There were two main camps prior to Thursday night: those who were team Jayden Daniels, and those who were team Drake Maye for the No. 2 pick.
So, team Maye…are you on board with Jayden Daniels?
“From like the Drake Maye people that we're really nervous about Daniels, I feel like listening to Wilson Alexander, somebody that was there and saw every day the work he put in, the improvement he made, and the type of person he is, you would feel differently about Daniels,” JP Finlay said.
“I don't think so,” BMitch shot right back. “When people feel a certain way, they don't hear what you're saying, they hear what they think you're saying. So the people that are already great enthusiasts, they are going to hear what they wanna hear and think what they wanna think. People say Jayden will get hurt, well, let Maye go lower his shoulder on a few people, he’s gonna get hurt too.”
JP is always looking at the most recent sample size, but given how much Daniels grew from Year 1 at Arizona State until now, he’s feeling justified that the improvement is real – and Brian thinks the criticisms are unfairly magnified.
“He's a quarterback that can run; I can't help but differentiate that as opposed to a, a running quarterback,” JP said.
“And see, as soon as someone sees ‘athletic quarterback’ they used to go, oh, he's just athletic. No, you are not looking at the bulk of what he actually does working in the pocket,” Brian replied. “He doesn't throw the ball over the middle? Well, this guy just came on and told you their offense doesn't do that; they call for deep over the middle, and he's damn good at that. He had two first-round receivers? They weren't first-rounders when he got there, but they grew together. That's an answer to all of those that want to knock, but they don't want to hear those answers. They want to lean on the way that makes them feel good about someone else. Drake Maye has some great stuff too, but he also dropped off from one year to the next, and played in a much easier conference, but no one wants to discuss that.”
Okay, great, but it’s now time to look to the future in DC, and in New England with Maye…but does it make Team Maye feel better that apparently, the Giants tried to trade up to get him?
Mike Reese of ESPN, who covers the Pats, reported the Pats got two offers for No. 3, including No. 6 and a 2025 first for that pick – and that seems to have to have been for Maye, right?
“If they liked McCarthy, you could get him at six, or Penix or Bo Nix. No. 6 and a one next year…if you could get six and a one next year for Drake Maye would you do it?” JP asked. “I liked McCarthy more than Drake, I think there are teams that also had that. Drake, you're betting on athleticism and upside, and I just think McCarthy showed the cojones and ability to lead that I would want. We don't know Drake doesn't have it, but he didn't show it necessarily at Carolina, because the team wasn't as good. But dude, six and a one next year and I could take McCarthy at six and they can have Maye? I would have done that deal, and it also tells you the Giants didn't identify it like that at all, because they tried to trade up for Drake, couldn't get him and then didn't take JJ.”
Apparently Minnesota offered 11, 23, and a one next year for 3 and a couple mid-rounders in this draft, which JP wouldn’t do and Brian would if the other Pats picks were left out.
“And what did we learn from Minnesota? They were able to chill and get McCarthy,” JP said. “They waited and eventually traded up one spot to lock it in, but that the run of Penix at 8, McCarthy at 10, and Bo Nix at 12 is gonna be talked about.”