Jason McCourty, the CBS and ESPN analyst who performed 13 NFL seasons and received a Tremendous Bowl with the Patriots, can see each Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter being the Giants’ choice on the No. 3 total choose on this month’s NFL Draft.
It merely hinges on whether or not they view Sanders as a category above the remainder of the out there quarterbacks popping out of Friday’s Colorado professional day. As a result of that’s a place the place the Giants desperately want a gamechanger for the long-term.
“If the Giants leave out of there and they feel as though Shedeur Sanders is a franchise quarterback and is somebody who can lead them for the future, to me I don’t care where it is, you draft him even with that third pick,” McCourty stated lately on Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard and Bennie Fowler. “If my evaluation is telling me he can be the starter for the next decade, yes.
“If you look at Shedeur and you don’t think he’s far away from [prospects like] Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough or Quinn Ewers — whoever you want to throw into that — you could draft Travis Hunter at the third pick, try to trade back up into the first round or use your second-round pick on the quarterback if you still believe they’re there.”
Sanders’ professional day efficiency on the indoor turf area in Boulder, Colo., on Friday was underwhelming, outdoors of some good deep throws downfield.
The quarterback place is a sophisticated analysis, although, due to its heightened degree of significance, the Giants’ determined want for one on their roster and the politics that may come into play whereas scouting and deciding on one.
McCourty stated “the great thing” about signing Russell Wilson on prime of Jameis Winston is that the Giants “now have the optionality to choose and look at the board objectively of who the best match is” somewhat than forcing a QB.
However that doesn’t rule out Sanders as a result of the analysis and the inner draft conferences usually are not full. So much can occur between now and the NFL Draft’s first spherical on April 24.
“This is a fascinating question, because when you hear John Mara say my patience is running thin — that this is a team that I need to see wins from moving in the right direction from Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen — it’s kind of twofold,” McCourty stated. “Because if I’m Joe Schoen and I’m looking at the board and I feel like a guy like Travis Hunter is there at No. 3 — and he’s a guy that can completely change our organization, possibly be a gold jacket type of player — you want to get him.
“But if you’re John Mara as ownership,” McCourty added, “you may be looking and talking to people around the league. And if the talk is Shedeur Sanders could be a quarterback for the next 10-15 years, I’m telling management, ‘Get me a quarterback here for the future.’ Because I don’t care if we have Russ, Jameis [or] if we bring back Eli Manning. If they’re going to be quarterbacks that are old and only playing here for a year, I still want answers for the next five to six years to know we’re set up in the right position.”
Fowler, a retired six-year NFL receiver, performed with Winston in New Orleans and received a Tremendous Bowl with the Denver Broncos, who employed Wilson as their beginning quarterback in 2022-23.
He stated one plus of the Giants choosing Sanders could be his means to study from two established professionals the way to develop the suitable habits and method at this degree.
“Regardless of Russ or Jameis, what Shedeur will learn is how to be a pro really quickly, because both of those guys are very process-oriented in how they approach the game,” Fowler stated. “They do not disrespect the game. They’re both the first person in the building. They both have their own routines in terms of how they take care of their body, the way they eat.
“Jameis has led the league in touchdowns, yards and interceptions, but he’s somebody who will take the risk [with aggressive throws] — [he can] teach Shedeur that,” he added. “Then you have Russell Wilson, not turnover prone, won a Super Bowl early in his career. It would be great for somebody like Shedeur to come into a situation like that, where he could learn the process and learn how to be a pro really quickly.”
Malik Nabers’ 109 catches because the Giants’ rookie No. 6 total choose final season is another excuse, in McCourty’s and Fowler’s minds, that going quarterback this 12 months is sensible.
“You have somebody who caught [109] balls last year, is an elite route runner, all hands, hands catcher, can do everything with the ball at the receiver position,” Fowler stated. “It makes sense to draft Shedeur.”
Then once more, why not draft Hunter so as to add one other offensive weapon whereas additionally getting high-level nook play out of the two-way, Heisman Trophy winner?
Many groups view Hunter as a nook first, and McCourty, a longtime NFL nook himself, raved about Hunter’s means on protection.
“Specifically at corner, his ball skills are a separator,” McCourty stated on Talkin’ Ball. “The age-old adage we always say is ‘DBs are wide receivers who can’t catch.’ Travis Hunter, he can catch. And when you can turn the ball over, that completely impacts the game when you start to talk about the turnover margin.
“Athleticism you see that,” he continued, “his ability to change direction, his ability in zone to read the quarterbacks and how fast he gets in and out of his breaks.”
Relying on the crew that’s drafting Hunter, nevertheless, McCourty believes Hunter really might find yourself taking part in extra extensive receiver than nook as a rookie.
The Giants are one chance for that situation, in his thoughts. The Patriots at No. 4 are one other.
“You talk to GMs and different people and they say, ‘Hey, I see him as a corner majority-wise and maybe 10-15 plays on offense. But if I’m the Giants — and [corner] Deonte Banks starts to play better, Paulson Adebo is playing well and you’ve found your slot in Dru Phillips — alright we have Malik Nabers on one side [on offense], I may just say, ‘Hey, you’re gonna be a full-time receiver.’
“If he goes to the New England Patriots, 100 percent I’m playing him at receiver, because you’re paying Carlton Davis from the Lions and you have Christian Gonzalez at the other corner,” he stated. “You have a guy that can play two positions and plug on any side — whichever one is more of a need — and go from there.”
