If there was any more indication that you have to take most things the big-time media outlets like ESPN report, look no further than the New York Giants’ seemingly hot-and-cold relationship with NFL Draft quarterback prospect Dwayne Haskins.
The Ohio State product is considered by many to be the top talent at his position in this year’s draft class.
It’s easy to see why. He holds 27 school records and seven Big Ten records after he put up a monster 2018 campaign in which he threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns.
He was almost immediately linked to the Giants upon the end of the season as Big Blue is about to have a big void under center.
Veteran passer Eli Manning is reportedly still the man in 2019, an infuriating turn of events for most fans after general manager Dave Gettleman opted to retain the 38-year-old’s $23 million cap hit and add on another $5 million bonus. It looks to have played a direct part in Gettleman allowing All-Pro safety Landon Collins to walk into free agency before trading superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns.
With this being the final year of Manning’s contract, the end for the franchise legend is near and the Giants don’t have a legitimate successor in place for when he does leave.
Gettleman has made it known that he wants to find Manning’s replacement this year, whether it is in the draft or on the market. The Giants have also been linked to Arizona Cardinals second-year quarterback Josh Rosen, who could be on the trade market should new head coach Kliff Kingsbury draft Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick.
Should the Giants pass on Rosen, Haskins could be that guy, especially because the Highland Park, NJ native grew up a Giants fan and has made it known how special it would be to play for his childhood team.
“New York would be a great spot for me — a dream come true,” Haskins said at the NFL Combine in late February (h/t Newsday’s Tom Rock). “It’d be a dream come true to go back home with my family and play for that great franchise.”
Yet ESPN’s Diana Russini told ESPN New York on Mar. 12 that the Giants were not going to draft Haskins or any quarterback with their No. 6 pick in the draft this year.
She doubled down on those reports four days later when she told Jordan Raanan on the Breaking Blue Podcast that the Giants believe Haskins “doesn’t fit,” the team.
Now Russini could have been given this information by sources inside the team in an attempt to quiet the buzz that was surrounding the Giants and Haskins, but it will be hard to justify those reports after what happened on Tuesday.
Prior to Haskin’s Pro Day in Columbus, OH, Giants head coach Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator Mike Shula, senior vice president of player personnel Chris Mara, vice president of football operations and assistant GM Kevin Abrams, and director of college scouting Chris Pettit took Haskins out to dinner.
If the Giants really didn’t want to draft a quarterback or thought Haskins wasn’t the guy, they would not have sent their top decision makers to Columbus to break bread with him.
It might be even tougher to pass on him after his Pro Day on Wednesday.
Former NFL scout and current analyst Bucky Brooks — who watched the quarterback go through his drills — described Haskins as possessing an “A+ arm,” and likening him to an “MLB pitcher with every pitch in the bag. Drive throws, touch, timing & anticipation.”
That’s the kind of talent the Giants should probably want to center their rebuild around. The only question will be if he’s still available by the time they pick at No. 6.
Haskins will reportedly visit and work out for the Giants in the coming weeks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
