What Should The New York Giants Do If They Miss Out On Justin Herbert?

New York Giants, Justin Herbert
Nov 23, 2018; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) walks onto the field during the first half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

With the general assumption that New York Giants‘ veteran quarterback Eli Manning will take his talents into retirement at the end of the 2018 season, it’s only fair to begin looking into potential passer options for 2019. One of the more talented prospects is Oregon’s Justin Herbert.

Herbert has been compared to Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, but significantly more accurate with the football in his hands. His ability to buy time and find open receivers is special, and he would offer a shiny new toy for head coach Pat Shurmur. An already talented quarterback that he can mold and develop to his liking.

But, this begs the questions: 

What if the New York Giants miss out on Justin Herbert all-together?

The NFL Draft is like a game of chess. You only know your move, but your opposition can counter your expected action based on where your pieces are and the resources you have on the board. Think of it like this: The game is the draft, the pieces are the draft picks, and the player is the war room.

If the Giants fail to land the top QB prospect, they might be better off skipping out on a passer overall. Putting their faith in current rookie Kyle Lauletta might not be the best move, but bringing on a veteran like Teddy Bridgewater could be an acceptable alternative. We will likely see Lauletta perform toward the end of the season which should give us an idea on if he can be the future of the Giants.

Who could the Giants look to if they decide against taking a quarterback in the 2019 NFL draft?

With the expectancy that the Giants will land in the top 5 picks overall, they should certainly consider going with either and offensive or a defensive lineman. Players like Nick Bosa and Ed Oliver offer immense quality and All-Pro potential. Nick is supposedly an even better prospect than his older brother Joey Bosa.

Nick Bosa (Ohio State) profile:

The Ohio State standout has immense size, standing at 6-foot-4, 263 pounds. Believe it or not, Bosa has room for growth, and his speed off the line won’t be affected. His strength is unparalleled despite a core muscle injury that forced him to leave the Buckeye’s defense and prepare for the NFL draft.

He racked up 17.5 sacks in two years at Ohio, proving to be extremely productive in his time as a starter. His older brother, Joey, stated that Nick is far ahead of where he was at that stage of his career. Bosa would offer the Giants a premier pass-rusher that would revolutionize a defensive line that lacks pass-rushing capabilities. He’s also stellar in the run game and would immediately influence a unit that has struggled consistently this season.

Max Sharping (Northern Illinois) profile:

One of the lesser talked about prospects is offensive tackle Max Scharping. If the Giants decided to take a flier on the tackle, they would offer their future quarterback better protection and more time in the pocket. Scharping ranking third in pass-blocking in 2015 (97.1), first in 2016 (98.9), and first again in 2017, according to PFF.

Over 459 snaps in ’17, Scharping allowed just four pressures in pass-protection. Throughout his entire career, he’s allowed just 21 QB pressures across 1,377 pass-blocking snaps. If you aren’t convinced he can be a stellar player in the NFL, he hasn’t allowed a sack since 2015 in the Huskies bowl game against Boise State. If the Giants aren’t keen on signing a player like Carolina Panthers’ Daryl Williams in free agency, Scharping would be one hell of an upgrade at the right tackle position.