Quarterback scouting reports: What NFL Draft analysts, scouts are saying

Let’s look at the various draft guides and other scouting reports on quarterbacks the Giants might be considering

Will the New York Giants take one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft or won’t they? We will find out in a couple of days. In the meantime, everyone has an opinion when it comes to the great, the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to these young men.

Below, culled from a variety of draft guides and subscription websites, are opinions about the six quarterbacks most likely to interest the Giants in the first three rounds of the draft from scouts and some of the best draft analysts in the business

Drake Maye

There is a wild variation of opinion on Maye, who many analysts think would be the one quarterback the Giants would give up a large draft haul to move up for.

For Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Maye is QB2 behind Caleb Williams. In his draft guide, Brugler says:

“With his arm strength and pacing, Maye put the full inventory of throws on tape and operates with timing from the pocket to attack the defense’s leverage. He is a quick-reaction athlete to make plays off-schedule as a scrambler and canrip throws from different platforms. His arm can get juiced-up at times, disrupting his ball placement, and his progression reads are still a work in progress, especially when he feels pressed to make a play (39-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the first half compared to 24-to-12 in the second half). Overall, Maye needs to cut down on the reckless decisions, but he is a well-put-together passer with the on-field command, athletic instincts and arm talent to create solutions for the problems that NFL defenses present. With his physical gifts and smarts, he is cut from the same cloth as Justin Herbert and has a similar ceiling as an NFL player.”

For Matt Waldman of The Rookie Scouting Portfolio, Maye is QB6. He says:

“Maye’s flaws with pocket management, reading coverage, and reticence to take the easy solutions will rear their ugly heads to greater effect in the NFL … If Maye can refine his accuracy and improve his game management, he should become a contributor that a team will try to build around to make the most of his gifts to optimize his production potential. If Maye can improve his processing speed, confidence to act quickly on what he’s seeing, and/or improve his pocket management, he could reach the franchise-starter potential expected of him. These are difficult issues to address and it’s why Maye’s game has the greatest trap door of the top prospects.

Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan assesses Maye this way:

Strengths:

– Shows good velocity on passes going toward the opposite hash. Also is able to throw with good arc and touch on passes traveling deeper downfield
– Good runner with the ball on his hands; good speed to turn a corner, or be trusted calling QB Draw plays.
– Solid accuracy in the quick, underneath passing game. Works frontside pass concepts well. Ball is able to come out quick and on time.
– Will never go broke taking a profit. Tends to get the ball out.

Areas of Improvement:

– While he has good velocity, the pure arm strength is just about ‘ok’.
– Doesn’t particularly see the field rather well. Will quickly move off of a potential option very early in the route. Even on 2nd chance opportunities, won’t always see the breakaway option.
– Anticipation needs to ratchet up more as a moves forward. Tends to have to ‘see it’ first before he trusts it.
– Gets a bit skittish vs pressure, doesn’t particularly have a plan.

Pro Football Focus says:

“Maye’s arm talent alone puts him in the first-round and top-10 conversation. Though his ball placement and decision-making (including sacks taken) need improvement, he has all the talent tools you want to bet on as a franchise QB.”

At GoLongTD.com, a subscription site, long-time NFL writer Bob McGinn posts as annual series talking anonymously to scouts. Here is some of the chatter about Maye:

“He’s got all the physical tools. Sometimes there’s some wiring … there’s some Daniel Jones in there. Sometimes when it gets a little hairy, what’s he wired like?”

—

“Andrew Luck was further along than Drake Maye but the talent level is somewhat similar. His pro day was really good. He throws a great deep ball for a guy that’s not supposed to have an elite arm. His accuracy and touch are his secret sauce. That’s what he’s really good at.”

—

“He’s gotten close to Philip Rivers, who’s a little bit of a hillbilly from Alabama who went to NC State. Maye is from Charlotte and went to Carolina. So you think this guy’s going to have some polish. He walked in the room and he sounded like Jethro Bodine on the Beverly Hillbillies. We just went, ‘Who is this guy?’ Watching the tape, all this animation. This kid is sort of wound tight trying to be something he’s not … I thought his tape was kind of average, to be honest. He needs a year to just sit, and I don’t know if the teams that are going to take him can do that. I think it’s going to be real hard.”

---

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

J.J. McCarthy

Brugler:

“Though McCarthy needs to add more bulk to his frame, he is a good-sized athlete who can operate from the pocket with balance, negotiate pressure and create plays with his mobility when needed. He is a loose passer, quick to process what the defense gives him and delivers with velocity and accuracy from various platforms (school -record 67.6 percent career completion percentage). However, his decision-making is still developing, and he must prove he can get further into his progressions. NFL teams describe him as a “winner” and love the way he is wired (Harbaugh calls him the “Ice Man” for the way he stays cool under pressure). Overall, McCarthy’s evaluation feels incomplete, which creates even more projection than normal, but his passing skills, pocket athleticism and mental makeup are all ascending and create optimism for his NFL future. Although bumps along the way should be expected, he has the package of tools to become an NFL starter early in his career.”

Waldman thinks McCarthy is a more advanced Zach Wilson:

“If McCarthy can lean into the strengths of his game, he could become a versatile quarterback who can work from center in a West Coast offense or an executor of a spread scheme where his team can leverage McCarthy’s athletic ability as a runner. My projection is that McCarthy has strong enough fundamentals that his development track has a lower risk of becoming the bumpy ride we saw from Manziel, Lock, and Wilson … McCarthy’s game has the foundation of details to build on that gives him a much greater chance to become a capable starter. The biggest question is whether he’ll develop the conceptual confidence to rip the ball to his receivers at the moment of recognition they will be open. That anticipation and identification-to-action component of quarterback is one of the biggest differences between an Alex Smith and a Patrick Mahomes.”

PFF says:

“McCarthy is not a finished product, but he is a growing quarterback with experience in a pro-style offense and good tools (physical and mental) to be a starting QB in the NFL.”

McGinn’s notes from scouts include:

“He’s got major weaknesses but there’s something about that kid that is absolutely special,” one scout said. “He completely changed that rivalry (Ohio State-Michigan). He singlehandedly won both of those games. The one in Columbus (in 2022), people don’t realize some of those throws he made in that game. Then his ability to never get off the field and extend plays is uncanny. All this talk that Michigan built him and it was (Jim) Harbaugh and the O-line. Their O-line sucked this year … The 9-inch hand and the way he throws the ball really scares me. It’s one speed. He has no ability to layer balls in between defenders. Everything’s a fastball. His deep balls are line drives, which is very unfriendly to receivers especially when he gets to this level and it’s contested and not just wide open. But there’s magic. There are these guys that seem to always do this and it always works. The throws by Mahomes early in his career when he’d throw into coverage and it somehow landed in the lap of the Kansas City guy. I don’t know if he’s got this magic to him or if it’s just luck. You’re drafting a guy whose character has been so overhyped you’re neglecting some of these holes. It’s somewhere in between.”

Hunt:

Strengths:

– Excellent velocity on his throws allows him to threaten every area of the field and even threaten/exploit tight coverage.
– Very good accuracy and placement on his passes at all levels of the field. It’s impressive to see how pinpoint he can be with the high level of velocity he throws with.
– Good athlete who’s able to show good movement inside and outside the pocket. Can pick up the cheap yards on the ground and also be considered a Plus-1 in terms of running with the ball.

Areas of Improvement:

– Lacks top notch anticipation on his throws, which ultimately affects the timing. From an anticipation perspective, he waits until the receiver is ‘open’ before feeling comfortable in throwing the ball.
– From a timing perspective, him waiting for the guy to be open, especially when trying to throw outside of the numbers, the ball is late &. Inside and subsequently picked or batted away.
– Has to be willing to take the small profit on any given play as opposed to waiting for the ‘big win’ that may not come.

---

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Jayden Daniels

Brugler:

“As a passer, Daniels plays with poise and balanced feet, and he uncoils with a rapid release and the arm talent to layer throws to all thr ee levels, doing his best work on deep outside throws (slot fades, posts, etc.). His processing skills are ascending but still have plenty of room for improvement, especially once he is pressured (he is more likely to scramble than create second-chance throws once moved from his spot). While not overly creative as a passer or runner, his athletic instincts produce explosive runs and are part of what makes him dangerous. Overall, Daniels is a smooth point guard from the pocket when his eyes stay on schedule, and his dazzling run skills make him a problem for defenses. This isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but NFL scouts say he forces opponents to defend him like Lamar Jackson.”

Waldman:

“Daniels has the build, mobility, big-play speed, and arm talent to remind people of Lamar Jackson. If restricting the comparison to these elements of Daniels’ game, they are legitimate. If expanding the comparison between the two to the entire scope of Jackson’s game when he was at Louisville, Daniels falls short of the mark in several areas … The appeal of Daniels will be that he has physical upside, dynamic mobility, and he exhibits maturity as a game manager when he can’t find the open man. The key will be doing a better job finding the open man.”

PFF:

“Daniels’ rushing ability and fundamentals give him a high floor as a player who can put a ton of stress on a defense. His arm talent is adequate to give him a decently high ceiling and makes him a worthy first round bet to make.”

Hunt:

Strengths:

– Excellent situational awareness. Will throw for the sticks on 3rd & long, knows how to operate well inside the Red/Green Zone and is unflappable in comeback situations.
– Underrated arm strength and velocity. Shows that he can make tight window throws when necessary and has a quick release. Doesn’t let bad plays linger. Above average deep passing accuracy.
– Slippery and elusive runner, with an evasive ability within the pocket. Able to keep plays alive and be a threat as well.

Areas of Improvement:

– Placement needs to flatline. When he’s on, it’s beautiful, but gets rushed a bit within his mechanics, which alters the placement.
– Has to be better at anticipating opening passing windows.
– Will need to add a change up to his throws, many tend to come out as flatline fastballs.

McGinn’s scouts:

“With Jayden, you’re going to see a lot of running very early on. He doesn’t have the poise, the processing to hang in there and find a receiver like a lot of guys can do. (Scrambling) isn’t the worst thing in the world. A lot of guys have made a good living doing it.”

—

“Athletic freak,” another scout said. “Still going to have to learn the nuances of an NFL defense and read coverages a little bit better. He was surrounded by really good, skilled athletes at receiver. The question is, can he overcome that? He’s got a lot of gifts and a lot of savvy and has played a lot of football.”

—

“I just didn’t see consistency from a condensed pocket,” one scout said. “When it’s clean, he’s really good. He has rhythm and had really good playmakers on the outside. But in gotta-have-it, pressure situations, when it looked more like an NFL game, I thought his accuracy declined. I’m somewhat nitpicking. At the college level, you can see an off-placement throw and it’s a catch. At our level, some of those limitations are magnified. I thought he’d struggle a little bit playing with a lot more (pressure) in the pocket.”

---

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Michael Penix Jr.

Brugler:

“A super-aggressive triggerman, Penix can drive the football with quick game or attack one-on-one matchups down the field. Not only did he throw to NFL -caliber receivers at Washington, but he also benefited from an above-average offensive line, and his effectiveness plummeted when he felt the walls closing in (see the 2023 Michigan tape). Overall, Penix is inconsistent in several key areas (mechanics, anticipation, pressure reaction), but his arm confidence and willingness to attack every square inch of the field can be a productive formula in the right situation. His mental toughness will be a strong selling point in NFL draft rooms.”

Waldman has Penix as QB2 behind Williams:

“There’s a lot about Penix’s release, frame, and style of play reminds me of Warren Moon. Penix is no longer the mover Moon was at Washington and in the CFL, but that’s the least valuable component of the comparison. If Penix can continue addressing the minor gaps with his footwork during his release, his accuracy will be as good in the pros as it was in the Pac-12.

“One of the reasons I’m projecting continued improvement for Penix is that despite getting the shit kicked out of him at Indiana, Penix took care of the football. Despite wearing opposing defenders like a second uniform at Indiana, Penix was not an interception machine and his decision-making on film confirms it.

“The more time Penix gets to address the minor flaws with drop and release footwork, the better chance he’ll have to acclimate faster to the complexities of defenses. His bandwidth won’t be focused as much on the physical and technical aspects of quarterbacking, and this will make the conceptual learning curve easier.

“In theory, Penix is the quarterback after Williams with the best opportunity to develop into a competent starter with additional upside if his landing spot affords him a quality infrastructure of patience from management, competency at offensive line, and a scheme that matches Penix’s talents. In practice, the concerns about injury that could impact his draft capital may pose enough obstacles that his development track isn’t as opportunistic as his peers in this class.

“The NFL has limited the vertical passing game during the past two years. This is one of the major strengths of Penix’s game and may not have remotely the same value on Sundays. If he continues taking care of the ball and improving with his decision-making in the middle of the field, Penix could still deliver as an NFL starter. Time away from the field could help him become an excellent pro.”

PFF:

“Penix Jr. has an NFL-level arm talent in addition to two years of good health and top-tier production in a spread-out shotgun offense. However, to become a consistent starter and top-15 quarterback in the league, he will need to clean up his footwork, throw with more anticipation and touch (which will improve ball placement), as well as be willing to attack the middle of the field.”

Hunt:

Strengths:

– Top notch velocity on his passes, can really put the ball into some tight windows. Has the confidence to make those throws.
– Remarkable jump in his game, productivity coming from Indiana to Washington. What was consistent however is his ability to handle situational football well.
– Shows an ability to keep a play alive with his legs; able to pickup cheap yards also.
– Solid overall accuracy as a passer. Good decision maker.

Areas of Improvement:

– Placement is inconsistent. Too often you’ll see receivers having to reach back or stop in their tracks to make the reception.
– A part of that is tied too the lack of touch and anticipation on some of the throws. – Extensive injury history, and you hope that he’s finally shaken that bug.
– Is a see-it-throw-it type passer, which leads to a lot of the aforementioned issues.

McGinn’s scouts:

“If Tua (Tagovailoa) went top 10 (No. 5 in 2020), I don’t know why this guy can’t go top 10. He’s a better athlete. He throws it just as well. It’s all timing and rhythm. They’re both not great outside extending plays.”

—

“You saw him fall apart against Michigan (in the CFP title game). He’s been pretty fortunate. Good offensive line, quality receivers. He couldn’t get out of the pocket and scramble and get away. He’s had injuries in the past. I wouldn’t want to take him.”

---

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Bo Nix

Brugler:

“With his quick, strong release, Nix incorporates different arm angles to quickly get the ball to his weapons. He is outstanding finding and attacking the voids in zone coverage and is at his best throwing on the move or when creating second-chance plays. However, the Ducks’ offense was designed to get the ball out of his hands quickly (he averaged 2.44 seconds per dropback in 2023, fourth fastest in the FBS), and his average depth of target was only 6.8 yards in 2023 (third lowest in FBS), leading to questions about him reading out a defense from a constrained pocket in the NFL. Overall, Nix gets in trouble when he plays loose with his technique and his eyes speed up on him, but he understands where to go with the football, and his scrambling can give defenses fits. Though it feels unlikely that he will ever rank among the 15 best quarterbacks in the NFL, he has the tools to become a middle-of-the-road starter.”

Waldman has Nix as QB3:

“If Nix had a better arm, he might be the clear-cut No.2 quarterback on the board. That’s the margin between him and Micheal Penix, Jr. Nix has enough arm to start in many NFL systems, but it’s more in the realm of Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan— good enough, but not going to power through iffy or late decisions. Even if it improves, expect only a moderate difference that won’t elevate his arm talent to the elite tier.

“Unlike many college quarterbacks who attempt throws that their arm can’t deliver, Nix already possesses a good feel for situations where he can make off-platform or cross-body throws. He also doesn’t get too invested in plays, getting rid of the ball fast when he breaks the pocket. He also throws the ball away on schemed plays rather than trying to force them into the receiver, which is something a lot of young quarterbacks do too often.

“If Nix can maintain this maturity as he’s acclimating to the NFL, it will go a long way toward mistake-free football early in his career. Don’t count on it if he must start as a rookie for a rebuilding team but with a strong infrastructure around him, Nix could deliver moderate production while limiting fatal mistakes that could take his team out of the game.”

PFF:

“Nix’s experience manifests in the form of pre-snap reads, play under pressure and avoiding negatives. His footwork needs to be more disciplined, and he will take some time to really read progressions better in the NFL. However, he is a QB with starting-caliber tools in his arm and his legs, and he comes with added out-of-structure playmaking.”

Hunt:

Strengths:

– Competitor who will find a way to make a way, whether with his arm or his legs. Good athleticism to be considered a dual threat. Very competent coming off of play action.
– Strong arm that lets him drive the ball with great velocity on comebacks and dig routes. Has easy arm strength as well, doesn’t need to load up.
– Showed progress from Auburn through each game at Oregon.
– Can have success off-script, keeping eyes downfield.

Areas of Improvement:

– Footwork and lower body mechanics need to find consistency.
– Inconsistent footwork ties directly to the placement on some of his passes being equally as inconsistent.
– Older prospect, will be a 24 year old rookie. How much growth is left?
– Will flatline a lot of passes, needs to develop much more touch.

McGinn’s scouts:

“He truly had a transformation. The kid played at an all-time high. Forty-five touchdowns, three picks (in 2023). He was absolutely on point the second year at Oregon. He’s dedicated, mature and all that. He’s also the oldest guy (turns 25 in February 2025). You pull him out of that situation and put him into the NFL, especially if he were to go as a first-rounder, the expectations, the pressure, now you’re right back to Auburn. And he went to the Senior Bowl and reverted back. He was bailing out backwards as soon as pressure showed, not as accurate. If you told me second or third round, great. Top 15 or top 25? God bless him. As a first-round pick with imminent pressure and expectations? You’re creating a circumstance where the kid has already failed once.”

—

“He will bust. That (no 40) is an indication he doesn’t run well. He’s selling himself on his running. He can’t throw the ball. Got a noodle arm. He can’t push the ball down the field. If he went first round that would shock me. He’s last year’s Tennessee quarterback, Hendon Hooker. The hype.”

---

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Spencer Rattler

Brugler:

“With repeatable mechanics and an athletic release, Rattler has NFL-level arm strength plus a natural feel for touch and poise in his process. However, his decision-making and timing must show better consistency (both in structure and out of structure). Overall, Rattler has a methodical play style and needs to be more urgent in his movements/reads, but he has the arm talent, self-confidence and work habits that give him a fighting chance to work his way up an NFL depth chart. He offers upside at the position, but the interview process will be crucial to his draft grades.”

Waldman:

“Rattler’s baseline is similar to Baker Mayfield but his strengths and weaknesses against coverage are the opposite. Mayfield entered the league having more difficulty with tight man-to-man coverage, especially with pressure forcing him to climb the pocket and 87 make leverage reads and throws. Rattler has difficulty reading the position of defenders in zone coverage when his offense hasn’t schemed a play with only one place to throw the ball.

“Don’t expect Rattler to become a long-term starter in the NFL, but he has enough promise to develop into a competent journeyman or reserve who, eventually, won’t completely implode if called upon.”

PFF:

“Rattler has a mature game with fundamentals and pocket presence, in addition to good accuracy in and out of structure. His arm is adequate, but he needs to continue to improve at seeing additional coverage defenders post-snap. He projects as a Day 2 QB with starting potential.”

Hunt has Rattler as QB3:

Strengths:

– Has the pure passing arsenal to touch every quadrant of the field. The big downfield play is always an option on any given pass.
– Shows an ability to throw with velocity, arch and touch going deeper downfield.
– Velocity allows him the ability to paint the inside corner vs covered receivers. Has seen & handled a lot in his career.
– Good passing base and mechanics, allows him the ability to get the most out of every pass. Moves well within the pocket.

Areas of Improvement:

– Has a tendency to miss defenders buzzing underneath and has a lot of INTs/Near INTs that go right to those specific defenders.
– Needs to flatline his overall consistency within a game, and also from week-to-week. Need to see the same Rattler show up every week.
– Placement on the shorter throws can use some consistency as well.

McGinn’s scouts:

“He’s got a big f—king arm. He’s almost like a minor-league version of Caleb Williams. He’s not a runner, but he can make plays with his feet. He’s not a real tall guy but he plays bigger than he is. He’s got pretty big hands (9 7/8). He’s tough. He’s done a good job of redeeming himself. There were questions about his makeup from high school. The guy basically got shamed — benched, lost his job — on national TV. He’s been through the ringer. They like him at South Carolina. He brought something to the program. If this guy is your No. 2 you’re through-the-roof happy. He will probably have a chance to start based on the shortage of quarterbacks. I like him better than Nix.”

—

“Little pocket passer,. Makes one read, erratic thrower, panics when things break down. He guns everything. Doesn’t have much accuracy or touch. He’s got a little bit of moxie but he’s just a nut the way he plays. He just runs into sacks. Doesn’t feel stuff. It’s not good.”