’s a future NFL starter. If the Giants can coach him up, he could be a steal. He caught seven touchdowns last season.

The team’s other three picks — cornerback Dru Phillips of Kentucky, Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy and UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau — did not make the list.

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Giants rookie Tyrone Tracy named one of 2024 NFL draft’s best picks

In the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the New York Giants selected Tyrone Tracy with the 166th overall pick. He first played four years as a wide receiver with the Iowa Hawkeyes before transitioning to running back when he transferred to Purdue University.

Athletic and versatile, Tracy could be the weapon the Giants need in 2024.

ESPN’s Field Yates seems to agree. He recently ranked his top five picks in each round of the draft, and Tracy made the cut for the fifth round. Yates said he considered not just where the players were drafted, but what they bring to the team, their overall value, and how they will fit with their new team, among other things.

Tracy is a fun player to study, as he was a wide receiver for four seasons at Iowa before transferring to Purdue and playing two years as a running back. That versatility could easily lead to early opportunities for the Giants, especially given the team’s thin backfield behind new starter Devin Singletary. Tracy ran for eight TDs last season.

Prior to running for eight touchdowns with Purdue, he recorded just two rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns over five seasons. The transition from receiver to running back wasn’t just a good decision for Purdue, it was a good decision for Tracy’s career.

After playing for two Division I schools, dealing with the transfer portal, and changing positions, Tracy is more than ready to transition to the NFL.

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What pre-draft scouting reports said about Giants LB Darius Muasau

The New York Giants closed out the 2024 NFL draft by adding a quality, versatile linebacker with significant upside — Darius Muasau.

Although he’s a bit undersized, Muasau is a ferocious player who will play a significant and important role on special teams as he develops.

Here is what several NFL draft experts had to say about Muasau prior to him being selected on Saturday.

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From Lance Zierlein:

Linebacker with muscular build and an unrelenting desire to chase after the football. Muasau plays with a phenomenal motor and has the instincts and recognition to get the jump on blocking schemes. He plays with good initial quickness but lacks extended pursuit speed in space. He will take shots downhill to spoil the action, but teams will have to live with missed tackles and inconsistent leverage in his pursuit. Muasau can handle some basic short-zone coverage but could get in trouble if the coverage expands into larger spaces. He has the potential to make the back end of a roster as a late-round pick or priority free-agent addition.

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From Dane Brugler:

A two-year starter at UCLA, Muasau played Mike linebacker in former defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After three productive seasons at Hawaii, he led the Bruins in tackles in both of his seasons in Westwood and has an impressive collegiate resume — he played in every game the last five years and compiled 440 tackles and 40.0 tackles for loss. A quick-reacting defender, Muasau has the vision that gives him a head start on the play, which expands his lateral range and helps him make stops near the line of scrimmage. He is aware in short-zone coverage, although he lacks the movement skills to stay connected to backs or tight ends in man coverage. Overall, Muasau might not be elite in any one area, but he is a well-rounded linebacker with the play recognition and tackling skills that will translate to any level. Similar in ways to Sione Takitaki, he projects as an NFL backup who can hold his own when he sees the field.

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From Jared Maslin:

Darius Muasau projects as a backup Mike linebacker who has some scheme versatility but fits best in a 4-3 scheme. He is undersized but has a well-built frame with muscle throughout. His instincts and play recognition are inconsistent as he tends to react quickly, sometimes blowing up plays at the LOS, but other times misreading the play and getting taken out of position. He attacks the line with vigor and pursues the ball all over the field. Muasau struggles consistently wrapping up and has sticky hips that hinder his COD against quicker players. He lacks the traits to be reliable in man coverage, and his zone coverage ability in a short area is sound, but he struggles in a bigger area. On 3rd downs, he may be a blitzer as he has shown an ability to get to the QB, and he should be a contributing special teams player.

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From PFF:

Muasau plays a style of linebacker every defensive coach will love, but he needs to add more strength and must anticipate with more regularity to make up for outlier measurables to be more than a special teamer.

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From Bleacher Report:

Darius Muasau is an instinctual linebacker whose play speed is better than his testing numbers suggest. That’s how he makes plays as a run defender and in coverage, as he’s in the right spot more often than not. He’s also a physical player and was a productive pass-rusher for an off-ball linebacker with 16.5 career sacks in college.

However, it’s unclear how well Muasau’s game will translate to the NFL since he’s on the smaller side and posted underwhelming numbers at the combine. His lack of speed does show up against outside runs, and it could also be an issue in man coverage against faster tight ends and running backs.

The UCLA product is worth the gamble in the later rounds, though. He’ll likely have to make a name for himself on special teams to earn a roster spot, which he did some but not a lot in college.

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New York Giants passed on second-tier QBs because of draft grades

By many accounts, the New York Giants came into the 2024 NFL draft hoping to land a new franchise quarterback to unseat Daniel Jones.

They apparently had their eyes set on one player — North Carolina’s Drake Maye — and were willing to trade up to obtain him. Unfortunately, the teams at the top of the draft were not budging. Maye was eventually selected third overall by the New England Patriots.

Many thought the Giants would then look elsewhere, such as Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. of Washington or Oregon’s Bo Nix.

Nothing doing. They passed on all three in the first round and would not get a chance at any of them in Round 2 as they were all gone by the 12th overall pick.

As the draft went on, it was thought that general manager Joe Schoen might add a “quarterback of the future” to develop (as the Jets did with Jordan Travis), but Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports none had a high enough grade for him to use a draft pick on.

When Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the NFL’s annual meetings last month that “one way or another, I’d like to see us get a top-rate, young quarterback,” that should have been a sign. The teams with the first three picks — the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots — were going to land Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Maye, the top three quarterbacks in this draft.

At that point, Plan A for general manager Joe Schoen and Co. was to stay at No. 6 and select explosive LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, which they did. The Giants didn’t have high enough grades on the second tier of quarterbacks — J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix — and grabbed a No. 1 receiver, which Jones has never had.

After the draft, Schoen — trying not to look defeated — reminded reporters of what he told them a few months back.

“Yeah, for me, I said it in January after the season. The expectation was Daniel would be our starter and we brought Drew Lock in to be his backup and Tommy (DeVito) has been the backup,” Schoen said. “So that’s where we are and that’s how we’ll move forward this season. Daniel is still under contract for three more years.

“As it sits today, that is where we are.”

Instead, the Giants used their six picks to fill in immediate needs. They grabbed a top playmaker for Jones in the first round in LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers and then addressed holes in the secondary on Day 2 with Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin and Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips.

The final three picks were spent on a tight end (Penn State’s Theo Johnson), a running back/wide receiver/returner (Purdue’s Tyrone Tracy), and a linebacker (Darius Muasau of UCLA).

The swing-and-miss for a new franchise quarterback won’t really hurt the team in the short term. But after this season, with Jones’ contact winding down to the point where they can equitably part ways, Schoen will have to hit on that big deal.

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New York Giants nearly bottom out in post-NFL draft power rankings

The 2024 NFL draft is over and the New York Giants have made their six selections. Now comes the part where we attempt to figure out if they made themselves any better over the past week.

After a 6-11 finish in 2023, Big Blue had plenty of areas to improve and many questions up and down their roster but just six selections in the draft to better their lot.

Full disclosure, the Giants actually had eight picks but two were mobilized to bring in two key defensive contributors in linebackers Brian Burns and Isaiah Simmons.

With their six selections, they could not land a quarterback that tickled their fancy and ignored both the offensive and defensive lines. They did, however, add some firepower to the offense and bolster the secondary.

So, where do the Giants stand after the draft in the league’s power rankings? They went into the draft ranked 27th (as they had the sixth overall pick) and, as per the folks at NFL.com, came out the same way.

It seems like Daniel Jones received a reprieve when the Giants were unable to move up for Drake Maye on Thursday night. Jones clearly must produce this season, or the Giants will likely end up going through “90 Day Fiancé: QB Edition” again nine months from now. I give GM Joe Schoen credit for not overspending and reaching on a passer for whom he didn’t have conviction. Plus, what’s one of the best ways to give Jones a chance to be successful? Provide him with Malik Nabers. He’s the most exciting Giants wideout since prime Odell Beckham Jr., and the two former Tigers have some overlap in their games. After a disappointing 2023 campaign, Brian Daboll needs to reverse the franchise’s fortunes this season. Providing Jones with a stronger supporting cast always felt like the best route to achieve that.

The fact that the Giants are heading into 2024 with Jones under center again is troubling to many, but not surprising. They were locked into Jones for this season regardless.

As for the trenches, they’ve been padding the roster with options for years with draft picks and free agents, including this offseason, and are willing to let that settle for a season before adding any more.

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Did Giants create a QB smokescreen in hopes of drafting OT Joe Alt?

The New York Giants selected LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in last week’s NFL draft.

Experts have lauded the addition of Nabers as a solid one by the Giants, but was Nabers their first choice?

There’s speculation that had Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt not been selected by the Los Angeles Chargers one spot before the Giants, they would have taken him instead of Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze.

At least that’s what ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks — something he admits is just speculation.

“The Giants wanted Joe Alt to slide to them. That’s my belief,” Schefter said. “That was the hope — that he was going to get to them. I think some of the quarterback talk for the Giants might have been a little camouflage to try to get someone like Minnesota to trade up.”

The point is moot as Alt was not there at No. 6 and the Giants did not use any of their six picks last week on an offensive lineman.

Veteran NFL reporter Mike Garafolo debunks the idea of Alt to the Giants, saying their big swing last week was for UNC quarterback Drake Maye, whom they were unsuccessful in prying away from the New England Patriots.

The Giants ended up with Nabers, who many experts widely consider a player who is ready to compete at the NFL level from Day 1.

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2024 NFL draft: Grading each of the Giants' six picks

The New York Giants did not make any trades — up or back — during the 2024 NFL draft, which was a surprise to some. But the real surprise came when they chose not to select either an offensive or a defensive lineman this year. They were the only team in the league not to do so.

That aside, the Giants took six interesting players they had specific plans for. Here are our grades on each pick.

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What pre-draft scouting reports said about Giants TE Theo Johnson

Johnson’s pure long-range speed can make him difficult to keep leverage against, and he also provides value as a RAC threat in the short range. When schemed touches on swings and screens, he can accrue additional yards with his forward-pressing physicality and leg drive.

As a seam and crosser weapon and as a RAC threat, Johnson’s upside is visible, and he’s also an elite blocker to boot — with stellar technique, leveraging, usage versatility, and finishing ability. But past those categories, Johnson’s translatability is less clear.

Johnson visibly lacks the fluidity, short-area quickness, and hip flexibility to stack brisk direction changes and hip transitions, and he struggles to sink at stems as well. And as a catcher, his hand technique can be very inconsistent, which can source drops.

Johnson’s linear, slow-striding build and lack of sink and corrective mobility will likely constrict his route tree at the NFL level, and he’ll need to shore up his hand technique and coordination before he can be relied upon as a red zone threat.

Nevertheless, Johnson profiles reasonably well as a quality TE2 who fits a niche with his receiving skill set and provides exciting utility as a usage-versatile blocking presence.

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