The New York Giants may not get their shot at the top four quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft but are making contingency plans in the event that plays out.
Those plans include top-30 visits with Oregon’s Bo Nix and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, who could each be available come pick No. 47 overall.
The #Giants’ pre-#NFLDraft work on QBs included #Oregon’s Bo Nix and #SouthCarolina’s Spencer Rattler making visits to East Rutherford this week, sources tell me and @RapSheet. So the team has done deep dives on passers who will be available at different levels of the draft. pic.twitter.com/EwonpMzH0q
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 17, 2024
Nix struggled at Auburn before transferring to Oregon and establishing himself as a viable pro. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein gives a pro comparison of Tony Romo — something Giants fans probably don’t want to hear.
Rare five-year starting quarterback whose play has matured in front of our eyes. Nix displays the accuracy, arm talent and athleticism consistent with today’s brand of pro quarterback. He can be punctual in getting the ball out at the top of his drop or he can work through progressions and beat defenses with second-reaction plays. He throws with good velocity and puts the ball on the money when throwing on the move. Nix has shown great improvement with his pocket poise. He’s capable of moving the sticks as a scrambler or as part of the running game. Some of his gaudy production has been driven by the Oregon offense’s design, but his talent clearly stands out. I’ve harbored bias from watching the overwhelmed version of Nix during his Auburn days, but as the saying goes, “tape don’t lie.” Nix appears more than ready to attack the league with an NFL-caliber skill set.
Rattler, meanwhile, had less success after transferring to South Carolina from Oklahoma but still put up respectable numbers. Although Zierlein didn’t give him a pro comparison, he did note that the quarterback flashes, albeit inconsistently.
Four-year starter who took more starting snaps at South Carolina than he did at Oklahoma. Rattler will still flash glimpses of what he showed in his 2020 season as a Sooner but fails to consistently sustain the type of play that NFL teams look for. He lacks desired height for a pocket passer and doesn’t have enough arm strength to beat greedy NFL cover men. He was better than some of his 2023 numbers might indicate, as poor pass-blocking and drop-prone receivers often put him in bad spots. He can scramble and extend plays, but he’s not a dynamic runner and needs optimal protection and separation in order to work in rhythm. He needs an offense that can shrink the field so he can operate quickly and find his rhythm. He has the know-how but might not have the tape or traits to inspire confidence in projecting anything more than a QB2/3.
The Giants have done work on nearly every quarterback available in the draft and appear destined to select one at some point later this month.
