The New York Giants received a lot of flack for selecting Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the 6th pick in the 2019 draft–and rightfully so. He had far from a memorable college football career for the Blue Devils statistically, but his competitive toughness, willingness to push the ball downfield, and mobility earned him the privilege of being the second quarterback taken in his draft.
Unfortunately for the Giants, though, Daniel Jones hasn’t improved since his days as an ACC signal caller. Thursday’s game was a perfect example of why I don’t believe Daniel Jones is a decent starting NFL quarterback. However, before I rip into his TNF performance versus the Eagles, I will admit: He made the game winning throw to Evan Engram who dropped it.
Butterfingers
The one “plus-trait” Jones has showcased in the NFL is his athleticism. However, when he gets hit there’s almost a 50/50 chance he’s going to cough up the football. With 23 fumbles in his career, Jones has also thrown 19 interceptions, bringing his overall turnover number to 42 in just 20 career games and 19 starts.
For comparison, the Jets’ Sam Darnold, who is labeled a turnover machine, has just five more turnovers than Jones in 10 more career games. Where does the hype come from with Jones? He sliced up the Buccaneers shoddy 2019 defense, but why is this impressive? Mitchell Trubisky threw 6 touchdown passes in just three quarters versus the very same defense in their 2018 contest.
Bottom Line
To put it lightly, Daniel Jones isn’t a “startable” quarterback. He has an average NFL arm, consistently misses NFL throws, is a below average decision maker, and he has the worst pocket presence of any quarterback I’ve ever evaluated. The last play of the game Thursday night was a perfect example of his biggest flaw–he has no internal clock or feel for pressure.
With 29 seconds left in the game, the Giants were down 22-21, needing just a field goal to win the game. On 2nd and 12, Jones took the snap, stared down Evan Engram for 3.2 seconds and was strip sacked. His feel for pressure, or lack thereof is truly unbelievable, and I do not see a scenario where he earns a 2nd contract as a starting quarterback if this is not fixed FAST.
Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
