NFL Draft: Did the Giants make the right decision with Daniel Jones?
By Bryan Perez
One of the early surprises in the 2019 NFL draft was the New York Giants’ selection of former Duke QB Daniel Jones, but it will eventually prove to be the right decision by a team a year or two away from replacing Eli Manning.
The New York Giants did exactly what GM Dave Gettleman suggested they weren’t going to do in the 2019 NFL Draft with their selection of former Duke QB Daniel Jones in the first round. Despite the club’s mantra that Eli Manning still has quality starting years ahead of him, Gettleman pegged Jones as the hand-picked heir to No. 10.
Jones now represents the future of the Giants franchise — even more so than Saquon Barkley — and will be the draft pick that defines the Gettleman-Pat Shurmur era. He was the second quarterback drafted Thursday and with his top-6 status comes extremely high expectations. Just don’t expect much from him (if anything) in 2019.
Manning is the starter in New York and there won’t be anything close to resembling a quarterback controversy this season. But Jones will be watched closely in the preseason and will begin to shape the narrative around the kind of player he will be based on those summer showings.
So, what kind of player will he actually be? The easy comp is the guy he’ll eventually replace: Eli.
Jones, on tape, looks like he could be the third Manning brother. His mechanics are similar, his pocket presence is eerily reminiscent of Peyton, and his arm talent is good enough to make all the NFL throws; just like Peyton and Eli’s.
The one thing Jones brings to the Giants that Manning never did is an athletic profile that will allow him to make plays with his legs. He’ll be able to survive behind New York’s patchwork offensive line because of his movement skills, and while he’s not the kind of runner Josh Allen (Bills) is, he has enough speed to do some damage with his legs.
The New York media will be hard to please. The fans will be even more difficult to satisfy. But if both can be patient with Jones and allow him the year he needs to evolve into an NFL starting quarterback, the Giants will be in good hands.
Jones was a good pick. He’s a good quarterback. And he’s the right guy to eventually replace Manning when the two-time Super Bowl champ is ready to hang up his cleats.