1. QB Tommy DeVito
One thing that's clear from Hard Knocks is that Schoen still has faith in veteran quarterback Daniel Jones. Jones, who has had a rollercoaster professional career and battled numerous injuries since joining the Giants in 2019, was extended by Schoen after the 2022 season, where he led the team to the playoffs. Jones is now under contract until 2026, but the team can end his contract after the upcoming season, adding an element of uncertainty to his future with the Giants.
The Giants enter this season with Danny Dimes as projected QB1 and have brought in veteran Drew Lock as their backup quarterback, which leaves Tommy DeVito as the projected third-string quarterback in 2024. DeVito is a New Jersey native who quickly became a fan favorite last season after leading the team to multiple victories when Jones and former backup Tyrod Taylor were injured, including a Monday Night Football home win over the Green Bay Packers.
While DeVito was successful last year, he may not make this year's team. DeVito is not favored to beat Lock for the backup role, and while he is well-liked by the Giants faithful, the wins the G-Men had under him cost the team a top-three pick in this past NFL Draft. The Giants ended the season with the sixth overall pick but could've tanked for a higher pick had DeVito not helped them win a few more games.
Big Blue fans learned from this week's Hard Knocks that the Giants were very interested in North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and willing to trade up to No. 3 to select him. At the NFL Combine, Schoen spoke with Patriots GM Eliot Wolf about trading down from No. 3, and the team was impressed with Maye during their pre-draft interview.
The Patriots settled for Maye at No. 3, and the Giants took LSU wide receiver Nabers at No. 6, who should provide Jones with a weapon on offense. After Big Blue fans got a behind-the-scenes look at how interested the Giants front office was in Maye, it makes you think what the team would look like in 2024 if DeVito didn't win a few extra games.