NY Giants Mock Draft: Joe Schoen trades down and still lands next franchise QB

To trade up or not to trade up. That has been the question for the NY Giants leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft with the first round around the corner.

We’ve envisioned every possible scenario for the Giants with them moving up. We’ve had them trading with the New England Patriots for the No. 3 overall pick and the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 4 spot. We’ve also had them staying put at No. 6 and taking one of the best players available.

However, what if the Giants decide to not trade up, but to trade down instead? This would be something that could surprise a lot of people.

So, in this mock draft, we have the Giants moving out of their current spot, but still adding assets and bringing in a new franchise signal-caller for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll.

TRADE ALERT: NY Giants trade No. 6 and No. 70 to the Denver Broncos for No. 12 overall and 2025 first and second-round picks, select Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

This was a tough decision to make because Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy was still on the board when the Giants were offered this from Denver. However, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers were not.

Instead of taking McCarthy, the Giants move down and swap first-round picks with Denver, while adding one for 2025 as well. In this case, they still get the chance to land a quarterback of the future in Michael Penix Jr.

With the offensive line looking much different from a year ago and with Jermaine Eluemunor potentially playing right tackle, he’d have the opportunity to be the blindside tackle for Penix if he were to be the starter at some point. Even if Drew Lock is given the opportunity to be the starter over Daniel Jones, Eluemunor being the right tackle would still be an upgrade.

Penix doesn’t have to start immediately and can sit and learn behind Lock (or Jones) and take over either in 2025 or if he struggles, at some point in the 2024 season.