Rex Ryan shares why Giants made the right pick with Daniel Jones over Dwayne Haskins
New York Giants fans are losing their minds already and the NFL Draft is only one day old.
The Giants’ selection of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick is not sitting well, but don’t fear, Rex Ryan is here.
He’s very happy his draft board proved correct — “Somebody called their shot, and it was me,” Ryan said Friday morning on ESPN — and he has some words of greatness for the New York Football Giants.
Rex Ryan’s argument for Daniel Jones
Ryan’s support of Jones, who he called the second-best quarterback in the draft, rests on where he played.
The three-year Duke starter averaged 227.8 yards per game and a career 60 percent career completion rate with iffy receivers and a shaky offensive line. His receivers dropped 38 passes, a stat Giants head coach Pat Shurmer noted after the draft in voicing support for his new QB.
"When he gets his opportunity, he's going to be ready."
-Rex Ryan on the Giants' 6th pick Daniel Jones pic.twitter.com/Itvkj5hNo5— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 26, 2019
Ryan also likes the way Jones prepares and it’s why he likes the pick.
“You put him in the same situations with Haskins, he would have been an amazing player there, too. What we’re not seeing, what all the fans aren’t seeing, is this: This guy prepares like an NFL quarterback already.
Dwayne Haskins is a smart guy, that’s all I hear. All my intel still in this league and he’s going to get it, no question. But he has never been asked to do the protections that Daniel Jones has, and all that. [Jones] is ready to go. He’s a way better athlete than people give him credit for. This guy can do a 360 dunk and all that. What happened to him? Yeah, he wasn’t recruited. He was a zero-star recruit because nobody knew about him. There’s a lot of dumb coaches out there.
… [Jones] can run, he can move in the pocket, he’s accurate enough. I would like to see him more accurate with his deep balls, of course. But you know what I see? I see when he was throwing guys, he had to throw guys open at Duke, they’re arm-length away. His throws are arm-length away from guys. It wasn’t like Haskins when they’re wide open.”
The big draw about Jones, per Yahoo Sports Eric Edholm, is his mechanics, toughness and athleticism. He also has Manning family connections.
NFL’s future: Jones vs. Haskins?
The Giants passed over former Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins to get Jones. Haskins was picked up by the Washington Redskins with the No. 15 pick.
If the first day after the decision is any indication, the NFC East is about to get heated.
“The league done messed up,” Haskins said in his first interview as an NFL player, making mention of a chip on his shoulder.
Ryan made sure to note he likes Haskins and hopes he doesn’t get thrown into the Redskins starting role. The only one he has to compete against is Case Keenum, so that possibility of riding the bench is slim.
Jones could wait up to three years, per the Giants, before taking over for Eli Manning.
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