Ryan Nassib drafted by New York Giants as part of Round 4 QB run

Ryan Nassib could be an upgrade for the Giants as the first choice backup to star Eli Manning. (Rich Barnes/Icon SMI) When the 2013 NFL Draft started, there

Ryan Nassib could be an upgrade for the Giants as the first choice backup to star Eli Manning. (Rich Barnes/Icon SMI)

When the 2013 NFL Draft started, there was a belief that Ryan Nassib might wind up as Buffalo's pick at No. 8 overall, with a shot to compete for the Bills' starting job. Instead, Nassib sat on the board for another 102 picks, until the New York Giants surprisingly made a move up in Round 4 to draft the Syracuse quarterback.

The upside here for Nassib? Far from what it was at Buffalo, at least in the immediate future. The Giants, of course, have Eli Manning entrenched as their starting quarterback and he is currently under contract through the 2015 season. Veteran David Carr is also still around as Manning's backup.

So, the rationale here for the Giants is uncertain. But the thinking may have been that a) Nassib represented a huge value where he had fallen in the draft; and b) New York might be able to dangle him as trade bait in the near future -- several young backups have been mentioned in similar conversations in recent months.

The Giants also may have upgraded their backup situation over Carr here. NFL teams search high and low for No. 2 QBs that can win should an injury fell their starter, and Carr is hardly a guy that's going to shoulder much of burden. Though he's a bit of mystery right now, Nassib certainly has more of an upside than the veteran Carr.

This still has to be a disappointment, overall, for Nassib. With his college coach, Doug Marrone, moving to Buffalo, there appeared to be a natural landing spot for Nassib -- he produced school record-setting numbers under Marrone with the Orange.

But as quarterbacks, in general, fell down the board and Buffalo opted for E.J. Manuel, Nassib found himself on the outside looking in. Now, he'll have to earn his way onto even the Giants' active game roster from week to week, and it figures to be at least a couple of years before he gets a shot to play -- whether in New York or elsewhere.

Nassib was one of several talented quarterbacks still on the board headed into Day 3. Here's where everyone else landed:

• Matt Barkley, USC: The Eagles traded up to nab Barkley atop Round 4. More on that move here.

• Tyler Wilson, Arkansas: With Barkley off the board, Oakland traded down from the third pick in Round 4 and took Wilson at No. 112 overall. It's a worthwhile home-run swing for a team in a total rebuild.

Landry Jones, Oklahoma:

Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger