Who should NY Giants take in Round 1 of NFL Draft 2024? Here are players to watch
EAST RUTHERFORD - Joe Schoen expects to feel a bunch of emotions throughout this year's NFL Draft, which kicks off with the first round Thursday night in Detroit.
Confidence. Uneasiness. Stress. Frustration. Disappointment.
That's unavoidable as the New York Giants' general manager goes through a pivotal third draft in the quest to rebuild this franchise into a consistent winner and eventual championship contender. He's keeping everyone guessing by exploring all options, and the Giants have enough holes to fill where it's certainly possible to go in numerous different directions.
Yet before that, Schoen expects to be consumed by a sense of calm because of the way his team has prepared in its evaluation and planning for what is to come.
"You let your board talk to you," Schoen said. "You go through all these conversations. Again, we're going to do what's best for the franchise in all of our meetings and all of our preparation and set the board on what's best for the New York Giants. I'm confident we're going to get a good player [Thursday night], whatever position that is, and we'll sleep good at night knowing we did all the preparation and we let the board talk to us."
Here's a look at the most likely targets for the Giants in the first round:
NFL Draft best available players Round 1
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Twenty years after the Giants drafted Philip Rivers and traded him in a package for Eli Manning, I believe their top quarterback target will be Maye ... who considers Manning and Rivers among his mentors. They likely have to move up via trade, but the 21-year-old Maye fits the profile of a Brian Daboll quarterback: aggressive, big arm and unafraid to make plays off platform.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Perhaps the most polarizing of the prospects, given his lack of production in contrast to others in this class, McCarthy has met a ton with the Giants, including a private workout in Ann Arbor on Easter. He actually told the Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday that, of all the teams to whom he has spoken, it's been Big Blue the most. The question is whether the Vikings or another team will be more aggressive for McCarthy, the youngest of the top signal callers and plenty of untapped potential.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Long believed to be the best-non QB prospect in this class, rivaling presumptive No. 1 pick Caleb Williams for top honors overall, Harrison is polished and smooth. He has the pedigree, too, given his father and namesake's Pro Football Hall of Fame career. Could Harrison be in play for the Giants? What once seemed farfetched might not be so unrealistic if we go QB-QB-QB-QB and the Chargers make a play for offensive line at No. 5.
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Nabers should enter the league as a legitimate No. 1 threat the way former LSU Tigers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson did before him. He's explosive and a separation demon who runs the entire route tree. Nabers has been pegged as the consensus most popular pick for the Giants at No. 6 throughout the process.
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Character. Work ethic. Size. Talent. Odunze has it all, and he's certainly not a distant third when stacking the top receivers together with Harrison and Nabers. The Giants have not had a presence on the outside like the 6-foot-3, 216-pound Odunze since Plaxico Burress, and we know how that worked out back in 2007.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Penix has made NFL throws throughout his career with the Huskies, leading them to within a victory of the national championship this past season. He made the most of a talented receiving group and one of the best offensive lines in football, showing his skill set as a pocket passer is superb. How would Penix fit in an offense that wants its quarterback to make plays on the move like this one? Remains to be seen. But there's a lot to like here despite a checkered injury history (two shoulder surgeries, two ACLs).
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Nix is a bit of a sleeper that impressed the Giants at the Senior Bowl and visited the team for a 30 visit. He earned the comparison to Tony Romo from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. He's tough, athletic and has shown the ability to process both pre-snap and during the play. If the Giants don't get a quarterback early, keep an eye on Nix late on Day 1/early Day 2.
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Could the Giants spend yet another Top 10 pick on an offensive lineman? Well, no team has used more assets and failed to solve a significant problem. Alt is a clean prospect and word is the Giants like him a lot. The big question: do you want to use more capital on this position and end up moving Alt, a left tackle, to right tackle because of the presence of Andrew Thomas?
NY Giants NFL Draft needs
The Giants have a chance to reset their future at quarterback, but they're not going to force anything. There are enough needs on this roster where Schoen can stick at No. 6 and get a player that strengthens the position. It's a strong possibility Big Blue goes playmaker at receiver if the right QB isn't available. Other needs include cornerback, defensive line, running back, tight end and safety.
NY Giants NFL Draft picks 2024
Round 1, Pick 6
Round 2, Pick 47 (acquired via trade from Seahawks for Leonard Williams)
Round 3, Pick 70
Round 4, Pick 107
Round 5, Pick 166 (acquired from 49ers via Panthers)
Round 6, Pick 183
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Giants Day 1 targets: Best fits for Round 1 of NFL Draft 2024
