2019 NFL Mock Draft: Surprise trade into top three shakes up first round
31. <ul> <li><strong>Age: </strong>21</li> <li><strong>Height: </strong>6-foot-5</li> <li><strong>Weight: </strong>221 pounds</li> </ul>. QB. Duke. Daniel Jones. 17. player
The Giants made the most inexplicable move of the offseason when they traded Odell Beckham to the Cleveland Browns. Sure, Beckham was not always the easiest player to deal with, but they traded arguably the most talented player in the NFL less than one year after signing him to a five-year contract extension.
As part of the return for Beckham, the Giants received the 17th pick in this draft. With two first-round selections and Eli Manning still starting under center for New York, it seems likely that they leave the first round with a quarterback. With the 17th pick of this 2019 NFL mock draft, the Giants take Daniel Jones to bring in and groom as their franchise signal caller.
Jones had plenty of success as a three-year starter in college, finishing his career completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 8,201 yards, 52 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He was developed at Duke under quarterback mastermind David Cutcliffe, which you could look at as a positive or a negative for his chances of success at the next level.
Jones is an extremely mobile quarterback who should fit in well in the modern NFL. He also shows impressive accuracy in the short to intermediate range, has good touch on his passes and understands how to read opposing defenses both pre-snap and during the play.
Despite his strong positives as a prospect, it is fair question Jones’ upside at the next level. He was put in a perfect situation to succeed in college, as he benefited heavily from Cutcliffe’s RPO and play action heavy offensive attack. Jones simply did not show the ability to drive the ball down field in college, simply taking the short and easy pass a huge majority of the time. Also, he was in an extremely quarterback friendly offense and only put up solid production.
Jones is a smart and accurate quarterback prospect who should at least be solid at the next level. However, he simply does not appear to have the upside to be anything more than an average starter. With that being said, it appears extremely likely that Jones will be a first-round selection and the Giants taking him at 17 certainly makes some sense. I am not a huge Jones fan, but the buzz surrounding him is impossible to ignore.