The 2024 NFL Draft is still a ways away, but the NY Giants need to be on top of their scouting if they want to select the right player by the time the first round gets here. It's always difficult to tell whether a player will be good or not by the time they make their NFL debut. However, it always feels like there are a few players every year who feel like it's almost guaranteed that they won't pan out.
These five players may not necessarily be bad on the field, but with the Giants picking at No. 6 overall, they can't afford to waste the selection on a player as questionable as these guys. There are few guaranteed stars or busts in this draft, but these prospects have more negative traits than others, making it hard to root for them to be drafted by Big Blue so early:
5. EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
This is a pretty solid draft class in terms of pass-rushers and Laiatu Latu is one of the best at his position in the entire nation. Despite this, if the Giants are presented with the opportunity to draft him, we think it may be best to pass for a few reasons.
For starters, you could make the real argument that Dallas Turner out of Alabama is the better prospect. But, to be more realistic, Latu has some serious medical concerns and with the Giants' injury luck, they may not want to gamble on him.
Latu may have played 12 games in 2023, but just two seasons ago, he suffered a neck injury that caused him to medically retire for a short period prior to returning. While he has been incredibly productive in his two seasons since coming back, if that neck injury is reaggravated, who knows how much time he'll have to miss.
The upside is absolutely there for Latu, as he is an incredible player who's coming off a season in which he racked up 15 sacks and 63 pressures, but the Giants may be hesitant to take such a risk when they're in the position to take a potentially franchise-altering player.
4. QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
He's nowhere near the worst first-round QB prospect in this year's draft. However, there are a good bit of red flags concerning Michael Penix Jr. that will likely cause the Giants to pass on him. For starters, he is 24 years old, and considering that he has some areas of his game that aren't NFL-ready, New York may not want to take the risk of trying to develop an older player.
Alongside this, Penix has some SERIOUS medical concerns and has just two full seasons under his belt despite being in college since 2018. Penix has suffered two torn ACLs and has separated both of the AC joints in each shoulder. This sort of medical history is not the kind you want when considering drafting a player so high in the first round.
As a player, Penix certainly has potential - while his pocket presence may not be great, which is cause for concern considering the Giants' offensive line, he does have one of the best arms in the nation. This is what makes Penix such a highly touted prospect. Despite this, he really struggles to make plays outside the pocket and has struggled at times to move off of his initial read even when in the pocket.
Perhaps if the Giants were drafting later, it could be worth rolling the dice on Penix. However, with so many concerns both with his play and health, it isn't looking like Penix will be a Giant. Maybe he would work well under a team with a better offensive line, but New York just isn't a good fit for the Heisman finalist.
3. TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
Unlike the previous two players mentioned, this has almost nothing to do with Brock Bowers' abilities on the football field. In this draft, there may not be a more guaranteed star than him. Despite this, the Giants have far too many holes on both sides of the ball to take a tight end with the No. 6 overall pick. This isn't even because they already have Darren Waller, as releasing Waller to create cap and drafting Bowers could improve the Giants' offense a good bit, but taking him so high just isn't the move.
Through 10 games this season, Bowers caught 56 passes for 717 yards and six touchdowns for a dominant Georgia team. Averaging 71 yards per game as a tight end in college is pretty damn impressive and to make things even better, Bowers is a solid blocking threat as well.
Bowers is an incredible talent, but he isn't in a position of need for the Giants. Selecting a tackle, receiver, quarterback, or even edge-rusher would be the smarter move considering the issues facing the roster.
2. QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Statistically speaking, there are few college quarterbacks in history that can match what Bo Nix has done in his career. However, once you look past the stats, you see a QB who very likely isn't going to be ready at the NFL level, and considering that he is 24 years old, it may not be worth gambling on an older prospect.
In 14 games at Oregon this season, Nix completed 77.3 percent of his passes for 4,450 yards, 45 touchdowns, and three interceptions. In addition to this, Nix ran the ball 34 times for 256 yards and six touchdowns. His arm and athleticism are very much not a problem with his game, in fact, these traits are what make him a potential first-round pick to begin with.
Despite this, Nix has a ton of red flags in terms of his processing, as when put in situations where his first read is taken away, Nix struggled heavily. Oregon runs a very simple offense that features plenty of screens and vertical concepts. This makes it easy for most NFL-caliber QBs to run. While this is helpful for Nix's stats and college success, it may hinder his chances of succeeding at a pro level.
With how good of a QB coach Brian Daboll is, it could be worth rolling the dice on Nix. However, it absolutely should not be with a first-round pick. Older prospects with processing issues don't have the best track record and there's a good chance that Nix simply doesn't produce in a complicated NFL system.
1. QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
The hype surrounding J.J. McCarthy being a first-round pick has been mind-boggling to see, let alone those who project him being picked to the Giants. We respect what McCarthy has done in college, but it's tough to look at the teams around him, alongside his production, and leave with the takeaway that he was the reason for Michigan's success.
Through 15 games this season, McCarthy completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Not only are his stats not the most impressive, but watching him play will showcase some glaring flaws in his game that will likely prevent him from succeeding at the professional level.
For starters, McCarthy played in a ridiculously simple offense at Michigan that relied on him succeeding off of his initial read. Once this read was gone, McCarthy would often look flustered in the pocket and fail to make plays. This does not mean that McCarthy doesn't have positive traits though.
McCarthy is an incredibly young prospect, being just 20 years old, meaning that any team who drafts him will have plenty of time to develop the NCAA champion. Alongside this, he has good pocket presence, can make some creative plays, and is very good in play-action scenarios. These positive aspects of his game should not take away from his inability to process defenses and his lack of touch in the air.
Perhaps the Giants could select him in the second round if he falls, as at that point, taking a gamble on a QB Daboll can develop may be worth it. However, if the Giants take him at No. 6 overall, it could be Daniel Jones all over again.