Giants GM says 2 teams would've drafted Jones before No. 17

The New York Giants drafted Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick fearing he wouldn't be available when they reappeared on the clock at No. 17.

"When we got in here Thursday night, the question was posed, 'Why didn't you wait until 17?'" general manager Dave Gettleman said Saturday as the 2019 NFL Draft wrapped up, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "Well, I know for a fact there were two teams that would have taken him in front of 17. I know that for a fact."

The Giants shocked onlookers in Nashville, Tenn., when they selected Jones at No. 6. The former Senior Bowl MVP was widely considered - at best - the third-best quarterback in the class behind Oklahoma's Kyler Murray and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins.

Though the Giants were linked to Jones before the draft, most pundits expected New York to snatch him with its second first-round pick.

Top QBs selected in 2019 NFL Draft

It's unclear which two teams Gettleman was expecting to draft Jones before the 17th pick came up. The Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins both addressed the quarterback position early in the draft, but neither would've taken Jones with their top selection, sources told Raanan. Denver initially held the 10th overall pick before trading down in the first round.

Gettleman indicated the Giants' decision at No. 6 came down to Jones and Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Allen at No. 7.

"It wasn't easy for me to pass up Josh Allen," Gettleman said. "For me, my background, that was very, very difficult. But I think that much of Daniel Jones and his future as an NFL quarterback."

Copyright (C) 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.