By James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

EAST RUTHERFORD — There has been NFL Draft quarterback buzz surrounding the Giants ever since the end of last season, and the team has done nothing to quiet it.

General manager Jerry Reese said the team would look into finding Eli Manning's replacement a day after the Giants' season-ending playoff loss to the Packers in January. Since then, the Giants have been across the country checking out quarterbacks during the draft process, and Reese admitted Thursday during his pre-draft press conference he's spent more time looking at quarterbacks than in previous years.

It's not guaranteed the Giants will take a quarterback for head coach Ben McAdoo to develop this year. If they do though, it should be Pittsburgh's Nathan Peterman. Here are all the reasons why:

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Scheme fit

The Giants run a variance of the West Coast offense (McAdoo said as much in passing last year while walking off the podium after a press conference). Peterman has all the tools teams look for in West Coast quarterbacks, and he could bring the touch the Giants need to run their short pass-predicated system.

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Julio Cortez | AP Photo

Value

There has been so much debate about the idea of value in the draft, and needing immediate impact players in the early rounds. That’s why so many Giants fans are opposed to the idea of general manager Jerry Reese selecting a quarterback in the first round. Peterman could be the best of both worlds; a player who has the ability to develop into a franchise quarterback, but one that is a clear step behind the top quarterbacks in this class and can be had somewhere in Rounds 2-4. Peterman is the best value pick in this draft among quarterbacks.

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Vincent Carchietta | USA TODAY Sports

2+r

Peterman isn't a dual-threat quarterback, but he also is unlikely to be a statue in the pocket like Manning tends to be. Peterman will stay in there and get crushed in order to deliver a throw, but he's also averaged 4 yards-per-carry in 2016, and he has the ability to escape and extend plays with his legs. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has shown over the years, that knack from a quarterback can make the type of offense the Giants run deadly.

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Justin Hayworth | AP Photo

.2

Interceptions have always been a bit of an Achilles heel for Manning. Peterman has demonstrated a knack to avoid them in college. Over the last two seasons (26 games) at Pitt, Peterman only had two multi-interception games, both as a junior in 2015. He had 14 no-interception games. Peterman completed 60.5 percent of his passes in 2016, and 61.5 percent in 2015.

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VIDEO: #Pitt QB Nathan Peterman, Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, answers questions after his 5-TD effort at Clemson. #H2P pic.twitter.com/fspmOl7ymv — Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) November 15, 2016

@Pitt_FB

Big game performer

When Pitt played ranked teams or major rivals with Peterman at the helm, he usually delivered. Peterman had a bad game against Navy in the 2015 Military Bowl (three picks), but he was sensational in Pitt’s big games in 2016. Peterman threw three touchdown passes to beat archrival Penn State, which went on to win the Big Ten, and he threw five touchdowns to beat eventual national champion Clemson in Death Valley. Peterman also had a strong day in a close loss to a ranked Virginia Tech club.

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Jeremy Hogan | The Herald-Times via AP

Jon Gruden loves him

Yes, Gruden loves a lot of players. Especially quarterbacks. But the ESPN commentator knows what he's looking at, and he has praised Peterman throughout this process. Gruden says if he was coaching and needed a quarterback, Peterman would be his target. That says a lot.

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Trevor Ruszkowski | USA TODAY Sports

The big picture

The next Giants quarterback will not just be replacing Manning on the field. He'll be replacing him off it as well. The Giants will want a quarterback who can assume the mantle as the face of the franchise and handle all the responsibilities that come with the position in this market. Peterman is already married (you laugh, but teams care about this!). He's a smart, tough son of a pastor, and would seem a good fit to step into Manning's shoes eventually. His western Pennsylvania roots would provide a nice synergy with McAdoo as well.

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Nathan Peterman is in contention for a #HondaHelmetSticker with his 5 TD in Pitt's upset over Clemson. Who else deserves one on CFB Final? pic.twitter.com/NVoKQBdCQN — ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 13, 2016

@ESPNCFB

Ready to roll

Many talent evaluators and analysts have said Peterman is likely the most pro-ready of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft. The Giants do not necessarily need him to be pro-ready, but it’s not a bad quality to have. If Peterman were to somehow come to camp and prove himself competent enough to be Manning’s backup, that would likely save the Giants a roster spot and allow them to carry just two quarterbacks.

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William Hauser | USA TODAY Sports

Yes, there are some downsides

According to various media scouting reports:

• Peterman's arm strength is not tremendous. It's not necessarily a major issue, but his throw power isn't always there.

• He has struggled some with fumbles.

• His decision-making could be better at times, as could his touch on throws.

• He tends to be low on throws (Manning tends to be high).

• His ceiling may not be as high as other quarterbacks in this draft (his floor is probably more comforting though).

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NFL.com's scouting report

From Lance Zierlein: Peterman's experience in a pro-style passing attack gives him a head start headed into the league. His physical attributes are just average, but his accuracy, composure and anticipation are what sets him apart from some of the more physically gifted quarterbacks in this year's draft. Peterman's tape is sure to catch the eye of at least a few teams in need of a quarterback and he should come off the board by day two with a chance to become a solid starting quarterback in the future.

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Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com

CBS Sports' scouting report

From Dane Brugler:

STRENGTHS: Solidly-built frame with large hands and adequate height. NFL quality arm. Excellent touch on deep tosses -- averaged 9.3 yards per pass attempt in 2016 and not afraid to unload the ball downfield. Capable of driving the ball with added velocity with proper follow-through. Adjusts trajectory to drop the ball in between levels of the defense. Comfortable in the pocket with efficient movements to operate around the noise with his eyes elevated. Functional mobility to move the pocket and take the yardage if the run lane is there. Not afraid to stare down the gun barrel and allow routes develop, holding the ball until the last second. Sees the field well and delivers with anticipation. Resilient mentality and doesn't allow his emotions to get too high or too low. Experienced in a pro-style scheme and comfortable with three, five and seven step drops. Compiled a 47-to-15 touchdown-to-interception ratio the past two seasons at Pitt. Married (April 2016) with a mature lifestyle -- high character individual and worker.

WEAKNESSES: Erratic ball placement and makes receivers work for the reception. Inconsistent weight transfer and his feet and eyes are often on different pages. Pre-determines throws. Inconsistent eye use and bird-dogs his reads. Guilty of panicked decisions, forcing the ball into heavy coverage. Not the type of athlete who will make defenders miss. Needs to hold the ball tighter when scrambling with several fumbles on the game tapes studied. Simplistic passing offense at Pitt that relied on a lot of roll-outs and half-field reads.

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William Hauser | USA TODAY Sports

Pro Football Focus' scouting report

From PFF: Peterman has seen his stock rise the more people find out about him. He is a very solid, steady player with a limited ceiling - but shows a great understanding of the passing game. His arm is just OK, but with his ability to see the field clearly and work through progressions combined with his natural feel in the pocket, he has a chance to develop into a middle of the road starter. He played in a system with a lot of jet sweep gimmicks, but has experience under center and working full field progressions in both the drop back and play action pass game. Peterman can step in and be a backup on most teams right now, with the hopes there can be tweaks with a few things mechanically and as he gets older to gain more strength in his arm.

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The bottom line

The Giants believe Manning has several years of good football left. They may be right. They have to accept, though, that there are no guarantees with 36-year-old quarterbacks. Manning may not get to the end of his current deal.

The Giants need to start preparing for that possibility now by taking a quarterback this year to begin the development process. It's better to have an option on hand too early, than to have no option available when it's too late. In Peterman, the Giants would find the best of all worlds.

Peterman has the ability to be a plus starter, and there are tools to develop, but he will not command a high-round pick. He appears to fit the Giants' on-field scheme and off-field needs. He could be ready to back up Manning as a No. 2 quarterback as early as this season, providing roster flexibility.

Next year's quarterback class may be stronger on the whole, but the Giants should get one this year, when there's less pressure and more time to work with. Peterman makes the most sense, all things considered.

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James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.