Jayden Daniels and the Giants: What could've been

HBO’s “Hard Knocks” last summer gave fans far more insight into what the Giants were thinking about various players than they normally would get.

One thing that was evident: They really liked LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

Coach Brian Daboll told colleagues on the show that Daniels would be worth trading up for in the draft. Daboll also was shown quizzing Daniels on X's and O's at the scouting combine, seemingly impressed with Daniels’ acumen.

You know the rest of the story by now.

The Commanders took Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick, the Patriots used the No. 3 pick on quarterback Drake Maye after the Giants made inquiries about a trade with New England, and the Giants settled for LSU receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6.

Nabers has been a big early hit, and the Giants are happy to have him. But that does not solve an obvious problem, one that will be on display when the Giants host the Commanders on Sunday.

Washington appears to have its franchise quarterback of the present and future. The Giants do not, even after six seasons of Daniel Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in 2019.

Such are the stakes for teams that choose early in the draft, whether that means picking the right quarterback, or picking a quarterback at all.

Daniels has thrown seven touchdown passes with two interceptions and has a passer rating of 104.3 for the first-place Commanders (6-2).

Last Sunday, he made the play of the season so far in the NFL, connecting on a last-second, desperate heave to Noah Brown to beat the Bears.

Jones has thrown for six TDs with five interceptions and has a rating of 79.5. He is in the second year of a four-year, $160 million contract.

He has no touchdown passes in four games at MetLife Stadium, where the Giants are 0-4. They are 2-6 overall.

Like everyone else, Daboll likes what he has seen from Daniels.

“He's one of the better quarterbacks in the league already,” Daboll said before practice on Wednesday. “He's got great vision. He can throw the ball in any area he needs to throw it. He can throw it under pressure. He can escape and make plays with his feet. He can escape and make plays with his arm.

“He's got good command, which we knew. He was a smart guy when we spoke with him. He's playing really well, at a high level. You can tell there's a lot of confidence in him.

“He has a lot of yards per attempt, 8 ½, which is really good. He makes good decisions. He does a lot of good things.”

The game-winner to Brown was the highlight. The ball traveled about 66 yards in the air before being tipped into the end zone to Brown.

“It was a really good play by the quarterback,” Daboll said. “To be able to bide his time to let the defenders get down there. He scrambles one way, scrambles the next. That's a huge element to the play is the quarterback being able to do that to let the routes, whatever they're going to be, declare.

“Then give them a chance down there in the end zone, which the ball got tipped up. The receiver was in a good location behind the back tip. It was a heck of a play.”

This will be the second time the Giants have seen Daniels.

In Week 2, the Commanders won, 21-18, scoring all their points on field goals. Daniels went 23-for-29 for 226 yards and rushing for 44 yards. Jones went 16-for-28 for 178 yards and two TDs, with 32 yards rushing.

That was one of Jones’ better games this season. He uncharacteristically showed his frustration on the field during Monday night's 26-18 loss to the Steelers, especially after a botched two-point try.

“No one’s happy with where we are,” he said on Wednesday. “I think everyone understands that we’re leaving a lot out there. We need to play better and execute and win. No one’s happy with that.

“I think we’re all motivated and driven to fix it and play well.”

The Commanders seem to have found a fix in Daniels who could be a divisional problem for the Giants for years to come.

Notes & quotes: OT Joshua Ezeudu missed practice after having a knee drained. Asked about the situation at left tackle, Daboll said, “Similar to what it was last week.” Chris Hubbard started there against Pittsburgh . . . RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. remains in concussion protocol . . . Overall, 15 players either did not practice or were limited.

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.