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Sam Darnold looks like Plan A for Giants, but what is Plan B?

That is a good question without a clear answer

NCAA Football: Cotton Bowl-Ohio State vs Southern California
Sam Darnold
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

All aboard the Sam Darnold train!

NJ.com reported Monday that Darnold, the USC quarterback, is the apple of the Giants’ eyes with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

“If [Sam] Darnold is available, they’re taking Darnold,” an NFL talent evaluator told NJ Advance Media. “They don’t like [Josh] Rosen.”

Also Monday, the well-connected Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst selected Darnold for the Giants in his latest mock draft. He wrote:

The Giants could go in a variety of ways at this pick, but the belief is that Darnold is the only quarterback they want.

This is the same thing we have been saying here at Big Blue View for the past couple of weeks.

Our sources have been indicating for a while that Darnold is the Giants clear preference in this quarterback class.

Of course, it is smokescreen season in the NFL. Is it possible Gettleman and the Giants have everyone snowed about what their true intentions are? Sure, but considering the mounting evidence if the Giants take a quarterback other than Darnold at No. 2 they will have fooled a lot of people.

The real intrigue appears to be what happens if the Cleveland Browns take Darnold at No. 1. The Browns have been thought to be vacillating over what to do with the first overall pick. If they take Darnold, what is Plan B for the Giants?

We have been over all of the options beyond another quarterback. Saqoun Barkley? Bradley Chubb? Quenton Nelson? Trade down?

We know that Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has been effusive in his praise of Barkley. We know Gettleman loves hog mollies like Nelson. We know there is a need for a difference-making edge player on the Giants' defense. We know a 3-13 team could benefit from the plethora of picks it could get in a trade down.

There appears to be a consensus about Plan A for the Giants. Plan B? That's anybody's guess.