UltimateNYG’s draft analyst, Wonder, has been breaking down tape and is done with the Safeties, Cornerbacks, and Tight Ends. He watches a ton of college football and has plenty of commentary on other prospects that he has not yet reviewed (combine, tape). His comments can change between now and next Thursday (Day 1 of the Draft), but here are some macro observations…
Let’s get right to it for the Giants. What does Wonder think the Giants should do with the 1.06 overall pick? Of course that depends on what others ahead of them are doing, but he is hot for Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. “The Bears are not doing anything except taking Williams,” said Wonder. “If Washington could somehow be persuaded, I would give them the 1.06, the R2 pick and a R1 next year to move up 4 spots to get Daniels.”
He continues. “Of course, we do not expect that to happen either. Do not trade up for Maye. And please please please do NOT take (or trade up for) McCarthy. JAG (just a guy). McCarthy’s upside ceiling is Dalton, which is a nice QB, but you do not blow major assets (1.06) for that. McCarthy’s comp is probably Kirk Cousins. McCarthy is not going to be the kind of franchise QB that transforms your team. Stay away.”
The way the draft will unfold, Williams goes 1.01, Daniels goes 1.02, and NE takes Maye at 1.03. AZ takes Harrison at 1.04. It gets interesting at 1.05. “Maybe Minnesota or the Raiders trade up to 1.05 for McCarthy,” says Wonder. “Good. Now at 1.06, you take Joe Alt.”
Tackle? Another Tackle? Consensus is that the Giants won’t do this because they already brought in Eluemunor as the swing tackle in case Bricillo can’t fix Neal. Consensus is that the Giants will go WR if they can’t get their QB. “I do not care,” explains Wonder. “It is not sexy, and yes there are a lot of Offensive Tackles in the 2024 draft, but none of them are Joe Alt. He is the clear #1 Tackle and he would be selected 1.01 in many drafts if not for these QBs here in 2024. Alt will be the bookend to Thomas and it will make everything else better for the Offense. Alt (and Thomas) will make the QB better. They will make the run game better. Play Jones another year, and the next QB will have a very good OL waiting for him.”
What about those great WR prospects? “Harrison does not entice me. Yes, he has the highest floor. But I do not like his ceiling and I think he is missing breakaway speed. The WR I really like is Nabers, who has the biggest ceiling. Odunze is not in Nabers’ class. There is a huge difference between Nabers and Odunze. Nabers has some comps to Jamarr Chase.”
Wonder thinks Schoen missed a big opportunity. “Schoen should have gone after Fields and we would not even be having this discussion about QB. Pittsburgh stole him owing to circumstance of Chicago being enamored with Caleb Williams. Fields was the cost effective solution for QB. If Schoen can at least lock down the other Tackle in Joe Alt, maybe he can find the next QB (a la Fields) to plug in behind that OL.”
My only comment from all of this: at least I agree with Wonder about not taking a WR. I am enamored with Rome Odunze, as I think he can be a franchise player who sticks with the team for 10 years. But nonetheless, all the same, WR is a luxury the Giants cannot afford. I would prefer them to trade down, and then completely out of Round 1. You will never get an argument from me if they take Alt. Gotta control the line of scrimmage. For those that think Bricillo will lessen the need for using premium draft picks at this position, my response is that a coach like Bricillo will turn a guy like Alt into an All Pro.
Wonder’s final comment- “We see it all the time how horrible organizations destroy good talent. They never properly give the talent the opportunity to flourish.” He is not optimistic about what will happen to Daniels in Washington.