The Giants are doing their due diligence ahead of April’s NFL draft.
Not only did the Giants have a group — including head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen — watch quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at his Washington Pro Day, but the team has plans to watch North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in the coming days, according to multiple reports.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Giants — who did still have a presence in North Carolina on Thursday — are set to work out and meet with Maye in the “coming days.”
As for McCarthy, Big Blue will have a private workout with the 2023 College Football Playoff national champion this weekend, per Art Stapleton of The Record.
Both Maye and McCarthy previously met with the Giants in New Jersey earlier in March for visits, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
All of this movement comes on the heels of an eventful Wednesday when the Giants watched LSU star wide receiver Malik Nabers and 2023 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels in Baton Rouge.
The Giants also had a meal with Nabers one day before the workout, The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy reported.
After finishing 30th (15.6 points per game) in scoring offense and 31st in passing (169.8 yards per game), all indications point to the Giants looking for a playmaker at quarterback or wide receiver with their first draft pick.
Schoen said Wednesday that he would not be opposed to picking a skilled player from the latter position.
“Yeah, it would be nice to have a No. 1 receiver,” Schoen said. “I think every team would sign up with that, and especially with an offensive head coach.”
Daboll said this week that while there is a challenge in player evaluation — and deciding who to take when it’s time make a selection — there is a “fun” aspect to looking at quarterbacks.
“There’s no exact science of it,’’ Daboll said. “It’s obvious that there isn’t. You do the best job you can. I love doing it. I love evaluating quarterbacks. I love meeting with the quarterbacks. It’s an awesome position to work with and it’s a really fun position to evaluate.’’
The Giants still have Daniel Jones — coming off reconstructive knee surgery — on the roster and brought in Drew Lock on a one-year deal to be the backup ahead of third-stringer Tommy DeVito.
But these Pro Days and upcoming workouts could mean a change in the quarterback room is coming.
