Giants GM Discussing Jayden Daniels Goes Viral

Once again, a video from Hard Knocks of Schoen discussing Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has gone viral.

“Jayden Daniels,” his son said. “Trade up and get him. Why not? You only get this job once, you need to try to win.”

Obviously, New York didn’t land Daniels. He was the No. 2 pick; the Giants landed star receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6. Much of the discourse in the wake of Daniels’ meteoric rise has been centered around how New York missed out. That’s, frankly, irresponsible blame to mount on Schoen’s lap.

The moment the Chicago Bears clinched the No. 1 pick, the football world knew Caleb Williams was headed to the Windy City. But the Commanders and New England Patriots were slotted at No. 2 and No. 3, each with desperate needs under center in the best quarterback class in over a decade.

Washington fell in love with Daniels, taking him over Drake Maye, who was the consensus QB2. In what world would the Commanders trade out of that pick – especially to the benefit of a division rival?

If one of the quarterbacks New York passed on – Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy – turns into a star, so be it. Schoen’s legacy may weigh those hypothetical contributions against Nabers’ production. But blaming Schoen for a pick he couldn’t make is nonsensical.

He’ll hope to land either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward with the No. 3 pick in April’s NFL Draft. Hitting on a franchise quarterback is Schoen’s key to silencing the critics and making the “what ifs” of 2024 a thing of the past.