4 potential future Giants Joe Schoen has recently scouted

With things not going as the NY Giants anticipated this season, their front office is already considering the organization's future. General manager Joe Schoen has been busy making the rounds for big-time college games of late.

The list includes going to UW vs. USC, plus traveling for the Alabama vs. Kentucky meeting this past weekend before making his way to Texas for the embarrassing loss to the Cowboys. With the way the Giants campaign has gone, highlighted by Daniel Jones tearing his ACL, a future QB could be needed. However, Schoen has likely had his eyes on other positions too. Here's a look at four studs he's recently seen in person:

4. Washington WR Rome Odunze

One of the top wide receivers in this upcoming draft class is Rome Odunze from Washington. The 6-3 junior has looked like one of college football's most physical receiving prospects and can run after the catch.

Odunze has 59 receptions, 1,100 yards, and nine touchdowns this year, making him the second Washington wideout to reach 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. His best game came in Week 4 in a victory over the California Golden Bears; the wideout had five receptions, 125 yards, and two touchdowns. Odunze is a big reason for the team's success this year, as they currently sit 10-0 overall, leading the Pac-12 ahead of Oregon.

While it is unclear if the G-Men will target a receiver, especially this early in the draft, Odunze should still make for an exciting prospect wherever he lands. It will be interesting to see if Schoen and the Giants pull the trigger on a QB in the first round or set other priorities. If the Giants fall out of the Top 10 and their top QB/OL targets off the board, Odunze could be an interesting selection.

3. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Assuming the Giants prioritize selecting a quarterback in this upcoming draft, a great option could be Washington's Michael Penix Jr. While there's a chance Penix does not get picked in the first round, he could make sense for the Giants if they choose to wait until the second round to draft a quarterback.

The senior out of Tampa, Fla., is in his sixth collegiate season this year after playing his first four years at Indiana. Penix has made a name for himself the last two years at Washington, where he's broken out, and his draft stock has quickly risen. Last year, he posted 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns, which led the Huskies to a second-place finish in the Pac-12.

Penix has posted 3,533 yards and 28 touchdowns this season and has an 85.1 quarterback rating. His dominant performance has led to 10 straight wins and an undefeated record throughout the season. This past week against Utah, Penix played exceptionally well, throwing for 332 yards, two touchdowns, and a 57.1 completion percentage.

2. USC QB Caleb Williams

One of the significant storylines of college football over the last two seasons has been the emergence of USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Although USC has not had the season fans have hoped for, Williams is still putting up numbers individually and grabbing the attention of several NFL teams, including Big Blue.

Last season, in his first year at USC, Williams broke out throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns, leading the Trojans to the Pac-12 Championship. Many fans believed the quarterback would take his talents to the NFL this year after his impressive sophomore campaign.

This year, Williams is trying to prove the doubters wrong by showing the nation that USC is still a contender but has struggled to do so with frustrating losses to Notre Dame, Utah, Washington and most recently Oregon. Still, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has had success. Against the Huskies, Williams threw for 312 passing yards and three touchdowns, while adding a rushing score.

While these numbers are impressive to many NFL executives and scouts, the USC quarterback was still disappointed with himself following the loss and felt he could've done more to help his team take down the Pac-12's best team this year. After the game, Williams was clearly emotional as he was seen crying in his mother's arms on the sideline.

This made many fans question his character if that's how he handles losing, but it can also be viewed as a way of showing how much he cares about winning for his team, which is a valuable trait for teams looking to draft the QB in the first round. Some mocks have the Giants trading up to land Williams No. 1 overall - that'd really be something.

1. Alabama pass-rusher Dallas Turner

While most of the attention for the Giants has been focused on quarterbacks, especially Williams, could the Giants look to draft a defensive stud if they pick later than the Top 5? One name to keep an eye on would definitely be Alabama pass-rusher Dallas Turner, who Schoen saw in person on Saturday.

Turner is widely considered one of the best defensive prospects for the 2024 draft class. The 6-4, 245-pounder has been a monster for the Crimson Tide this campaign. In 10 games this season for Nick Saban and Co., the playmaker has posted 39 total tackles and seven sacks. Pass-rush depth has been a major issue for the Giants in 2023.

Azeez Ojulari has missed most of the fall due to injury, while Kayvon Thibodeaux had to leave Sunday's loss vs. the Cowboys with a concussion. The Thibodeaux-Ojulari combo hasn't lived up to the hype. We're not saying Schoen should use a Top 5 pick on Turner, but say the G-Men string together some wins the rest of the way and pick at No. 12 o No. 13 - you think Schoen would pass on someone like Turner? Who knows. Fans want Williams in town, but others will need to be monitored moving forwrd, including the Bama stud.