It's no secret at this point; after the 2024 season, the NY Giants are going to be out of the Daniel Jones business. A 2022 season that showed so much promise with a road playoff win really didn't amount to anything more. Jones got his money, didn't play well and then tore his ACL in 2023. Credit to Joe Schoen for having an out after next campaign.
With that said, it's technically still draft season and the best part about the draft is once it's over, we can already look ahead to next year. It's another QB heavy draft in 2025 and hopefully Schoen and Co. get someone who can get Malik Nabers the ball consistently.
5. Cam Ward
The Washington State QB now with Miami has been shooting up draft boards recently and has a chance to increase his value even more in 2024. Coming off a 2023 campaign that consisted of more that 3,700 passing yards, a 66.7 completion percentage and 25 touchdowns, Ward can do a lot to improve his draft stock should he replicate that type of performance.
As a prospect, Ward showed improvements as a game manager last season, including making checks at the line of scrimmage and managing the run game. He has a good presence in the pocket and is able to make those sideline-to-sideline throws with ease. Like most college quarterbacks, the biggest improvement Ward needs to make is getting faster at reading progressions.
Although his mental game at the line of scrimmage improved in 2023, Ward still needs to make quicker decisions and speed up his internal clock. One slight on his high completion percentage is the fact he throws a lot of quick screens. He's able to make the medium and long passes because of his great arm talent, so hopefully we see him stretch the field more in 2024.
4. Donovan Smith
If there is someone in this class who can have a Jayden Daniels-type season where they come out of nowhere to shoot up the draft boards, it's Donovan Smith. He may not put up the numbers Daniels did in 2023, but his potential to open the eyes of NFL scouts is high. Smith transferred from Texas Tech to Houston in 2023 and thrived in his first year under center for the Cougars.
He threw for a career high 2,801 yards with another career high 22 touchdowns. Add in a 64 percent completion percentage and you have a prospect looking to make a serious jump come draft season in 2025. At 6-5, 241 pounds, Smith is a unit and able to shed tackles in the pocket. His size also translates to his arm strength, as he is able to make some big throws and stretch the field.
Where he struggles is more of the mental side of the game. He often sticks to his first read and ignores his progressions. Although the arm talent is there, he relies too much on it, which results in interceptions. He can sometimes be enticed to throw short passes depending on the coverage he sees, and that also can lead to turnovers. A big thing to watch for Smith in 2024 is how much he stretches the field. He has the arm talent to do it, we just need to see it more.
3. Jalen Milroe
Alabama's Jalen Milroe may be the most polarizing quarterback in the 2025 draft class. When he's good, he is incredibly exciting to watch, but when he's bad, he's bad in a big way. Perhaps the best part about Milroe is we know he can take criticism and hard coaching. Milroe had a less than impressive start to the 2023 season and even lost his job.
He battled, improved his game and led Alabama to the College Football Playoff in Nick Saban's swan song. The mental toughness is there and so are the physical traits. Milroe has a cannon for an arm and is the best deep passer in the 2025 class. He also is a threat with his legs, as he rushed for almost 700 yards on more than six yards per carry.
Where Milroe can improve his stock and catch the eye of teams like the Giants is showing improvement in the short to medium passing game. The long passes add to the highlight reel, but Milroe needs to show he's capable of the less flashy, "boring" throws that all NFL quarterbacks make.
2. Riley Leonard
We know what you're thinking - another Duke quarterback potentially drafted high, are we really going to do this again? The answer is, we should because Riley Leonard is different. Plus, he transferred to Notre Dame for his final season, so maybe he gets that Duke stink off of him. He missed a good chunk of 2023 because of injury, but in the games he did play, we saw the flashes of why he is one of the top-rated quarterbacks in this draft.
He already possesses elite ball placement, as he is able to hit receivers in stride and can make high IQ reads to manipulate defensive schemes. He has good footwork and that nimbleness allows him to navigate the pocket at a high level. Although Leonard shows great fearlessness on the football field, that is where he can get into trouble. That type of play has cost him multiple games throughout his college career because of injuries.
He needs to work on finding the balance of playing aggressive while protecting himself. Despite his comfortability in the pocket, he struggles once plays break down and he has to make throws outside the pocket or on the run. He may not be the most flashy quarterback in this year's draft, but making even these small improvements can make him a real target for the Giants.
1. Shedeur Sanders
Despite the high praise from his father, Shedeur Sanders is really just that good. He's one of the top quarterbacks in the draft and for good reason. Sanders can do it all. He can make the short throws, the medium throws, the long throws, off schedule plays and even beat you with his legs.
Sanders' first year in Power 5 football consisted of more than 3,200 passing yards, a 69.3 completion percentage, 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions. As Colorado moves to the Big 12 starting in 2024, Sanders will be able to show how he handles different defensive schemes and playing styles. With where Sanders is slated to go, that would mean it will be another rough year in NY in 2024.
We've had enough of those in the past decade to last a lifetime. Also, the dad factor can be a real concern for teams, including the Giants when it comes to Sanders. Deion Sanders loves his kid, as he should and wants the best for him. But the antics and loudness are making him the LaVar Ball of college football. Regardless of that, perhaps a move to NY for the younger Sanders could change everything.