Multiple mock drafts produced by national football analysts published on Wednesday linked the New York Giants with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders after some recently suggested the Giants should and will make Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter the third overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Also, on Wednesday, Giants insider Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News explained why fans should believe the club is serious about passing on Sanders at pick No. 3.
“The Giants do not appear to be in love with a quarterback at No. 3,” Leonard said. “…Maybe they’d trade back into the first round from No. 34 if they valued one of the consensus second-tier quarterbacks more than most. This would seem to be the most obvious approach that also aligns with [general manager Joe Schoen’s] decision to sign two veteran QBs in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. The GM has desperately pursued veteran QBs all offseason that would have allowed him not to take a QB at three, from Matthew Stafford to Aaron Rodgers to Joe Flacco and the two that New York signed.”
Stafford reportedly left some money on the table to return to the Los Angeles Rams, while Rodgers seemingly would rather play for the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Minnesota Vikings than the Giants. A Wednesday report shared that the Giants “love” Cam Ward, but the Tennessee Titans are expected to make the Miami quarterback the draft’s first pick.
“They went to Cam Ward’s pro day, came back from that and signed Russell Wilson,” one unnamed NFL executive said about the Giants during a chat with Mike Sando of The Athletic. “To me, that says that the owner said, ‘You cannot trade up for a quarterback. If one falls to you, great, draft him, but you are not trading up for one.'”
For a mock draft posted late Wednesday night, Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand predicted that the Giants would select Carter at No. 3 if the Browns made Hunter the draft’s second choice.
On Thursday morning, Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com linked the Giants with Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Alabama signal-caller Jalen Milroe. It’s unclear how far beyond the third pick those two players will slide later in April.
“Carter is viewed by many NFL evaluators as the best football player in this draft,” Leonard continued. “…So if the Nittany Lions edge-rusher were still on the board at No. 3, it is extremely difficult to envision him not becoming a Giant. In a more likely scenario, if the Browns take Carter at No. 2, then Hunter will be staring at the Giants at No. 3. Would they really not pick a player who has received high marks for character and could help both a leaky secondary and the NFL’s No. 31 ranked offense?”
In short, it sounds like more and more knowledgeable individuals are convinced the Giants aren’t sold on grabbing Sanders with the draft’s third pick.
