The debate on whether or not the NY Giants will draft a Daniel Jones replacement is going to stay consistent all the way until draft night. Plenty of fans are dreaming of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels donning a Big Blue jersey, while others aren't ready to throw in the towel on Jones.
In terms of having faith in Danny Dimes and building around him, go ahead and put ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. in that corner. While doing another mini-mock draft with Field Yates, Kiper has the Giants going with Rome Odunze No. 6 overall. Why? Well, Odunze is a big-time talent, but Kiper also made it quite clear he's a huge fan of Jones and his abilities.
Mel Kiper Jr. is backing Daniel Jones ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft
Even Yates was a bit surprised Kiper spoke so highly of Jones, but keep in mind that general manager Joe Schoen and Co. just gave the sixth-year signal-caller a $160 million extension last March. Rather than give up on him, maybe it's time to surround him with the proper talent.
That's where Odunze would come in. Kiper said you'd really be splitting hairs between him and Malik Nabers, as they'd both be a WR1 this franchise so desperately needs. Ultimately, though, Kiper believes Odunze will be the guy to really spice up the Big Blue offense.
No one can question his talent, as he was beyond brilliant for the Washington Huskies in 2023, helping UW win the Pac-12 title and reach the National Championship Game vs. Michigan. On the season, the 6-3, 215-pounder hauled in 92 balls for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns.
With his fantastic size and speed, he'd be a legitimate threat on the outside for the Giants. When was the last time this team was able to rely on a superstar wideout to break a game open for them? Not since the days of Odell Beckham Jr.
There's going to be continued buzz that Schoen could trade up to land a Top 3 pick and go with a new QB1. Those talks aren't going to end in the near future. However, Schoen may not be willing to give up future first-rounders to make that happen. At the end of the day, adding a WR at No. 6 and building the offense live throughout the draft/free agency might end up being the smartest move for Schoen. Kiper sure seems to think so.