The New York Giants have brought in players like Nick Bosa, Dwayne Haskins, Kyler Murray, and other first-round quality prospects over the course of the offseason, but they recently dove into the third-round for a closer look at one specific player.
A former teammate of star running back Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley, met with the Giants this past week. They spent a top-30 selection on the Penn State quarterback despite having plenty of first-round talent to choose from. McSorley is graded as a third-round pick in the upcoming 2019 NFL Draft, which makes this interview interesting.
NFL.com rated Trace at 4.98, which falls under the “should be in an NFL training camp” range. Could this have been a favor for Barkley? Or maybe offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is truly curious about the speedy quarterback.
McSorley recorded 4.57 40-yard-dash – an impressive speed for a passer that’s just 6’0″. The main negative attribute in regards to McSorley is his arm talent. His lack of strength and accuracy behind the ball created problems for him in his senior year with the Nittany Lions.
In 2018, he recorded 2,530 passing yards with 18 TDs and 7 INTs. The year before, he threw for 3,570 yards, 28 TDs, and 10 INTs. It seems as if Trace’s regression really hurt his draft stock, but his undersized frame will certainly create limitations at the NFL level.
Despite his deficiencies, he’s a true leader that brings a sense of confidence to the locker room. Additionally, he’s extremely athletic and can move the ball with his feet efficiently. Last year, he added 798 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
Trace McSorley finds the end zone for a second time!
Penn State is up 28-13 on ABC and streaming on the ESPN App. pic.twitter.com/vm9PLMKd3a
— ESPN (@espn) October 22, 2017
While his skill set is certainly appealing, most scouts have agreed that McSorley shouldn’t be considered a starting caliber passer, but more-so a backup with the ability to potentially play other positions.