Tag: j.j. mccarthy

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.

Read all the best Giants coverage at NorthJersey.com and Giants Wire.

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Logan Ryan urges New York Giants to get Daniel Jones a top receiver

Add former New York Giants safety Logan Ryan to the growing list of names urging the team to avoid trading up for quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL draft.

During a recent ESPN appearance, Ryan not only warned the Giants against drafting McCarthy but also suggested they find quarterback Daniel Jones a capable and productive No. 1 wide receiver.

“New Yorkers, if you’re listening, do not trade up to No. 4 and get J.J. McCarthy. Don’t do it,” Ryan said. “I just don’t think that the fourth best quarterback in this draft, whoever you have (or believe) that is, I don’t think they’re better than what Daniel Jones was coming out of college.”

Ryan also praised Jones for having all the traits necessary to be successful in the NFL but acknowledged that injury issues are a concern.

In Ryan’s mind, if the Giants do eventually replace Jones down the line, it’s best to land a top wide receiver now so it makes for an easier transition later.

“Daniel is tall, Daniel has an arm, Daniel is athletic. We know that,” Ryan said. “The problem with Daniel Jones has been his ability to stay healthy. If you don’t like that, take one of the best pass catchers available — (Malik) Nabers out of LSU or (Rome) Odunze out of Washington. Give that future quarterback, when you do get him, a top receiver. They need that.

“They have holes all over their roster. They need a great receiver. It’s a great receiver draft — get him at six.”

That seems to be the growing sentiment as Thursday’s draft approaches with even general manager Joe Schoen suggesting he’d be comfortable passing over quarterbacks altogether.



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Giants trade up for QB J.J. McCarthy in latest Chad Reuter mock draft

With under a week remaining until the 2024 NFL draft, it’s unclear what the New York Giants intend to do with the No. 6 overall pick.

General manager Joe Schoen has kept his cards close to the vest and has expertly avoided tipping his hand. Any and all projections are little more than a wild guess and they range widely.

In the latest mock draft from NFL Network’s Chad Reuter, he throws a wild scenario at the wall and predicts the Giants will trade up to No. 4 and select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy after the top three QB prospects went off the board 1-2-3.

The Daniel Jones Era could be coming to a close in New York. Remember, he wasn’t this administration’s pick, and the Giants signed Drew Lock in March to the sort of deal a team often gives a veteran before selecting a first-round quarterback. McCarthy wasn’t required to throw the ball 40 times per game at Michigan thanks to the team’s effective ground game, but he showed himself capable of threading passes into tight windows, moving effectively within the pocket and running for big gains when given the chance. The Giants trade a second-round pick this year and next (while possibly receiving a 2024 Day 3 selection in return) to jump up two slots, out-offering other potential suitors looking to leap into the Cardinals’ spot.

There are a few faults in Reuter’s thought process here. First and foremost, the cost to move up two spots for a quarterback is unrealistically low, which is something Schoen alluded to during his pre-draft press conference earlier this week.

Schoen noted that if teams know you’re trading up for a quarterback — especially if there is competition — there’s an added tax on the trade. A pick swap and two second-round picks are unlikely to get it done.

The other problem in Reuter’s is that Jones wasn’t this regime’s pick. And while that’s technically true — Dave Gettleman selected Jones — it was Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll who opted, without ownership influence, to sign Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract.

If McCarthy falls to the Giants at No. 6, maybe they take him. But it’s hard to imagine Schoen gives up draft assets for QB4.

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Brian Baldinger warns New York Giants against drafting J.J. McCarthy

If the New York Giants do not trade up into the top three picks of the 2024 NFL draft, they’ll likely miss out on Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels.

In the minds of many, that’s perfectly fine because Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy will still be available for the taking at some point from No. 4 through No. 6.

However, former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst, Brian Baldinger, does not subscribe to that theory. In fact, he warns, the Giants should stay away from McCarthy entirely.

“I would not go after J.J. McCarthy. He might become a great pro. He’s just a very difficult guy to evaluate because of where he comes from,” Baldinger told the New York Post. “He’s the only quarterback I can remember in recent history where nobody says anything negative about him. They just say, ‘He’s 27-1, Jim Harbaugh says he’s the best quarterback in the draft.’

“Nobody says anything about the offense he played in, not throw the ball in the second half against Penn State, they don’t bring any of that up. They’re just like, ‘Yep, he was a five-star recruit in high school, he took Michigan to a national championship, back-to-back playoff seasons.’ Like he’s the Golden Child. Nobody ever says anything bad about him. And I can’t figure out what there is to evaluate with him. They asked very little of him to go win a national championship.”

If both McCarthy and wide receiver Rome Odunze are available at six, Baldinger believes the Giants should go with Odzune. They most certainly should not trade up for McCarthy, he adds.

“I like him, I don’t know that I love him. I can’t see how many off-platform throws he makes, or how creative he is when, I don’t know, Aidan Hutchinson’s ready to swallow him up,” Baldinger said. “You just don’t see that many situations that NFL quarterbacks have to react to in real time, whether to make the throw as you get blasted, or to get out of harm’s way like (Patrick) Mahomes does weekly a couple of times every game. Or Josh Allen just uncorks a bomb to go win a game.

“You just don’t see those type of throws from him. If I was Joe Schoen, I wouldn’t trade up, lose assets that they desperately need, that might become a franchise quarterback, but you’re very uncertain if he will.”

Baldinger isn’t alone in his skepticism of McCarthy. Former Giants great Tiki Barber expressed similar concerns this week.

“Stop with the J.J. McCarthy thing,” Barber said. “His film doesn’t say he’s a first-round quarterback. His film doesn’t say ‘I need to get rid of all my assets and draft this guy’ because a lot of what he does doesn’t translate.”

We’ll soon find out if general manager Joe Schoen shares similar beliefs.



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New York Giants to hold private workout with J.J. McCarthy

The New York Giants are continuing to do their due diligence on all of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports that the Giants will be attending a private workout for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in Ann Arbor this weekend.

The Giants hold the sixth overall selection in next month’s draft and have been traveling all over the country to get an up close and personal look at all of the top players.

On Thursday, they will be in North Carolina to watch quarterback Drake Maye throw at his pro day. They will also be in Seattle attending Washington’s pro day to see quarterback Michael Penix Jr.



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New York Giants watched J.J. McCarthy impress at Michigan pro day

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who could be the riser who shakes up the 2024 NFL draft, did nothing to hurt his draft stock at his pro day on Friday in Ann Arbor. In fact, he was sensational, and the New York Giants were on hand to watch.

The Giants, who hold the No. 6 overall selection in the first round of the draft this year, were well-represented at the event. General manager Joe Schoen was not with the Giants’ contingent, which was led by assistant GM Brandon Brown.

McCarthy led the Wolverines to the 2024 National Championship this past January and has been doing nothing but complicating things for teams selecting in the top 10 in next month’s draft, which will be held in Detroit.

McCarthy’s goal at the workout was to show his overall prowess under center and that he is fundamentally sound, making ‘all the throws’ as they say.

“I just wanted to showcase the questions they had about out-breakers to the left and putting some air on the deep posts, stuff like that,” McCarthy said. “I felt like I did that today. I’m pretty confident with the showing I put out there.”

The Giants have met with McCarthy in the flesh (he was one of their Top 30 pre-draft workout players) and have interest in him for sure. But they may be on the outside looking in when it comes to drafting him as he just keeps rising.

The first three teams in the draft order – Chicago, Washington and New England – are all in the market for quarterbacks as are two teams poised to move up ahead of the Giants into the No. 4 and 5 spots, Minnesota and Denver.

That just creates more pleasant problems for Schoen and his team, though. A rising McCarthy means someone else will fall to him at No. 6. Maybe LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye of North Carolina will be left open like Justin Herbert and Josh Allen were several years back.

They also could be staring at all three top wide receivers on opening night. More quarterbacks taken at the top means that the likes of Marvin Harrison, Jr, Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze will be on the board for Schoen to choose from.

A trade-up is unlikely because the Giants only have six picks in this draft and the package they’ll need to compete with might be too rich.



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New York Giants host top QB prospect J.J. McCarthy for top-30 visit

It’s no secret that the New York Giants have a lot of work do to this offseason. That work began last week and continues as the 2024 NFL draft approaches.

In preparation for the draft, the Giants hosted top QB prospect J.J. McCarthy for a top-30 visit this week.

The quarterback position has been one of controversy for some time in New York. Daniel Jones is still pledged to be the guy, but the Giants still need options to back him up. Rumors have swirled that they plan to take a quarterback with the sixth pick, while others say the focus is elsewhere.

With the Giants using one of their top-30 visits to host McCarthy, the team will be able to gauge better if he will fit in the locker room. Player acquisition is about more than the ability to play a position, and these visits are designed to give organizations the insight they need.

During his tenure at Michigan, McCarthy recorded 6,226 passing yards, completing 67.6% of his passes and throwing 49 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. He also rushed 161 times for 632 yards, an average of 3.9 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns.

Michigan’s pro day is March 22, at which time the Giants will be able to see McCarthy perform in a controlled environment. His ability to throw accurate passes and still use his feet when needed would be huge for the Giants.

It wouldn’t surprise anyone if they took McCarthy at six. If he’s still available.



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Is J.J. McCarthy the player the New York Giants want?

The New York Giants hold the sixth overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft and according to SNY’s Connor Hughes, all options are still on the table after Round 1 of free agency — even quarterback.

“The main position to watch here is quarterback, specifically Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy,” writes Hughes.

“The buzz is there that he’s the player the Giants want. League sources spoke highly of McCarthy when polled by SNY. One high-ranking executive said he’ll be a ‘better pro than college player.’ Another general manager said he has everything teams look for — size, athleticism, arm strength, accuracy, played in a pro-style offense. He added, ‘he’s also very coachable.’”

The Giants have a quarterback room with three players who have NFL experience in Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito but none of them are considered the future at quarterback past this season.

The Giants could be looking for that player in this draft and will have to act quickly if they are to get him with quarterbacks likely to go in the first three selections (Chicago, Washington, and New England).

Arizona and the Los Angeles Chargers could also be tempted by a blockbuster offer from a team looking to move up.

It’s very likely that team could be the Minnesota Vikings, who bettered their lot by acquiring another first-round pick from Houston this week. They are rumored to like McCarthy if they can get in front of the Giants.

That will be tough if Marvin Harrison Jr. is on the board for either the Cardinals or the Chargers. Both teams are starving for wide receivers after purging their rosters of several starters.

As for quarterbacks, all three of the top teams in the draft have moved off their starters from last season. Chicago is seeking to deal Justin Fields. Washington recently dealt Sam Howell to Seattle and the Pats sent Mac Jones to Jacksonville last week.

If McCarthy is to be a Giant, general manager Joe Schoen has to hope that Arizona and L.A. stand pat. That is, if a quarterback is his goal here.

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J.J. McCarthy got a feel for running the Giants’ offense at Combine

Despite New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen insisting that Daniel Jones is the team’s starting quarterback when healthy, it seems everyone expects the Giants to still draft a quarterback this year.

Granted, they need a backup given Jones’ injury history, but do they really need to target someone like Caleb Williams? Or is someone like J.J. McCarthy a potentially better option?

Williams and other top-tier quarterbacks are likely to be gone by the Giants’ first pick, so they could consider trading up. Or they could trade down and wait for McCarthy — assuming he doesn’t rocket up draft boards.

There could be other options, but it seems that Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll took an interest in McCarthy at the 2024 NFL Combine during their formal meeting.

“I drew up a play that I can run in every situation — third down, fourth down, first and second, all that good stuff,” McCarthy said, via the New York Post. “And then the coaches were kind of changing my verbiage and making it their own. It was really nice to kind of get a feel of what that offense would be like and it was actually a lot more simple.”

McCarthy says all of the right things and presents himself in a professional yet approachable manner. He remembered different details about each meeting he had rather than giving vague complimentary answers about coaches.

He built a solid foundation at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, and if someone can develop him from here, he has the potential to be a great quarterback.

But should the Giants target him? If they are going to draft a quarterback as so many have predicted, then McCarthy is as good an option as they’re going to get without trading up.

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New York Giants address multiple needs in 7-round mock

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana gets underway this week and draft prospects will rise or fall depending on how they test.

Before those wild swings occur, those of us at Giants Wire took our first stab at a full 7-round mock draft focusing solely on the New York Giants.

Because our previous Round 1 mock draft was so controversial, we eliminated all trades in this one. That’s obviously not how the actual draft will play out but only allowing a single trade last time was justifiably unrealistic as well.

For this mock draft, we once against used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator and left all settings on default. We chose only for the Giants.

Here’s a look at the Giants. seven-pick haul.

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With the top three quarterbacks off the board and no trades in this draft, the Giants snag a true WR1 with Washington’s Rome Odunze, who has become an increasingly popular mock to the team.

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J.J. McCarthy is currently rising up the draft boards and it’s highly unlikely he’ll be available to the Giants with this pick. However, he was in this mock draft and there was no way we could pass on him.

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The Giants are in desperate need of edge rushers to pair with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jonah Elliss is a productive option at this spot. There’s a lot of debate about where Elliss will ultimately go — some say he’s a top 5 edge rusher in the draft and others say developmental Round 3 talent — but from a pure pass rush perspective, he can help the Giants on Day 1.

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This pick was about pairing value with need. Outside of Johnny Wilson, the Giants would have had to reach for another player of need, so adding the 6-foot-6 target seemed like the optimal choice. He gives Big Blue the tall target at wide receiver they currently lack and while he’s a bit inconsistent, he could develop into a quality option over time. On Day 1, he’d fit in as part of a rotation.

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Audric Estime, a New York native, is a 5-foot-11, 227-pound power back. Assuming the Giants go with more of a rotation in 2024, he would provide a unique element to the backfield with his patience and North-South running style. He’s not going to break a bit one and out-run speedy defenders and he’ll need to improve as a receiver, but in short-yardage situations, Estime would be a good one to have.

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The Giants are likely to sign a pair of guards in free agency but that won’t mean their work is done. They are exceptionally thin along the line and Cooper Beebe would not only provide immediate depth, but could develop into a long-term starter. He’s got the ideal size (6-foot-4, 335 pounds) and strength, and provides a little versatility having taken snaps at every OL position other than center. In the run game, he’d be a monster.

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The Giants are going to need some defensive backs this offseason and not selecting more in this mock could be viewed as a negative. Jaylin Simpson is a tall, speedy and slender safety who isn’t afraid to lay the boom on opposing tight ends and running backs. He’s solid in coverage and capable against the run, and can play multiple positions. If he tests well at the NFL Combine, he might climb to a Day 2 pick.

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