How close did the New York Giants come to trading up to select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft? We learned a lot about just how serious they were about making that kind of franchise-altering move in the fourth installment of “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.”
With free agency in the rearview mirror, Tuesday night’s episode explores the Giants’ pre-draft process, including pro days and meetings with top prospects before diving into the anxious hours ahead of the NFL Draft. The episode ends just before the draft begins, so we’ll have to tune in to next week’s finale to watch the Giants front office sweat out the first five picks before selecting WR Malik Nabers.
Here’s the recording: https://t.co/o1CtBwELkg https://t.co/lPOBGFVsf0
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) July 23, 2024
But the episode delivers on just how interested the Giants were in trading up and drafting a quarterback. It’s been a major offseason storyline because of quarterback Daniel Jones’ health, so let’s start there:
In case you missed it:
Episode 1 recap: Exploring a Saquon Barkley trade and ‘not giving up’ on Daniel Jones
Episode 2 recap: Malik Nabers piques interest at NFL combine
Episode 3 recap: Free-agent frenzy and a farewell to Saquon Barkley
Potential QB trades
With Jones rehabbing from a torn ACL, the Giants signed Drew Lock in free agency. But the quarterback work didn’t stop there, as the team put in intensive work scouting the QB draft class and exploring trade scenarios to secure one.
We’ll get into the actual work done on the quarterbacks shortly, but let’s begin on draft day when co-owner John Mara walked into general manager Joe Schoen’s office early that afternoon to check in on how things were going.
Schoen is shown debating when to call New England Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf to see whether a trade up to No. 3 is a real possibility. Schoen was trying to figure out how expensive the move would be and whether it was worth doing.
“If we are about to pull this deal off, I am going to have palpitations,” Mara said. “I got to stand by my conviction. That is if you guys have a conviction on a quarterback, that’s what we do. Like 20 years ago. Very similar situation.”
Mara of course was referencing the Giants’ famous trade with the Chargers for Eli Manning during the 2004 draft.
“I just think we’re in striking distance so we should take a (chance),” Schoen said. “It goes back to (the idea): You should draft one every year. If you’ve got a chance to get a top three in a draft, (there’s a) way better hit rate. Our walk-away scenario, if it’s gotta be a blockbuster trade, Ricky Williams style, we’re rolling with Daniel. Let’s continue to add around him.”
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We see Giants coaches debate trading up for LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye (more on this soon), but HBO didn’t show any Giants coaches or executives showering either with praise — like we eventually see for Nabers. It might be they did love one or both of the quarterback prospects, but it’s at least notable we never saw effusive praise for either.
It’s also worth noting the context of the QB situation, starting with USC star Caleb Williams, who was never really in play for New York. The Chicago Bears were locked in on him at No. 1. At No. 2, the Washington Commanders also seemed determined to draft a quarterback and eventually did with Daniels. They could have taken Maye, but no matter what, that left the Patriots as the Giants’ only potential trade partner to secure a top-three quarterback.
Eventually, we see Giants coaches and scouts attend a long list of pro days, but some of the best stuff with the quarterbacks in this episode comes during the top-30 visits back in the Meadowlands. There, Maye and Michigan’s JJ McCarthy worked the whiteboard during meetings, and we watched Giants coach Daboll cut to the chase and ask Daniels, “Do you want to be here?” Daniels assured Daboll that he does.
We also get to see inside a Giants war room meeting when Schoen asked his top lieutenants whether they had seen enough to trade up for Daniels and Maye.
Daboll: “I would.”
Schoen: “Dennis?”
Assistant director of player personnel Dennis Hickey: “Yes.”
Schoen: “Would you trade up for Maye?”
Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka: “If you’ve got a guy you believe in, I think you go up and get him.”
There’s a lively debate about the success rate of drafted quarterbacks and how many remain with their original teams before things shift further toward the draft, which brings us back to Schoen’s call with Wolf around 3:32 p.m. ET on draft day.
After some pleasantries, Schoen cut to the chase and asked whether the Patriots were still listening or whether they had made a decision. Wolf said an offer would have to be “pretty significant.” Schoen asked whether the No. 6 pick, a 2025 first-round selection and something more from 2024 wasn’t going to cut it, what is it going to take? Does it have to be multiple 2025 picks? Wolf told Schoen the Patriots are in a situation in which they’ll probably sit and select a quarterback. Though Schoen left the door open for a deal, it’s pretty clear nothing’s going to materialize.
After that, the Giants’ focus shifted to finding Jones an offensive asset.
‘I’d take Nabers’
Though we don’t get insight into the quarterback meetings, we do get a taste of the meeting wide receivers coach Mike Groh conducted with Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze. All three were in the building at the same time, fielding questions from Groh on potential situations and routes. Kafka and offensive assistant/game manager Cade Knox were also in the room. Before the group left, Groh asked, “Can we draft all three of you guys?”
We also get to see the two of them meet with Schoen and Daboll, as well as some other coaches and executives. The highlight of those scenes was when Daboll and Schoen asked Nabers how he’d deal with things not going the way he plans. Daboll tried to relate to Nabers, saying when it comes to temperament, he’s got a hot temper, too.
Nabers: “Yeah, I got a hot temper, but it’s not like I got a hot temper in a bad way. It’s like—”
Daboll: “I’m with you.”
Nabers: “It’s just cause—”
Daboll: “You want to win.”
Nabers: “It’s the only f—ing thing I know.”
They talked about using that competitive drive in a smart way and how that can make him great.
One fascinating interaction happens when Mara walks into Schoen’s office and asks Groh, if he were on the clock now and had to pick among those three receivers, whom would he select?
“I’d take Nabers,” Groh responded without hesitation. Mara is surprised. “Over Marvin?”
Groh maintained his conviction, and, well, the rest is history.
Quick hits
• Though the Giants couldn’t strike a deal with the Patriots, Schoen spoke with plenty of other teams about trades. During the draft-day discussions, we learned potential deals were in place with the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers, who had the No. 4 and No. 5 picks. Schoen said they’d also listen to calls at No. 6, but if Nabers or Harrison was still available, they’d turn their card in.
In a meeting with Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch an hour before the draft, Schoen and Daboll explained the plan. Schoen said the Bears had been in contact about moving up to No. 6 from No. 9. The Giants supposed the Bears would be coming up for a tackle.
Interestingly enough, Brock Bowers came up here as an option in the Chicago trade scenario. The Georgia tight end ultimately went at No. 13 to the Las Vegas Raiders, but he was presented as a possible option if the Giants moved back in the draft. Daboll said he was talking with Nick Saban that day and Bowers and Nabers were brought up by the former Alabama coach as “problems” for the Crimson Tide.
• During the pro day visits, the Giants head to Penn State. There they run into former Giants running back and Penn State alum Saquon Barkley. But in this episode, Barkley is just seen chatting with new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. They talked about new offensive line additions Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor, who played for Bricillo in Las Vegas, so we hear the love Bricillo has for Eluemunor. Bricillo also talked about Runyan’s ability to play to center if needed.
• Finally, we got to enjoy a fun historical moment when Mara headed to Brown’s office and saw one of his favorite pictures on the wall. It’s of Pro Football Hall of Famers Frank Gifford and Y.A. Tittle during a 1964 game that Mara reminisces he was probably on the sideline for.
(Photo: Chris Pedota / NorthJersey.com / USA Today)
