Giants HC Skips Drake Maye Pro Day to Watch Michael Penix Jr.; Will Meet with UNC QB
March 28, 2024
Brian Daboll isn't among the contingent of New York Giants officials at North Carolina to watch Drake Maye's pro day on Thursday.
NFL Network's Omar Ruiz posted a picture of Daboll talking with new Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick where he's going to watch Michael Penix Jr. at the Huskies' pro day.
Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Daboll will be with the Giants when they have a meeting and private workout with Maye "in the coming days."
Daboll not being in North Carolina doesn't mean anything, especially since the Giants reportedly have another meeting set up with Maye very soon.
The MMQB's Albert Breer reported last week the Giants hosted Maye and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy for top-30 visits.
Per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, the Giants will send a contingent to Ann Arbor for a private workout with McCarthy on Sunday.
Giants president and CEO John Mara told Garafolo at the league meetings he wouldn't stop general manager Joe Schoen from drafting a quarterback, but he believes in Daniel Jones and everyone in the organization expects him to be the starter next season.
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafoloJohn Mara told reporters he wouldn't stop <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giants?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Giants</a> GM Joe Schoen from drafting a QB but says here, "I think the Daniel (Jones) we saw in 2022 is the real deal. … I still have all the confidence in the world in him. … Yes, I think we all expect him to be the starter in 2024." <a href="https://t.co/JQEbTnCogq">https://t.co/JQEbTnCogq</a>
Coming out of the league meetings on Tuesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported "a lot of people" think McCarthy is the player New York wants.
Maye's stock is tough to pin down right now. Graziano noted there's a split within the league between Maye and Jayden Daniels as the preferred choice for the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick.
Depending on what the Commanders do with their selection, it might open the door for the New England Patriots at No. 3 to trade down. Breer did note coming out of the combine that neither Washington nor New England was looking to trade out of their current spots.
NBC Sports Boston @NBCSBoston"Atlanta, during the combine they investigated moving up... they basically hit a brick wall."<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlbertBreer</a> on what he's hearing about the Patriots sticking with number 3 pick <a href="https://t.co/fcMQIlyvZe">pic.twitter.com/fcMQIlyvZe</a>
The Giants might have an easier time being able to trade up than some of the other quarterback-needy teams by virtue of where they are selecting. They currently own the No. 6 overall pick, which would allow for the Commanders or Patriots to still land an blue-chip player if they don't like their options when their original spot comes up.
Other teams that seem likely to target a quarterback include the Minnesota Vikings (No. 11 and 23), Denver Broncos (No. 12) and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13). There will still be good players on the board when those picks come up, but perhaps not at the same level as they would get if they are selecting in the top 10.
Jones is entering the second season of a four-year, $160 million contract he signed in March 2023. He threw for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts before suffering a torn ACL in a Week 9 loss to the Raiders.
The Giants finished 6-11 in 2023. It was their ninth time in the past 11 seasons finishing with a losing record.