The New York Giants fan base might erupt if Duke quarterback Daniel Jones is selected on the first day of the 2019 NFL draft. When I say “erupt,” it’s certainly not a good thing, especially with Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray present in the top six picks of the draft. But, we shouldn’t be too quick to judge a book by its cover, there’s a lot of untapped potentials to be extracted from the Duke product.
Jones has a prototypical body for an NFL quarterback, standing at 6’5″, 220-pounds. His abilities on the other hands have been put into question as of late. In 2018, he racked up 2,674 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His stats don’t even compare to Haskins’ 50 scores and eight interceptions. Despite the difference, Jones has an attractive array of skills that offers plenty of value for the Giants.
Why the New York Giants are taking a deeper look into Daniel Jones:
With three full years of playing experience at Duke, Jones is certainly ready to take the next step to the NFL in stride. His consistency and intelligence on the field have made him an attractive prospect, even though his stock has fallen as of late. The Duke product has solid footwork and is extremely practiced in moving through his progressions and spotting opportunities quickly.
Another plus for Jones is that he has the athleticism to pick up yards using his legs. While he’s by no means a running quarterback, it’s nice to have a player that can make plays happen if need be. The move here would be to sit Jones behind veteran Eli Manning for a season to allow him to develop.
Head coach Pat Shurmur made it apparent that he would prefer to use Manning has a tool to help develop the next quarterback. He also stated that it’s not Manning’s job to train his successor, but rather to enable learning and watching how he prepares.
The Giants could theoretically grab Jones with the No. 17 pick in the draft with ease, electing to take a top-tier pass rusher with the No. 6 overall pick. This would address two different positions of need and set the Giants up with a plan for life after Manning.
I explain why Daniel Jones @DukeFOOTBALL is the most pro ready QB in this year’s Draft @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Dlw6PDbni4
— Charley Casserly (@CharleyCasserly) March 26, 2019
How did Jones perform at his Pro Day?
Like most prospects, Jones’ Pro Day was scripted to a “T.” Every throw was spot on and he had magnificent touch on his deep ball.
The BEST from @DukeFootball QB Daniel Jones' Pro Day! pic.twitter.com/5sPWnNxH2L
— NFL (@NFL) March 27, 2019
One of the negative portrayals in relation to Jones is that he has a very similar frame to Manning. Let’s just make this clear – he is a VERY different passer all around. While he’s able to stand in the pocket, he has the athleticism to make plays with his feet and pick up additional yards.
One of the issues he will face is taking sacks, as he’s been caught trying to do too much and losing yards. If he can develop a more conservative approach to pressure in the pocket, he will see himself get rid of the ball faster and not throw the ball into impossible windows.
The bottom line, Jones is a very coachable quarterback and has the tangible traits to become a great NFL passer, but he has quite a few flaws to work out of his game before he can reach that potential.