In the final hours leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, the New York Giants held out hope that they could trade up for the No. 3 overall pick to select a quarterback.
That was the biggest revelation in the latest episode of “Hard Knocks: Offseason With the New York Giants,” as general manager Joe Schoen made it clear in a draft-day conversation with owner John Mara that his Plan A was to move up from the No. 6 pick and select a QB. Schoen wasn’t willing to give up the farm to get that guy, however, telling Mara he wanted to get a sense of how serious New England Patriots de facto general manager Eliot Wolf was about possibly trading down from No. 3.
“Believe me, if we are about to pull this deal off, I’m going to have palpitations. I’ve gotta stand by my conviction, that is if you guys have a conviction about a quarterback, that’s what we do, like 20 years ago,” Mara told Schoen, referring to when the team traded up for the top pick in 2004 and drafted Eli Manning.
Schoen reached Wolf on the phone roughly 4.5 hours before the draft to see if the two sides could actually strike a deal.
“So, what’s going on? Are you guys still listening or make a decision? What are you thinking?” Schoen asked Wolf.
“I think we’re pretty happy sitting here, picking,” Wolf replied. “But again, if you offer us [a first-round pick], [a second-round pick], [a third-round pick] this year, [a first-round pick], [a second-round pick] next year — I mean, I’m exaggerating.”
“It’s going to be something crazy like that?” Schoen responded.
“It would probably have to be pretty significant,” Wolf answered.
“A [the sixth overall pick] this year, a [first-round pick] next year and then something more this year is not going to do it? It’s gotta be multiple in ‘25?” Schoen asked.
“Um, we’re in this situation where we just probably sit and pick a quarterback,” Wolf said.
The Giants’ Hail Mary attempt had fallen short.
“Again, if we had a quarterback, I feel like we’d be calling in [a trade] right now, you know? I’d say it’s not even a unique situation, just the situation that we’re in,” Wolf told Schoen.
Schoen and the Giants never explicitly shared which quarterback they wanted most at No. 3, though it was understood that it would be the third QB available as the Bears and Commanders were certain to draft from the same position with the top two picks. As seen on the show, Schoen’s six-player board ahead of the draft featured QBs Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, who were ultimately selected with the first three picks, and wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze.
Head coach Brian Daboll noted in the episode that he would specifically trade up to draft Daniels, who went No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders.
Once a trade for the No. 3 pick was off the table, the Giants’ didn’t appear to give strong consideration to drafting eventual first-rounders J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix or Bo Nix and shifted their focus to receiver. The episode included their joint meeting with Harrison, Nabers and Odunze at the club’s facilities. After they broke down film with wide receivers coach Mike Groh, the offensive assistant revealed an opinion that would perhaps surprise many.
“I’d take Nabers,” Groh said when Mara asked which of the three wideouts he’d draft if all were available at No. 6.
Other members of the organization were also major fans of the LSU product. Daboll said during LSU’s pro day that the receiver is “a stud on tape. Nabers got a little dog in him.” When Schoen spoke with Giants director of player personnel Tim McDonnell just a few hours before the draft, he said, “If it’s Marv or Nabers [on the board], turn the card in.”
“I’m happy if we go home with Nabers,” Schoen told McDonnell. “I’m doing the griddy. I’d be OK with Odunze too. … C’mon Malik Nabers! Be there, please!”
In the final meeting before the draft, Schoen revealed that the team had a trade in place if Williams, Daniels, Maye, Harrison and Nabers were all taken with the first five picks.
“We like Rome, we’re all fans of Rome,” Schoen told Daboll, Mara and Giants chairman Steve Tisch as they tried to figure out how the draft would go. “Chicago has been in contact with me. They’re at No. 9 and looking to come up to No. 6. They have a third and a fourth-round pick. We would give them back a fifth. If Chicago tells me they’re coming up for a tackle, let’s say it’s Joe Alt, we move back to No. 9.”
The episode ended before the draft officially began, but the Giants didn’t have to worry about not getting one of their top guys. With the Los Angeles Chargers selecting Alt at No. 5, New York was able to take Nabers at No. 6. The Bears wound up selecting Odunze with the ninth overall pick.
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