Haskins: Giants would be a 'dream come true'

INDIANAPOLIS -- Ohio State quarterbackDwayne Haskinsgrew up a fan of the New York Giants and would consider it a "dream come true" if he landed there in the NFL draft.

As it turns out, it may just be possible. Giants general manager Dave Gettleman revealed on Thursday that his preference would be to find a quarterback in the first round of the draft. Haskins is expected to be a high pick and the Giants hold the No. 6 overall selection. The combination might just work.

"Growing up in New Jersey, I grew up a Giants fan so it would be a dream come true going back home where my family is and play for that great franchise," Haskins said at the NFL scouting combine, one day before he was set to take the field with an opportunity to impress the Giants and the other 31 NFL teams. "There are a lot of really great skill players [in New York], so either way it happens throughout this process I'm just going to be happy to be in the NFL. New York of course would be a great spot for me."

Haskins lived in Highland Park, N.J., before moving to Maryland in ninth grade. He remembers rooting for Giants teams with Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber and attending New Jersey Nets games when Jason Kidd was their point guard.

A return home would provide an opportunity to play with some serious weapons. The Giants' roster boasts running back Saquon Barkley, wide receivers Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard, and tight end Evan Engram.

The possibilities with Haskins throwing them the ball seem endless.

"I feel like it would be very prolific," Haskins said. "I knew Saquon since I was a sophomore in high school. We both went to the Rivals camp together. Got close with him. Talked to a few of the other skill players but I feel like they have a lot of great talent offensively. Would be a lot of fun."

First he has to impress the Giants' brass. Haskins meets with them on Friday night. It's one of eight teams on his schedule.

Haskins had already met with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints prior to speaking Friday afternoon. He thought those meetings went well.

"All of them said I was the most impressive quarterback that they talked to," Haskins said. "I feel I do a really good job being able to articulate myself as far as what I'm seeing, what I'm doing before the play, what I'm doing after the play, why I'm going to the line of scrimmage on certain protections and IDs and being able to say that at a high level, because that is all we talk about is football, so I have to be able to speak it."

Haskins and Oklahoma'sKyler Murrayare the top quarterbacks on draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay's big boards. They will undoubtedly be compared this week in Indianapolis.

While Murray said Friday that he won't throw or participate in drills on Saturday, saying he'll do so at Oklahoma's Pro Day, Haskins intends to throw and participate in drills.

"I've been throwing for 11 1/2 years. That's all I do," he said. "I was going to throw no matter what."

It appears Murray and Haskins are in a race to be the top quarterback drafted. Haskins downplayed the importance of being selected first.

"That's good. I'm not worried about Kyler. I have to worry about me," he said. "I'm going to do what I need to do in meetings and out on the field tomorrow to showcase my talents. I know I'm a franchise quarterback and can be a really great quarterback in the NFL.

He later added: "It's not that important for me. For me it's about being with the right franchise, being with the right team and win a Super Bowl."

The Giants might just be that place.