The NY Giants have made it clear that quarterback could be a priority in the NFL Draft. North Carolina QB Drake Maye is a player who has been linked to the Giants throughout the offseason, but many have expected him to be off the board by the time the Giants pick. Things might be changing.
J.J. McCarthy’s stock has skyrocketed this past month and it’s possible he is off the board before Maye. The same can be said for Jayden Daniels and some of the standout wide receiver prospects. Even Michael Penix Jr.'s draft stock seems to be on the rise. When it comes to the NFL Draft, always expect the unexpected. With that said, what are the Giants and Joe Schoen going to do?
There's been a lot of buzz about the G-Men either trading up for a new quarterback, or staying at No. 6 to land a stud wideout like Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze or Marvin Harrison Jr. However, if Maye falls out of the Top 5, could he end up sliding to NY at No. 6?
Could the NY Giants end up landing UNC QB Drake Maye after all?
The connections to the Giants have been noted throughout this draft process. The team had personnel in attendance to watch his Pro Day not long ago. Maye has also met with the team and has another workout scheduled. He also made headlines when he said he has connected with Eli Manning and constantly picks his brain. Maye also praised current franchise quarterback Daniel Jones. Giants owner John Mara has acknowledged how great this QB class is as well.
"Big fan. Eli would probably say I've seen him too much, I've been following him around."
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) March 1, 2024
Drake Maye on working with Eli Manning: pic.twitter.com/xhyiGq8mTV
The upside for him as a player remains high no matter if he falls down draft boards or not. The UNC star stands at 6-4 and weighs 229 pounds. He’s just 21 years old and hasn’t benefited with playing with an elite supporting cast. Maye had 24 touchdown to nine picks in 2023, with 3,609 yards passing. In 2022 he had 38 touchdowns with 4,321 yards.
Loaded NFL Draft Notebook today with the legends @Jordan_Reid and @FieldYates; including the latest I’m hearing on JJ McCarthy > Drake Maye https://t.co/Chx56m49RQ
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 29, 2024
The Draft is coming later this month and people can't wait for the first round to get here. With McCarthy suddenly becoming potentially that QB2 for this class, that could be bad news for Maye. However, the Giants could move up to No. 4 to land him instead of No. 3, which could make a difference in the package they send to a team. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out, but Maye to NY is going to be in play until draft night gets here.