Prospects for Giants to Avoid in 2024 NFL Draft

This offseason is likely to go down as a pivotal one for the New York Giants. Head coach Brian Daboll helped make New York a playoff team in 2022, but the Giants regressed significantly in 2023.

This coming season is likely to reveal which of the past two campaigns was really a fluke. The good news is that, on paper, the Giants are better than they were a few months ago.

New York did lose Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney in free agency. However, it also added pass-rusher Brian Burns, offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, guard Jon Runyan, guard Aaron Stinnie and defensive back Jalen Mills.

With an improved offensive line and more consistent defense, New York is trending in a positive direction. Now, the Giants can use their six draft picks, including the sixth overall selection, to continue improving.

But New York needs to find players who can make the team better now because another lackluster campaign could leave Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen on the hot seat. With this in mind, let's examine three prospects the Giants should look to avoid over draft weekend and why.

The Giants will have a tough decision to make early in the draft. Will they target a quarterback of the future or stick with the inconsistent Daniel Jones, who is coming off a torn ACL?

If New York goes the latter route, it may target a receiver to pair with Jones and finally give him a true No. 1 target. At No. 6, top receivers like Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington's Rome Odunze and LSU's Malik Nabers could be in play.

New York will also have options if it trades down from the No. 6 spot, but it should avoid potential first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas has plenty of intriguing physical traits, but he's far from a polished instant No. 1 receiver.

"Where Thomas can struggle is on routes that ask him to settle and break back to the quarterback," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "On routes like curls and comebacks, he can take a second to throttle down and work back to the quarterback, and he's even prone to losing his footing at times."

The Giants already have developmental receivers with upside in Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt. In a deep receiver class, there's no need to reach for another one early.

If the Giants don't take a quarterback early, they may consider grabbing a developmental prospect who can push Jones sooner than later. New York can potentially get out from under Jones' contract after the 2024 season.

Tulane's Michael Pratt—the 150th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's draft board—isn't that prospect, though.

Pratt (6'3", 209 lbs) has archetypal height for the position and the mechanics needed to be a longtime NFL backup. However, he lacks the arm strength and field vision needed to be much more than that.

"Pratt too often fails to see defenders in the middle of the field or adjust to any post-snap rotations, be that by the safeties or blitz packages with defenders dropping off the line of scrimmage," Klassen wrote.

The Giants have their depth quarterbacks in Tommy Devito and Drew Lock. What they need is someone who can challenge Jones and potentially overtake him as the quarterback of the future.

A prospect like Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Oregon's Bo Nix or Washington's Michael Penix Jr. could be the quarterback that New York needs. Pratt, however, isn't him.

Even after adding Mills, New York should be interested in adding secondary depth. It finished the 2024 season ranked 24th in net yards per pass attempt allowed.

The Giants should target a cornerback early, possibly in the first round if they do trade down from No. 6. Even if they do, however, they lack depth and should consider adding it throughout the draft.

TCU's Josh Newton is a potential Day 3 target who would fit with a lot of teams but probably not with New York. The 6'0", 190-pound defender has good size and physicality but lacks the speed needed to run with top receivers.

"While working down the field, Newton lacks the desired top-end speed to run with receivers and even lacks the recovery speed when caught out of position," Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

For the Giants, this would likely limit Newton to being a situational role player or special teamer. The NFC East has too many wideouts who can get down the field in a hurry—including CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. It's hard to envision new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen trusting Newton with a prominent role.

With only sixth picks in the draft, the Giants shouldn't be chasing back-end depth pieces, even on Day 3.