The New York Giants have had one wild 2019 offseason. They moved on from several star players, such as Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon, and Landon Collins. They then went on to make the most controversial selection in the entire 2019 NFL Draft.
With the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected quarterback Daniel Jones. This pick was highly controversial because many believed that Daniel Jones was not worth a top ten pick and that the Giants took him too early.
Since then, many conflicting reports have come out about Daniel Jones’s draft stock. Some reports claim he would not have lasted until the Giants’ second first-round pick at seventeenth overall. Other reports claim that Jones easily would have fallen to seventeen.
There is no way to know for sure. However, on Saturday, a former New York Giants legend gave his take on the matter.
Phil Simms “Knows For A Fact”
Phil Simms conducted an interview on Saturday with Rob “Lep” Lepelstat of STAT Sports in which he discussed the Giants’ controversial first-round draft pick. Simms gave Jones high praise and described him as a “perfect fit” for the New York Giants’ offense, team, and culture. But then Phil also went on to give “the scoop” on Daniel’s draft stock. Here is what Phil Simms had to say:
“I know for a fact [Daniel Jones] would not have been there on the seventeenth pick that the Giants had… Trust me. Not one, multiple teams were gonna draft Daniel Jones before pick seventeen… I just gave you a scoop. Nobody talks about it, but I do know.” –Phil Simms on STAT Sports with Rob Lep Lepelstat
This quote might sound a bit familiar to Giants fans. Dave Gettleman said nearly the exact same thing in his post-draft press conference:
“I know for a fact there were two teams that would’ve taken Daniel Jones in front of 17,” Gettleman said. “I know that for a fact.”
Phil Simms’s and Dave Gettleman’s insider scoop was also supported by Giants beat reporter Paul Dottino of WFAN. Dottino said there were “at least two teams ready to pounce before seventeen.” He also added that Phill “may know of more” teams that were interested in drafting Daniel Jones.
Daniel Jones is now set to be the New York Giants’ next franchise quarterback. Whether there truly were other teams ready to take Jones or not, it does not change the fact that the rookie about to participate in his first NFL training camp with the New York Giants next week.
Still, it is interesting to see so many conflicting reports and hear NFL insiders continue to contradict each other this late in the summer. Could the former Giants quarterback be telling the truth? Or is he just trying to make his former team look better?