HIS TIME TO SHINE
Webb gets chance to show he’s the guy as draft rapidly approaches
Pat Shurmur was talking about evaluating the quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft, but he might as well have been referring to Davis Webb. As much as can be gleaned by breaking down film and analyzing statistics, nothing compares to getting down on the turf and seeing with your own eyes.
“Any time you’re talking about a quarterback you need to see him throw in person,’’ Shurmur said recently. “If I was a college head coach, I would never offer a quarterback a scholarship unless I saw him throw in person.
“You see ’em throw, you can see and feel the velocity. A lot of the things you can see on tape and yet you have to do it in person.’’
Shurmur saw prospects Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield in person at the scouting combine and also attended their Pro Days. Next up, he gets to take a long look at Webb, as the Giants on Tuesday open up a three-day minicamp, a bonus for any NFL team with a first-year head coach. The offseason workout program is only in its third week and the offensive and defensive systems are not yet installed, so this early spring work on the field will only slightly resemble the product the Giants hope to display this season.
Eli Manning and Webb are, at present, the only two quarterbacks on the roster and you can be sure Shurmur is not going to wear out Manning’s 37year-old arm in a late April camp. So, Webb should expect a heavy workload as he gets his first real opportunity to show Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman what he’s got.
“It will be a great way for Davis to sorta showcase what he can do,’’ Shurmur said. “We don’t have a full 90man roster so he’s gonna get a lot of reps and he probably would anyways. I don’t want to make this sound like it’s a showcase for Webb, but as a guy we’re interested in seeing, he’s certainly gonna get his fair share of the reps.’’
This minicamp ends just before the draft, with the first round Thursday night arriving only hours after the camp comes to a close. Sources told The Post if the Giants are in love with one of the quarterbacks they could take him with the No. 2-overall pick. But multiple sources told The Post the Giants are not highly impressed with this quarterback class and will more likely use the second-overall selection on a player they consider to be can’tmiss at a position of impact, such as running back Saquon Barkley or defensive end Bradley Chubb. If they trade down a few spots, guard Quenton Nelson is an option. What Webb — a 2017 third-round pick who played in college at Texas Tech and California — can do in this minicamp is impress the new regime enough to help make the case he should be Manning’s backup, viewed as his possible successor down the road.
“We’re gonna take in any information we can up to that time we’re on the clock, really,’’ Shurmur said.
This camp, of course, is not all about Webb or the draft. This is Shurmur’s first opportunity to put the Giants through actual work on the field in a practice-like setting, a chance for him to get a better handle on what he’s been given and for the players to get a glimpse into the style of their new head coach.
Of all the players to take the field, though, Webb will be under the most scrutiny. He did not play a single snap as a rookie in the regular season, so this will qualify as his most extensive work with the Giants.
“The unfortunate thing for me is there’s just not a lot of him playing football in a Giants helmet, which would have been a good thing for me to see moving forward,’’ Shurmur said. “That is what it is, but I’m looking forward to working with him, for sure. I’ve got high hopes for him, being a productive player in this league.’’