What’s the Giants’ future at QB? NFL Draft expert Dane Brugler breaks down their options

The New York Giants’ season is all but over. There are some major questions still to be answered about who will be in charge of fixing this franchise in the coming months, and perhaps the backstretch of the season will help provide some clarity there.

However, one thing we know for certain: The Giants’ future at quarterback isn’t on the roster. Whoever is in charge will have a major decision to make at the most important position in sports. Perhaps the Giants go the veteran route, but for now, we’re going to explore their NFL Draft options.

And for that, we turn to the best in the business, The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler.

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Brugler’s insights are essential for anyone looking to get a head start on their draft preparation. Today, that’s us, as we asked Brugler to talk about Daniel Jones, the 2025 quarterback class and more.

Let’s get to it:

The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. You scouted him before the Giants selected him at No. 6 in the 2019 draft. How did his New York career compare to your projections back then?

Brugler: Jones is an example of, “I’d rather be wrong on draft night and right down the road” because it was clear in the moment that Jones was going to be drafted in the first round, probably even in the top 10. But I couldn’t get there with my evaluation. Jones finished No. 53 overall in the 2019 version of The Beast with a late second-round grade.

At the time, I wrote, “While he doesn’t have a very impressive resume on paper, Jones elevated the average talent around him on the Duke offense, relying on both his arm and legs. His low-key personality might not immediately win over a room, but he competes with a quiet confidence and doesn’t show any fear on the football field. Overall, Jones doesn’t have any exceptional physical traits and his internal clock requires work, but he is a cerebral passer who makes accurate reads with active eyes and feet, projecting as a B-level NFL starter.”

With his smarts and athleticism at 6-5 and 220 pounds, I thought Jones had a solid foundation for his NFL transition. He elevated subpar talent around him at Duke by extending plays and periodically putting NFL throws on tape. But his eyes would consistently give him away to the defense, and his internal clock was a significant concern — two areas that are difficult to develop vs. NFL speed. Bottom line: I thought it was easy to like Jones as a prospect but hard to love and fully commit to him.

History will remember too much of the bad and not enough of the good from the Jones era in New York, especially after the ill-advised contract extension. But the Giants are long overdue for a change at quarterback.

At this moment, how many QBs do you expect to be drafted in the first round and who are they?

The first step will be figuring out who will be in this draft class and who is returning to school. NFL scouts believe Alabama’s Jalen Milroe will go pro, while LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier goes back to school. What will Penn State’s Drew Allar do? Texas’ Quinn Ewers has been planning for this to be his final year in Austin, but he might keep his options open if the NFL feedback isn’t what he wants to hear.

NFL teams always scout ahead at the QB position, and the lackluster outlook of the 2025 class was a factor in why six were drafted in the top 12 picks this past April. That doesn’t mean this class won’t produce any high-level NFL starters, but there are definitely more questions and less conviction about this group than most years.

With what we know right now, if the over/under on first-round QBs is 2.5, I’m taking the under. There are varied opinions among NFL scouts on Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, but if the draft were tomorrow, I think both would be drafted in the first round.

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Where do those QBs rank for you, amid last year’s six first-rounders?

There isn’t a quarterback in this class with a grade on par with the top three drafted last year (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye). I have yet to find an NFL evaluator who disagrees with that.

If we combine last year’s quarterbacks with this year’s, the debate starts at QB4. My grade on JJ McCarthy would be higher than any of the prospects in the 2025 class. For me, Ward and Sanders enter the discussion at QB5, along with Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.

This is a good chance to emphasize three key factors to remember whenever talking about quarterback prospects:

First, there is no such thing as consensus when it comes to stacking the quarterbacks. One team’s QB1 could be another’s QB4 and vice-versa, especially in this draft class. Varied QB draft boards are way more common than most think.

Second, drafting a quarterback in the top 10 is as much (if not more) an ownership decision as it is a GM or coach decision. Owners can also be easily swayed by inconsequential factors.

Finally, where a QB is drafted (the team and its offensive infrastructure) drastically influences the hit/bust rate. A lot of teams had Day 2 draft grades on Nix, but Broncos coach Sean Payton had a vision for the rookie in his system, and Broncos’ fans are understandably optimistic based on the early returns.

Sermon over. Amen.

This was probably our longest live room ever. A lot to discuss. Listen to the recording here: https://t.co/tkqtLy0ZjR

— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) November 25, 2024

Who do you think would be the best fit for the Giants in this draft class and why?

If the Giants are going to roll the dice on one of these quarterbacks, I do think Ward makes sense.

With his arm talent and elusiveness in the pocket, Ward is an exciting player who can keep plays alive and sling the ball to every inch of the field. The looseness in his game is a double-edged sword that allows him to improvise and create, but it also leads to turnover-worthy decisions and unnecessary sacks. And that isn’t going to change overnight. Sign a veteran starter and allow the rookie to develop at his own pace without forcing him onto the field.

However, the progress has been impressive as Ward has gone from a wing-T offense in high school to the strict Air Raid systems at Incarnate Word and Washington State and now part of a more diversified Air Raid scheme at Miami. I think Ward’s initial NFL playing time will be a bumpy ride as he adjusts to NFL speed, but I also think he has the mental toughness to ultimately become a better player because of it if the organization remains patient.

How much stock do you put in the idea of having the right temperament to play QB in New York?

There is no disputing the differences among some NFL cities. Different fan bases, different media coverage, different expectations. It is also fair to say that some places have more distractions away from the football building than others — just ask Sam Darnold. The nightlife in Green Bay is a little different than New York.

With that said, I don’t think Ward or Sanders would be bad fits for some of the external factors that come with being a New York starting quarterback. Ward has a reserved personality, but NFL scouts describe him as “ultra-competitive” and “confidently smart.” Like his father, Sanders’ confidence easily can be mistaken for arrogance. But he doesn’t allow outside pressure to shrink his on-field play, and his Colorado teammates love him. Understanding how a QB is wired is both the most important and most challenging step of the evaluation.

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If the Giants pass on a QB in the first round, is there a mid-round QB you like best? And if the Giants don’t take a QB, any early thoughts on the 2026 class?

Let’s say the Giants don’t love any of these quarterbacks in the top 10 or the QB they like is off the board, an intriguing option might be Jalen Milroe on Day 2. Few teams are more familiar with Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offense, and New York could try to recreate that model. Like Hurts, Milroe is well-built at 6-1 and 225 pounds and brings a dual-threat element to the field. His placement and touch are still being developed, which is why he could potentially still be around on Day 2. But he is also much faster than Hurts and has a stronger arm. Investing in a uniquely talented player like Milroe requires an all-in commitment, which is why he won’t be a fit for every organization. With his rare traits and mental makeup, though, it is one of the multiple options that should be discussed.

If the Giants wait until the 2026 NFL Draft, the premature “Arch Manning to New York” takes will be rampant. We have barely seen Manning on the field yet, and there is a strong chance he stays in Austin for his senior season, so that plan has some holes. But maybe Nussmeier or Allar will have a Joe Burrow– or Jayden Daniels-like ascension as seniors if they go back to school next season and jump to the top of the draft.