The New York Giants overdrafted Daniel Jones in 2019 to disastrous results.
Will they risk doing the same thing again with Shedeur Sanders?
Per multiple reports, the Giants have scheduled a private workout with Sanders for Thursday, one week before the first round of the NFL draft. The workout suggests that the Giants, who hold the No. 3 pick in the draft, are strongly considering selecting the Colorado quarterback.
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The Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason. But they remain desperate for a long-term solution at quarterback thanks in no small part to their decision to select Jones with the No. 6 pick in 2019 despite little analysis suggesting that he was worth the expenditure of a premium pick. Jones ultimately flamed out in New York, and the Giants released him in November, not two full years removed from signing him to an extension to his rookie contract.
Shedeur Sanders reportedly has a private workout scheduled with the Giants. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Sanders is rated by many as the No. 2 quarterback in this year’s class. But by most accounts, the gap between Sanders — and the presumed No. 1 quarterback, Cam Ward — is wide.
Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice rates Wards as the No. 7 overall prospect in the draft. He possesses a package of arm talent, athleticism and results on the field that can reasonably convince a team in need of a quarterback to overlook superior talent at other positions to select him. The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to do just that with the No. 1 overall pick.
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Sanders is a different story. He doesn’t possess elite arm talent, athleticism or size for an NFL quarterback and is projected by many as a project who may or may not develop into a starting-caliber player in the NFL. Tice has Sanders rated as the No. 41 prospect in the draft.
This is all to say that selecting Sanders No. 3 overall would add up to a considerable stretch by almost any reasonable analysis. And, again, it appears that the Giants are considering doing just that.
Doing so would not only mean selecting a player well above his projected value. It would also mean passing on truly elite talent elsewhere. If, as expected, the Titans do select Ward No. 1 overall, they’ll allow coveted talents with enormous upside at other positions to slide.
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Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are supreme talents with game-changing upside who would demand consideration as the No. 1 overall selection in many NFL drafts. If the Titans take Ward, that means that one of them will certainly drop to the Giants at No. 3.
And what would the Giants do then? Are they desperate enough at quarterback to risk repeating the mistake that put them in this position in the first place?