The New York Giants probably won’t draft Kyler Murray, but the Oklahoma quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner should be on the team’s board.
The New York Giants probably aren’t drafting Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. Let’s get that out of the way right now. Situations change, of course, in the months, weeks and days leading up to any NFL Draft, but history and logic tell us Big Blue is the most unlikely of quarterback-hungry squads to take a flier on the reigning Heisman Trophy winner unless he wows ownership, members of the front office and head coach Pat Shurmur during a workout and interview.
Maybe, though, general manager Dave Gettleman, Shurmur and everybody else associated with the franchise shouldn’t be so honest about the situation. As Art Stapleton of USA Today wrote, Shurmur somewhat walked-back previous statements about Murray’s height when he told reporters “Quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes” while offering praise for the signal-caller this past Wednesday.
Later in the week, Murray passed his first NFL test when he checked into the NFL Scouting Combine at 5-10 and 1/8 and 207 pounds, a size that drew comparisons to Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson and also hopefully offered some reminders a 21-year old who hasn’t yet worked inside a pro training facility isn’t fully developed.
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Wilson is listed at 5-11 and 215 pounds. Drew Brees stands at 6-0 on a good day and weighs less than Wilson. Baker Mayfield, who split 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with New York running back Saquon Barkley, technically entered last year’s combine slightly shorter than 6-1.
You may recall when Mayfield took to Twitter to respond to comments made about Murray by a Cleveland Browns beat reporter last January.
Murray must be better than merely good to follow in the footsteps of those quarterbacks. Brees already has a spot guaranteed for him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Wilson, second only to Aaron Rodgers in passer rating among active quarterbacks, takes steps toward Canton with each season. Mayfield, the first pick of the 2018 draft, enjoyed a historic rookie campaign.
Per Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post and others, Murray’s size isn’t all that’s concerning general managers considering drafting him. Apparently, he isn’t the best interview subject, which likely has something to do with how he’s been coached but could also lead a front office to give him a failing grade on the type of personality test that, fair or not, is important to those in charge of organizations.
Add everything together, and you get individuals such as Luke Easterling of Draft Wire speculating the Giants won’t be in for Murray with any pick:
"Similar to Elway and the Broncos, I’d be shocked if an old-school general manager like Dave Gettleman considered a short, dual-threat quarterback like Murray with his top-10 pick in this draft. But with an experienced veteran like Eli Manning already in place, the Giants would be a solid spot for Murray to land and not have to play right away. A Heisman Trophy winner returning to New York to make headlines would be fun, and this team desperately needs a succession plan for Manning."
There may not be a better mentor for a first-year as it pertains to midweek and gameday preparation and also experiencing the highest of highs and lowest of lows than Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP who routinely remains calm under pressure late in fourth quarters but who also knows what it feels like to be booed off the field by a home crowd.
Physically, though, Manning and Murray couldn’t be much different. On paper, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, originally from New Jersey, seems a better fit for the Giants.
Former executive and respected football mind Scot McCloughan has Murray rated as his highest quarterback of the class, as Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated explained. Roughly a year ago, McCloughan consulted the Browns and assured Cleveland general manager John Dorsey that Mayfield was worth the first overall pick. Right around that same time, Pro Football Focus wrote Mayfield should “be the No.1 overall pick in April’s draft.” Will the Giants be sold on such assessments of Murray come April 25?