The New York Giants selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the No. 17 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
A similar player to Eli Manning who has everything Dave Gettleman is looking for in a signal caller, here are five things to know about the latest Giants acquisition.
Jones played for David Cutcliffe
Duke’s head coach is David Cutcliffe, the same coach who molded both Peyton and Eli Manning at Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively. He also attended the Manning Passing Academy twice, so he is familiar with how the Manning’s both play.
Jones also got to pick Eli’s brain when the Giants quarterback trained at Duke with Cutcliffe during the off-season. Jones’ knowledge of the Manning’s extends beyond the football field, and will be a huge help in him learning how to carry himself as a New York Giant.
Jones is comparable to both Eli and Peyton Manning
It’s not just about who his college coach was at Duke, Jones has been compared to both Eli and Peyton Manning for a few reasons. For one, he’s about the same size (6-foot-5, 221) as the Manning brothers. He also has a similar demeanor in his style of play, he’s very controlled and is a pocket passer rather than a runner.
Perhaps the most interesting sentiment came from Cutcliffe himself, who said that Jones thinks like Peyton and is mentally tough like Eli. High praise for the young quarterback, and if Cutcliffe is right, Jones is likely to have a stellar NFL career.
Athleticism runs in the family
While attending Charlotte Latin High School, Jones set records and was a two-time all-state pick in football. But he was also a three-year basketball player. As a football player, he had nearly 7,000 passing yards and 98 touchdowns.
But Jones isn’t the only athlete in his family. His brother plays basketball at Davidson College in North Carolina, and his sister played field hockey for the same school, which is located just north of Charlotte.
Accurate passer
Despite his college stats showing he completed just under 60% of his passes, Jones is actually a very accurate passer. What hurt him in college was the number of drops by his receivers. His junior year alone saw 38 drops.
His football IQ is largely responsible for his ability to be accurate as he can read down-field opportunities and make adjustments on the line to exploit hot-read opportunities. And when all else fails, he has the ability to scramble out of the pocket and pick up yards in a pinch.
Not just mentally tough
While his mental toughness has been compared to Eli Manning, Jones also possesses physical toughness. If he sees an opening down the field, he is capable of maintaining his composure in the pocket. He will hold the ball as long as he can, despite knowing that a hit is coming, and launch the ball at the last second.
During his career at Duke, he missed just two games out of the three seasons he played. He had a broken clavicle, but returned and led his team to the 2018 Independence Bowl where he was named MVP.
Mental toughness is extremely important in the NFL, especially in New York where the media and fans can be especially cruel. But on the field, physical toughness is a big part of the game. Jones has both, which will go a long way to furthering his career.
