The Post ranks the top QBs and specialists in the Thursday-Saturday draft:
Quarterbacks
1. Jared Goff*, Cal-Berkeley, 6-4, 215 pounds
Awareness and skinny build are concerns, but otherwise deemed NFL-ready.
2. Carson Wentz, North Dakota St., 6-5, 235
Though all the physical tools are there, the jump from FCS for a QB is enormous.
3. Paxton Lynch*, Memphis, 6-7, 245
Quick feet and a great arm, but QBs this tall have a checkered NFL past.
4. Connor Cook, Michigan State, 6-4, 215
Attitude, maturity and leadership skills are serious question marks.
5. Christian Hackenberg*, Penn State, 6-4, 225
Has all the tools, but his dismal two final seasons are scaring teams away.
*-underclassman
Late riser
Kevin Hogan, Stanford: College successor to Andrew Luck boasts good size (6-3, 215) and has been popular on the team-visit circuit lately.
Dropping fast
Cardale Jones, Ohio State: Didn’t run for scouts in the spring after injuring his hamstring at the combine.
Small-school wonder
Josh Woodrum, Liberty: High-character prospect started 44 games and completed almost 70 percent of his passes.
Specialists
1. Roberto Aguayo*, K, Florida State, 6-0, 205 pounds
Three-time All-American led the nation in field-goal percentage.
2. Drew Kaser, P, Texas A&M, 6-2, 210
Ray Guy Award winner broke all of Shane Lechler’s school records.
3. Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, UCLA, 5-11, 185
Reigning Lou Groza Award winner scored 100-plus points all four years.
4. Ross Martin, K, Duke, 5-9, 185
Former No. 1 kicker recruit in the country missed just one PAT in four seasons.
5. Tom Hackett, P, Utah, 5-10, 200
Australian with a booming leg won the Ray Guy Award twice.
*-underclassman
What Giants might do
QB/specialists
The lead-up to this draft once again revealed the difference from the haves (those with franchise quarterbacks) and have-nots (those still searching), with the Rams and Eagles making costly trade-ups in desperate attempts to land a QB. The Giants have not been in the market for 12 years and will stay out of it this year as well. Eli Manning is signed through 2019, when he will be 38, and never misses a game, so his backup fills a caretaker role.
Ryan Nassib returns for his fourth season as Eli’s caddy, having thrown 10 passes (completing nine) in five games in his three years, all of the playing time of the mop-up variety. When he was drafted in the fourth round in 2013, GM Jerry Reese said, “If he doesn’t ever play that would be great.’’ So far, mission accomplished. Expect the Giants to bring in a young quarterback to take a look at and if Jacoby Brissett of North Carolina State goes undrafted, he’s someone that intrigues the Giants.
The team is set with veteran kicker Josh Brown and young punter Brad Wing. Brown re-signed for two years and was given $1 million in guaranteed money, a nice reward after he hit 30-of-32 field goal attempts in 2015. Wing, an Australian left-footer in his first year with the Giants after punting for the Steelers, was solid last season and usually is able to limit the opponents’ return game.
— Paul Schwartz
What Jets might do
QB/specialists
The Jets neverending search for a franchise quarterback is ongoing, and many draft analysts think the Jets could take Paxton Lynch with the 20th pick. Lynch is a project, and that may scare off the Jets — after all, they just took Bryce Petty last year as a developmental quarterback. But Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, and the Jets could fall in love with Lynch. If they don’t like Lynch, maybe they go QB in the second round with Connor Cook or Christian Hackenberg.
Drafting kickers and punters is rare in the NFL, but the Jets currently don’t have a punter after letting Ryan Quigley leave as a free agent. Syracuse’s Riley Dixon has gotten some attention from the Jets in the pre-draft process and could be a late-round pick.
— Brian Costello