The Giants sent shockwaves throughout the NFL when they took Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall to be their quarterback of the future. But he may not see the field for quite some time.
In fact, what may be more shocking than the selection of Jones is that Dave Gettleman seemed to indicate that 38-year-old Eli Manning could be the Giants' starting quarterback for three more seasons, as they're no longer looking for the "Kansas City model."
"Maybe we'll be the Green Bay model where (Aaron) Rodgers sat for three years," Gettleman said late Thursday night.
Rodgers was the No. 24 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons before finally taking over as the starter. That would certainly be a long time for a No. 6 overall pick to sit and watch before even getting the opportunity to start.
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Gettleman knew Jones was his guy when he saw him at the Senior Bowl and watched three series. "So that's when I was in full-blown love," Gettleman said. He thought it was a perfect fit of need and value at No. 6, and said Jones is "perfect" for them.
Here are some other takeaways from Gettleman about Jones:
- They both spoke to Manning before the pick was made. Gettleman said, "Daniel is coming in here to learn how to be a professional quarterback."
- Shurmur told Manning that, "It's your job to win games and keep this guy off the field."
- The Giants appear to think highly of Jones' character and football IQ. "He's the right guy," Gettleman said. "He's got the right head. A very mature kid. I have no idea he's going to do everything he can to follow Eli when the time comes."
- Jones' connection to David Cutcliffe and the Mannings was a bonus, Gettleman said. "The kid's been well-trained."
- The Giants weren't sure if Jones was going to be available at No. 17. "You never know. We were not willing to risk it," Gettleman said.
- One particular trait stood out to Shurmur. "I knew by watching him play that he was tough, and that's high on the spectrum for me."