10 diamonds in the rough the NY Giants should draft on Day 3
By Zak Musso
NY Giants Day 3 Draft Target: Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky
The Giants have four picks, as of now, on the third day of the NFL Draft, and one of them will likely be a quarterback. It is smart business for the Giants to grab a quarterback late in the draft and develop him into a long-term backup option, which is one of the most underrated and underappreciated positions in sports.
With uncertainty around Daniel Jones, and with Tyrod Taylor, and Davis Webb being the Giants’ only other current quarterback options, there is a very good chance no current Giants quarterback will be on the roster in two years. The late-round quarterback that would be a perfect fit for this developmental quarterback role is Bailey Zappe of Western Kentucky.
Zappe played four years at FCS Houston Baptist from 2017-2020, where he threw for 10,004 yards and 78 touchdowns, before transferring to play for FBS Western Kentucky last season. In his one season in the FBS, Zappe did not have a game where he threw for less than three touchdowns, throwing for as many as 7 touchdowns in a single game.
In Western Kentucky’s 59-38 2021 Boca Raton Bowl win against Appalachian State, Zappe threw for 422 yards and six touchdowns, bringing his season passing yard total up to 5,967 yards, the most in a single season in college football history.
In that game Zappe also broke the record for most touchdowns in a single season, with 62, surpassing Joe Burrow’s historic mark of 60 touchdown throws in 2019. Zappe’s size, just 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, will likely push him down to day three.
However, the most important quality for a backup quarterback is the ability to step in, with little drop-off from the starter, and pass the football all over the field. Zappe is clearly more than capable of doing just that.