Alexander Wilson
If the New York Giants elect to draft a quarterback with the 6th overall pick, there’s no question that he will sit behind Eli Manning for a season while the veteran finishes up his contract.
The expectation is that the Giants will begin to think about life after Manning, despite stating he has plenty of gas left in the tank. However, this could be a smokescreen in an attempt to draw attention away from their interest in Ohio State passer, Dwayne Haskins.
The Heisman finalist has only one true year of experience under his belt, recording 50 touchdown passes in 2018. While he lacks the seasoning of other options like Daniel Jones, his football intelligence is premium and he has shown the physical tool to develop into a top-tier passer.
New York Giants: Gettleman knows what his next quarterback needs
General manager Dave Gettleman has prioritized finding a quarterback that can withstand the media bashing in New York. Haskins has the mentality and cerebral strength to handle it, which is why rumors of the Giants likely taking him have bubbled to the surface one week before draft time. A willing learner is also a must for Manning’s successor – he must be comfortable sitting behind Eli for a season.
Haskins recently reassured the Giants that he would be more than fine spending a season developing behind the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.
From @NFLTotalAccess: With #OSU QB Dwayne Haskins saying he'd be comfortable learning from Eli Manning, it raises the question… will the #Giants take a QB? Several smart people around the NFL are convinced they will. pic.twitter.com/9X5tOZSjrn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2019
“Eli Manning is a legend. I grew up watching Eli and I’d have no problem sitting behind him and learning from him, like how I did with J.T. [Barrett] at Ohio State,” Haskins told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on the RapSheet and Friends podcast. “Whatever team drafts me, I’ll be able to sit back and learn from the guy that’s there and be able to compete with him and push him, but know that a guy’s there because he’s a veteran, he’s done it before, he’s professional.
The tangible and intangible traits that Haskins possesses makes him a stellar option for the Giants if they are willing to surpass premium defensive talent with the 6th overall pick. While he’s a traditional pocket passer who would continue the trend of simple passers for the Giants, he’s more than capable of developing into an above-average talent.
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