Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll may well need a solid start to the 2025 season to retain their jobs, after John Mara alluded to losing patience after a 3-14 season. The Giants need a long-term quarterback answer, after Daniel Jones failed on a long runway, but their decision to pass on three first-round QBs last year looms large now.
The Giants are not expected to draft a QB at No. 3, and teams may have New York’s QB situation in mind when making trade calls. Schoen confirmed (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) he has received calls about No. 3 overall. Pointing to the Giants staying at 3, Schoen said the team likes who will be there by that point in the draft.
[RELATED: Tension Growing Between Schoen, Daboll?]
Expected to have either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter on the board at that spot, the Giants are almost certain to take whichever player the Browns do not. This scenario involves the Titans making their long-rumored Cam Ward pick at No. 1. The Giants would need to be creative if they added Carter, as the team already rosters Brian Burns‘ upper-market contract and former No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. While the Giants have a history of adding edge players when the area was already deep (via the Mathias Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre-Paul picks), neither player was chosen near the juncture Carter would be; Kiwanuka went 32nd in 2006, JPP 15th in ’10.
This situation has likely come up in trade calls, too, as the Giants could auction the pick for teams eyeing Carter — if the Browns take Hunter. Schoen would not hesitate on Carter, despite the presences of lofty EDGE investments, and he would not stand in the way of Hunter playing both ways.
The Giants have straddled the line on Hunter’s best position, initially viewing him as a better cornerback before also being open to the Heisman winner at receiver. Schoen said (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the team would let Hunter play both ways, as he has “proven he can do it.” This would be an extraordinary step in the modern game. Schoen would presumably want Hunter to concentrate on one position while mixing in elsewhere, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan adds, noting CB would likely be the team’s first choice. Schoen added the team “likes” its secondary already.
One of these players heading to the Big Apple would ramp up the pressure for the team to tab a long-term QB soon after, though Schoen at least paid lip service to the Giants’ Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston signings not mandating (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) the team draft another option. Tommy DeVito remains on the team as well.
That said, the Giants have again done extensive QB work. The effort will conclude this week with Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough workouts. These will all come after the team conducted “30” visits with these passers. Jaxson Dart would also loom as a potential option in a scenario featuring a trade back into Round 1. Dart is not expected to be on the board when the Giants’ second-round pick (No. 34) goes on the clock. Both Dart and Sanders bring murky draft statuses, though, complicating a path that will begin with Hunter or Carter going at No. 3.
“If the value matches up with what we have on a player. (But) I’m not going to force it if it’s not the right value,” Schoen said (via Vacchiano). “If the board lines up when we’re on the clock, we’ll go with it. I’m not going to be backed into a corner on that.”
While it would surprise if the Giants left this draft without a quarterback, the team could technically field a Wilson-Winston-DeVito depth chart. That would not qualify as one of the NFL’s better QB trios, but it is an option if Schoen and Co. want to load up on position players to strengthen the roster around Wilson.
The team does want to come out of this draft with a quarterback, Vacchiano adds, but it does not love the class enough to mandate such a move. Although the Giants hold Ward in high regard, their late-season upset over the Colts scuttled that route.
Mara will not travel to Boulder, Schoen added, for Sanders’ workout. We heard recently that an owner becoming involved may be a way for Sanders to come off the board in Round 1. With Schoen not assured of being back in 2026, Mara’s voice may be important early in this draft. The Giants made a rather notable trade-up for a quarterback 21 years ago, agreeing to the post-selection swap for Eli Manning. Any move in this draft would not approach that decision’s stature, but the Giants would face franchise-defining questions at the position if they left this draft without a post-2025 plan at the position.
BUT, will they stay at 34??
Call the Vikes and move up to 24
I’m in the minority but the only sure thing about the Giants 2025 Draft is they’ll screw the pooch
Last year’s draft was very good. The year prior not so good.
Giants need to take Carter and hopefully make up for not taking Parsons.
I intentionally said 2025. Jobs depend on this draft; although I personally don’t think Schoen can ever redeem himself more for that Daniel Jones contract than letting Saquon walk
This is why Joe Schoen should have been fired after the season ended, this is too important a draft to screw up. The Giants need to pass on all these questionable QBs and hope for the best next year!!!
If Carter is there you have to grab him, Hunter is a novelty (and a luxury) that just reeks of being injury prone or being ineffective!!! I’d trade the pick and go for something a little more safe.
I’d move back and grab as many OL as possible. Dominate the line on both sides and everything else will fall into place.
IF the Giants like Sanders, they are better off trading back to where the Raiders are. He won’t be drafted by NE or JAX for sure. And given that both Carter and Graham will be gone before the #6, the Raiders will have some motivation to move up a little.