Brian Daboll and the New York Giants approached the proverbial line of scrimmage and surveyed the defense in the hours prior to Friday's Colorado Pro Day featuring NFL Draft prospects Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.
Then Daboll called an audible.
After saying he would not be attending earlier this week, Daboll changed his mind and will now join an influential Giants contingent that also includes general manager Joe Schoen, as NorthJersey.com and The Record first reported on Friday morning as per an individual familiar with the team's plans.
Sanders, the quarterback, and Hunter, the two-way Heisman Trophy winner, are expected to participate as part of what Colorado is billing as its "NFL Showcase." Both prospects are in play for the Giants with the No. 3 overall pick.
Both Daboll and Schoen had indicated Daboll was not going to make this trip to Colorado, but the travel plans changed once the Giants returned to their training facility From Palm Beach, Fla. on Wednesday.
As far as Pro Days, Daboll has only been to a handful through the years. Last season, he was at LSU Pro Day - which featured Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers, of course - and at Washington Pro Day featuring Michael Penix and Rome Odunze.
For Daniels, the current Commanders quarterback chose not to do a private workout for teams outside the top three picks. That was a big reason Daboll was there in Baton Rouge. And for Penix, he had dinner with the Giants the night after his Pro Day.
The homework starts prior to the team's contingent arriving on campus.
It's just part of a calculated evaluation at the position for Daboll that has evolved over the past 14 years from when he was the offensive coordinator and general manager Joe Schoen was a national scout for the Miami Dolphins.
Daboll prefers private workouts for quarterbacks in particular, and the reasoning is that, for Pro Days, the script is put together by the player and typically a private throwing coach.
For the private workout, the potential suitor – in this case, the Giants – puts together the script to test the quarterback on things he would be asked to do in their specific offense.
Daboll and Schoen will be joined by assistant GM Brandon Brown, director of player personnel Tim McDonnell, assistant head coach/OC Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, pass game coordinator/QB coach Shea Tierney and assistant QB coach Chad Hall, wide receivers coach Mike Groh, defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel and assistant to the GM Jessie Armstead, among others..
Miami quarterback Cam Ward has been widely projected to go to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 overall, while the Cleveland Browns - despite also searching for a quarterback of the future - are believed to be eyeing Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 2.
That would leave the Giants in position to take the 23-year-old Sanders if they see him as their quarterback of the future, or the 21-year-old Hunter, the Heisman Trophy-winning two-way star who some scouts believe is the best cornerback and the best wide receiver in the Class of 2025.
The entire league continues to guess on what the Browns and Giants will do at Nos. 2 and 3. ...
