New York Giants 2019 NFL Draft Profile: Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
It’s time for the New York Giants to draft their future franchise quarterback. One player they should consider selecting is Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State.
Will Eli Manning be the starting quarterback for the New York Giants in 2019? Whether he is or not, the G-Men have to plan for their future behind center. Big Blue has the sixth-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. It’s time that the Giants grab the heir apparent to the two-time Super Bowl MVP.
One player they should consider selecting is quarterback Dwayne Haskins. The Ohio State product was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2018 and the 2019 Rose Bowl MVP. The 6-3, 220-pounder tossed 50 touchdown passes and threw for 4,831 yards for the Buckeyes last year, both school records. Only six players in NCAA history have fired 50 touchdown passes or more in a season.
Haskins redshirted during his first year in Columbus in 2016 and was the backup to J.T. Barrett in 2017. He declared for the NFL Draft earlier this month and is widely considered to be one of the premier quarterback prospects in this year’s extravaganza.
Let’s take a look at some of his highlights 2018-19 season highlights:
The Highland Park, NJ native is your prototypical pocket passer. As the video clearly shows, Haskins has a powerful arm with nice touch on the deep ball. He also can zip the ball in on intermediate routes, like the slant-in. He completed 70 percent of his passes last year with the Buckeyes and was one of the main reasons that Ohio State finished at 13-1 and ranked sixth in the nation.
Haskins has solid size for a NFL quarterback and is a top-notch athlete. He steps through his progressions well and can scramble out of trouble when needed. Haskins certainly won’t remind anyone of Michael Vick or Russell Wilson as far as a scrambler is concerned, but he did rush for four touchdowns in 2018. He’s more comfortable in the pocket though — no question about it.
After looking at a great deal of film, Haskins’ footwork can be a little inconsistent when he tosses the ball deep. He needs to work on that early on in camp. Another concern is that he was a starter in Columbus for just one season, so he may need more seasoning before becoming the top gun on the pro level. That’s probably fine with Big Blue, because I believe Eli Manning will return for one more season as a starter in 2019.
Haskins has tremendous upside, but still must prove he can make the key NFL throw: the accurate toss in a very tight window. That’s the difference between college and the pros, the windows get much more compressed in the NFL.
Next. 20 Bold predictions for the Divisional Round. dark
With that being said, Haskins would be well worth grabbing with the sixth overall selection. He may need to hold a clipboard for a year, but that’s okay. Who better to learn from than Manning, the future Hall of Famer?
It’s time for the Giants to make their move and select Manning’s eventual successor. If Haskins is available at pick No. 6 (or higher if New York trades up), the G-Men would be foolish not to snatch the 2018 Sammy Baugh Trophy winner.