Ideally, the New York Giants would like to emerge from the 2024 NFL Draft with a No. 1 wideout and one of the best quarterback prospects in the class.
Accomplishing this became a little more challenging after they traded one of their second-round picks (39th overall) to the Carolina Panthers in the Brian Burns trade.
However, Giants general manager Joe Schoen has shown that he’ll do whatever it takes to get the player he wants. Last year, he traded up one spot to take Deonte Banks with the 24th overall pick, then in the third round, he traded away the 89th and 128th overall picks to the Los Angeles Rams to take Jalin Hyatt with the 73rd overall pick.
If you’re a Giants fan, you should feel confident that the team will acquire a quarterback and receiver early in the draft. In fact, Schoen might have his eyes on acquiring the Washington Huskies tandem of Rome Odunze and quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Both Penix and Odunze had outstanding collegiate careers and helped lead the Huskies to the National Championship game last season. They are among the best at their respective positions and have been linked to New York. The duo would provide a spark to an offense that is void of playmakers, especially with Saquon Barkley’s departure.
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Rome Odunze makes sense for New York Giants at No. 6
In a league that is filled with dynamic pass catchers, New York has been void of an elite receiver for several years. The last time they had a receiver with 1,000 receiving yards in a season was Odell Beckham Jr in 2018.
New York’s receiving corps does not have a true No. 1 wideout, and Odunze could immediately fill that void. In his final seasons at Washington, Odunze caught 167 passes for 2,785 yards and two touchdowns and was an AP First-Team All-American in 2023.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound receiver would also bring size and physicality that is sorely missing from the team. He doesn’t have top-tier speed as his 4.45 40 time indicates, but he’s a solid route runner with excellent body control. He’s also shown leadership qualities as he was one of the team captains in Washington which is something the Giants brass is always high on.
If New York drafts him, he is poised to become the playmaking wideout that they’ve been seeking for several years
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Michael Penix Jr. could be a late first-round steal
Although New York’s brass has said publicly they believe in Daniel Jones, with growing concerns regarding his injury history and erratic play, many feel 2024 will be his final year with the team.
So with the 2024 draft class being a deep quarterback class, this would be the opportune time for Schoen to get the team’s quarterback of the future, and Michael Penix Jr. should be on their radar.
Depending on who you ask, Penix is projected to be selected in either the middle of the first round or to be taken in round two. Based on this, if the Giants are high on Penix, they would need to trade back into the first round to select him, which means they may have to part ways with their 2025 first-round pick since their second-round pick doesn’t come until pick No. 47.
At this time there’s no telling how the 2025 quarterback class will shape out or which draft position New York will be in. Furthermore, there’s no guarantee Schoen will be around to make that selection if the team suffers another double-digit loss season. Based on what Penix has accomplished in college, it would be worth the risk for Schoen to trade back into round one to take the 2023 Second-Team All-American quarterback.
After spending his first four seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers, Penix transferred to Washington, and in 2022 he led them to an 11-2 record by throwing for 4,641 yards, 31 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. The following season he was even better throwing for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Some feel that he is the best football thrower in this draft class, which means he’ll be able to handle the adverse weather conditions in the Northeast late in the season. Although he rarely runs the ball, he’s more athletic than some think, and he did clock an impressive 4.46 40 time at Washington’s Pro Day.
The concerns about him are the fact that he suffered two ACL inquiries in college, and his throwing motion is unorthodox. But the positives outweigh the negatives and there would be a lot of excitement if the Giants were able to draft Odunze, and then later on draft his college quarterback.
There’s been recent success with college quarterback and receiver tandems who also have success as teammates in the pros, such as Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Penix and Odunze will have a long way to go to be compared with them; however, their familiarity with playing together in college will ease their transition to the NFL.
Don’t be surprised if Odunze and Penix are Schoen’s first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. If so, the Giants’ offense could take a major leap forward.
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