Experts dole out grades for New York Giants

What Chad Reuter had to say:

The Giants ignored the historic quarterback run early on to grab Nabers, an explosive receiver with a game similar to the team’s 2014 first-rounder, Odell Beckham Jr. We’ll see if sticking with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock instead of taking another QB was the correct move. Nubin and Phillips were fair value in the secondary, where the team needed more talent.

Johnson will be an excellent fourth-round pick if he can fully translate his athleticism to the field. Tracy is an offensive weapon in the making, whether at running back or receiver. Muasau will be a starter in the league despite being picked in the sixth.

What PFF had to say:

Tracy is a good athlete — he recorded a 4.48-second 40-yard dash and 40-inch vertical jump — and should add some explosiveness to a backfield led by Devin Singletary. Despite being a six-year player in college, Tracy has only one season at running back, and he forced 46 missed tackles on just 114 carries in that 2023 season.

What USA TODAY had to say:

The Daniel Jones haters may not be mollified, but given the team was wed to him contractually this season regardless, GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll went about the draft the right way. First-round WR Malik Nabers (LSU) should be a field-flipping asset to Jones and/or whomever eventually replaces him. Third-round Kentucky CB Dru Phillips will compete against anybody. Some second-round maneuvering over the past few months netted highly regarded Minnesota S Tyler Nubin and former Panthers pass rusher Brian Burns, who’s already signed an extension and now bookends Kayvon Thibodeaux. Solid-plus.

What the Washington Post had to say:

The Giants opted to help Daniel Jones, as the QB returns from his torn ACL in his right knee, rather than searching for his eventual successor. They stayed put at No. 6 overall, passed up the available quarterbacks and chose WR Malik Nabers. He could be a star — if the Giants have a QB capable of getting him the ball. They added the draft’s top-rated safety, Tyler Nubin, in the middle of the second round.

What The Ringer had to say:

THE GIANTS DECIDED TO HITCH THEIR WAGON TO DANIEL JONES (AND/OR DREW LOCK) FOR ANOTHER YEAR, eschewing the opportunity to draft a quarterback at no. 6 to instead take electric receiver Malik Nabers. The former LSU pass catcher is speed personified, giving the team a much-needed no. 1 receiver to build the offense around. The team then turned around on Day 2 and bolstered its secondary, grabbing my top-ranked safety Tyler Nubin in the second round before adding feisty cornerback Andru Phillips in the third. Both could start from the get-go. In the fourth round, New York selected a highly athletic tight end in Theo Johnson, who is raw but well built and versatile and provides depth if and when Darren Waller retires. I liked the Tyrone Tracy addition in the fifth round, too—the former receiver-turned-running back who adds an explosive element to the team’s running backs group and gives the team a potential change-of-pace and pass-catching option on third downs.

What CBS Sports had to say:

The Giants’ theme was pinpointing big-time athletes in this class. Nabers was my WR1, so fine start there. Phillips was one of the most impressive plant-and-drive corner in the class, and Johnson was the most athletic tight end with his best football in front of him. 

Tracy can threaten Devin Singletary for the RB1 and, if he can shore up his tackling, Muasau’s play-recognition skills are spectacular. He beats blockers with relative ease, too. 

What Sports Illustrated had to say:

The hope is that Nabers is everything he’s been billed to be. The comparisons for him pre-draft were incredibly glowing, but the Giants have been here before. A star receiver out of LSU wants the ball and an underperforming quarterback is struggling to get it to him. If Nabers lifts Daniel Jones into perpetual above-averageness, then this was worth the major swing. It’s also smart to continue rebuilding this secondary post-Wink Martindale as the Giants prepare for something a little less guerilla style. 

What the Associated Press had to say:

WR Malik Nabers (6) fills a major void. Boosted the secondary on Day 2 with S Tyler Nubin (47) and CB Andru Phillips (70). RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. is raw but has potential.

What Mel Kiper Jr. had to say:

The Giants were on the clock at No. 6 overall Thursday night, faced with a fascinating decision: Would they take quarterback J.J. McCarthy — which would have been an admission that they regret the Daniel Jones extension from the 2023 offseason — or would they get a true No. 1 wideout for Jones in either Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers? They could start fresh under center or they could give Jones another year with the playmaker he has never had.

Ultimately, I think they made the right call, prioritizing a pass-catcher in Nabers (6), who is electric with the ball in his hands. Jones had a disappointing start to last season and then tore his ACL, but he showed his talent in 2022, when New York made a surprising run to the playoffs. Now he’s going to have one more year to prove he’s the guy, or the franchise will move on in 2025.

I would have taken a few other safeties ahead of Tyler Nubin (47) in Round 2, but you can’t deny his playmaking ability; he had 13 career interceptions for the Golden Gophers. Dru Phillips (70) is a late riser who played a lot of slot coverage snaps in his career. With Darren Waller’s future up in the air, I liked the pick of Theo Johnson (107) early on Day 3. He’s my fourth-ranked tight end in the class.

This is a small class, but all four of the Giants’ top selections should have significant roles this season. Nabers might end up being the most-targeted player on the team.

What Doug Farrar had to say:

When your quarterbacks are Daniel Jones and Drew Lock, does it matter what else you do in the draft? We’re about to find out. At least the Giants gave their middling quarterbacks the best receiver in this class in Malik Nabers, who’s kind of a faster Steve Smith in his playing personality. Penn State tight end Theo Johnson will also help. And while I’m not as high on Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips are, he’s a competent slot defender. Getting Tyler Nubin in the second round should ease the pain of losing Xavier McKinney in free agency.

The sleeper here — and one of my favorite running backs in this class — is Tyrone Tracy Jr., the former Iowa receiver who may have had the most insane run in the NCAA last season. The Giants got a lot of talent in this draft, but again… how much will it matter?