The New York Giants are hoping that luck will be on their side when the 2024 NFL Draft order is finalized.
In order for that to be the case, they’ll need several teams to earn a win in the final week of the season while simultaneously suffering a loss of their own.
Giants: 2nd Pick in 2024 NFL Draft Will Be Hard to Reach But Not an Impossibility
As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post laid out, the Giants (5-11) are mathematically still in the Hunt to reach as high as the No. 2 overall pick, but this will need to happen:
“The Commanders (vs. the Cowboys), Patriots (vs. the Jets), and Cardinals (vs. the Seahawks) – who currently hold the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 picks, respectively – all enter Week 18 with 4-12 records, so a victory by any combined with a Giants’ loss could shake up the top five,” Dunleavy said.
All three teams mentioned will be up against stronger opponents in Week 18. The Cowboys are dominating the NFC East and can be counted on to close the year on a high note against the Commanders.
Meanwhile, the Patriots have cratered in 2023, are facing the harsh reality of head coach Bill Belichick’s impending departure, have a quarterback dilemma, and can’t buy a win.
Realistically, the Cardinals stack up poorly against the Seahawks, generating the third-fewest passing yards (3,156 pass yards) in the NFL on offense and conceding the fourth-most yards per attempt to opposing aerial attacks (7.6 yards/att).
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Earning the Second Pick Would Guarantee the Giants Select a Player of their Liking
Everything going right for the Giants would prime them for a shot at landing USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, or LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
Any one of the three getting taken off the board with the first overall pick would gift them the pick of the litter between whichever two options remain.
The Giants finish their regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC East rivalry matchup, in which quarterback Tyrod Taylor will start. Giants head coach Brian Daboll opting to go with Taylor’s hot hand might jeopardize their shot at claiming the second pick.
