New York Giants 2024 NFL draft picks: Selection analysis
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The 2024 NFL draft began Thursday night in Detroit, and the New York Giantsfinished the draft with six picks, beginning with the No. 6 selection.
Here's a look at each of New York's scheduled selections:
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 6: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
My take: It's hard to have complaints landing a receiver as explosive as Nabers, especially once it became evident that getting any of the top three quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye) wasn't possible. The Giants talked with New England on Thursday about pick No. 3 for Maye. But the decision was always in New England's hands. That was the problem with landing outside those top three picks. The Giants clearly weren't willing to settle for former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
"I'm comfortable where we are," general manager Joe Schoen said about his quarterback position and passing on McCarthy. New York had a list of six players it was willing to select at pick No. 6. McCarthy wasn't on it. Nabers was. It made it an easy decision when the Giants were on the clock, and now they finally have a No. 1 receiver for the first time since Odell Beckham Jr. When they do get a new franchise quarterback, a top receiver will already be in place.
Key Stat: Nabers had 1,009 receiving yards out of the slot, the fourth most in the FBS in 2023. This Giants regime sure loves its receivers to be able to work out of the slot. That allows the team to move the receivers around. Nabers is easily the most explosive of the bunch. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, had a vertical jump of 42 inches and a broad jump of 10-foot-9. No wonder he had 14 receiving touchdowns last season. Giants wide receivers had just nine combined.
What we're hearing about Nabers: "You see his highlights, see some of the stuff that he can do, whether it's with the ball in his hand, without the ball in his hand," Schoen said. "When guys are wired like that at his age, it's ingrained in him. That is who he is. Looking forward to bringing some of that toughness, explosiveness to the roster."
Round 2, No. 47 (via Seattle): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
My take: A safety makes sense after the Giants allowed Xavier McKinney to walk this offseason. McKinney signed a massive deal with the Green Bay Packers. That left the Giants with Jason Pinnock and Dane Belton as the top two safeties on the depth chart. Nubin gives new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen an instinctive and versatile safety to work with. Nubin's pro comp is former Denver Broncos Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons. The Giants would certainly take that.
What we're hearing about Nubin: "Tyler Nubin is probably the best safety in the draft," former Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
Will he start as a rookie? Nubin has a chance. He'll likely compete with Belton for the starting spot opposite Pinnock. After the Giants lost McKinney in free agency, their biggest addition was former New England Patriots defensive back Jalen Mills. Coach Brian Daboll wouldn't say at the NFL's annual meeting if Mills would play safety or be used as a versatile defensive back primarily in the slot. It appears to be the latter. The defensive backfield picture is becoming clearer.
Round 3, No. 70: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
My take:Another position of need receives a reinforcement. Phillips joins a group that only has last year's first-round pick, Deonte Banks, penciled in as a starter. This is a player whom some teams had a second-round grade on. Phillips is a smooth cover cornerback who plays with physicality, especially for his size. The Giants clearly came into this draft -- and Day 2 in particular -- looking to upgrade the secondary.
Key stat: 504 snaps in the slot, slightly more than the 460 snaps Phillips played out wide as a cornerback at Kentucky. Schoen said that Phillips is expected to start in the slot. It seems destined to be his primary position. It's possible because he has a similar versatility to 2022 third-round pick Cor'Dale Flott, who has played inside and out in his first two years. Schoen said having versatile players is something that has been brought up on multiple occasions during the scouting process to fill Shane Bowen's new defense.
What we're hearing on Phillips: "Both Tyler and Dru, they were pretty emotional when we called them. They care about the game. They have the right mindset and it's a credit to our college scouts, Joe [Schoen] and his staff, of really identifying some of those traits," Daboll said. "We're really happy to have both of them."
Round 4, No. 107: Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State
My take: Johnson could help fill the void if Darren Waller elects to retire. He is still contemplating his future. The Giants have been operating as if Waller is not on the roster. Johnson adds the physically gifted pass-catching element they would need in their offense. He has the size and speed to be a major threat at the NFL level. Daboll could be asking for an immediate contribution from their newest tight end. It's also worth noting that Johnson is the third of the Giants' top four draft picks to have a pre-draft visit. That is important to this regime.
Round 5, No. 166 (via Carolina through San Francisco): Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Purdue
My take: Tracy is a much-needed piece being added to the Giants' offensive backfield. New York had newly signed Devin Singletary backed up by Eric Gray and Gary Brightwell entering the draft. It's likely they would have taken Trey Benson two rounds earlier, had the Arizona Cardinals not taken him four spots ahead of the Giants. This gives Tracy a chance to make an immediate contribution, even if it's just as an option out of the backfield early in his career. He was a wide receiver up until last year, so there is room for growth despite already being 25 years old.
Round 6, No. 183:Darius Muasau, LB, UCLA
My take: Muasau brings speed and youth to the linebacking corps. He's also likely an immediate special teams contributor. There is a connection with Muasau to the Giants. Special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial coached Muasau as a freshman at Hawaii. This played a part in the Giants' comfort with their sixth and final pick of the draft.
