The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. And as Thursday night draws nearer, there are plenty of questions on how the draft will pan out for every single team in the league.
But as a New York Giants fan, it is my duty to highlight the ideal draft scenario for them in such a pivotal year for the franchise. With the 3rd overall pick in the draft, an early second rounder and two third round selections, Big Blue has a chance to take the next step as an organization and stray from the last decade of misfortune.
The Giants have had only 2 winning seasons in the last 12 years. They have lost 10+ games in 8 of those 12 years and apart from two fluke playoff seasons, they have been a complete and unmitigated disappointment. They have spent a significant amount of draft stock on players that did not pan out and wasted more opportunities with those who did pan out.
Watching guys like Evan Neal, Kadarius Toney and Ereck Flowers turn into pure trash hurt me. Seeing Odell Beckham demand a trade in the middle of his prime and Eli Manning get embarrassed by Pat Shurmur devastated me. But watching Saquon Barkley tally 2,283 yards and 15 touchdowns and win a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in just one year broke me.
I am not the same person I was a year ago. Joe Schoen and the front office has robbed me and an entire fanbase of joy. Last season was torture as we watched our star running back, who did not want to leave, set the league on fire with our archrival and win a Super Bowl while we stumbled to a 3-14 record.
PAIN. PAIN. PAIN. PAIN. PAIN.
And so much of it.
It is very obvious that the Giants need to hit on this draft class. They simply cannot afford another poor performance and the Schoen/Daboll duo is unlikely to survive another losing season.
Let’s first look at potential franchise-altering options that could be available to the G-Men at #3.
First, we have the Heisman winning Travis Hunter, out of Colorado, who plays Cornerback and Wide Receiver at an elite level. His insane level of athleticism allows him to change games on either side of the ball. Defensively, he snagged 4 INTs and tallied 11 Pass Break Ups last year and allowed only 23 catches and 1 TD on 41 targets in coverage. Offensively, he caught 15 receiving TDs and 96 passes for 1,258 receiving yards.
He wants to play both positions in the NFL and certainly brings a lot of talent to both sides, but it is safe to assume he will lean more to the cornerback position. Therefore, his receiving totals will likely be way less than the numbers I just gave you, but he will be an elite corner and almost certainly join the receiving team for a handful of possessions each game. CBS Sports gave him flattering NFL comps as they compare him to Justin Jefferson as a receiver and Champ Bailey as a cornerback. That would literally make him the greatest player of all time.
Next, we have an elite pass-rushing beast from Penn State named Abdul Carter. He is the definition of explosive. This guy flies through offensive lines and cuts through gaps like a knife slicing through hot butter. He was a great player that leaped forward and developed into a phenomenal player last season for Penn State as he had 12 sacks and led the league in Tackles for Loss.
He is very fast, but he is more notably agile. He is able to aggressively cut, spin and change direction at the drop of a dime and this makes him a wildly elite pass rushing prospect. It seems like he almost never makes a mistake and is at the center of every single defensive play. This is the key ingredient to a super bowl winning formula, in my opinion, and pairing him up with Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence could turn the lowly G-Men into actual Giants overnight.
I have seen NFL comps of Cliff Avril and Von Miller for Carter, and that would just be crazy successful for any team that drafts him. I may be crazy, or it may just be the #11 on his jersey, but I see a lot of Micah Parsons in him. The Giants already lost their chance to draft Micah Parsons, but they may have a new opportunity to draft his clone 4 years later.
Next up, we have Shadeur Sanders, who is the son of Deion Sanders. Last season, he more than put Colorado on the map as he completed a whopping 74% of his passes, threw 37 TDs (ran for 4 TDs), and only threw 10 interceptions. In total, he racked up 4,134 passing yards which was good for the most ever in school history.
Sanders is confident and sometimes to a fault as we have seen him crumble under the bright lights multiple times. If you look at the tape, he appears to be incredibly talented and a sure thing for any team in need of a QB, but there are certainly some underlying concerns to address.
While he is more than capable of launching footballs and throwing hard and accurately, his pocket presence leaves a lot to be desired. He lacks an upper level of pocket mobility and does not seem to handle aggressive pressure very well as he seems to lack discipline in the pocket. Accuracy and tendency to “make the big play” can only last so long when you are getting crushed every drive.
Now I am not saying he is Daniel Jones, but I think I speak for all Giants fans when I say that the thought of having an undisciplined QB with a poor pocket presence and who is a common victim of the “quarterback sack” makes me want to vomit profusely. I cannot even fathom the thought of reliving the last 6 years. His strengths are very strong, but his weaknesses scare me way too much for a #3 overall draft selection.
I do not trust Sanders and I think he is very likely to become a failed experiment of a struggling team and the future star of the classic “What Could Have Been” conversations. He is far too cocky and has a track record of character-related concerns. Confidence is a great characteristic for any pro athlete, but overconfidence can lead to issues. He was quick to blame other teammates in college after bad losses and did not take accountability often, which should be a sought-after trait in young quarterbacks. Many front offices have commented on his arrogance and overconfidence in various meetings he has attended this offseason and his lack of potential leadership may hurt his draft stock.
Now pair all of this with a very vocal (and famous) father who has never once held his thoughts to himself and is likely to be extremely opinionated about Shadeur’s playing time, performance and more. That is not a very great pairing of off-the-field baggage. I can see the writing on the wall with this kid and it ends with the New York media swallowing him up and shattering his confidence. Maybe he goes to a quieter market like New Orleans and thrives, but this is all about the Giants today, and I am hoping they pass on him at #3.
I would, however, be okay with Sanders if he slips down later in the first or even to the second round (based on recent reports that I do not necessarily agree with), and we make a move to get him. But there is no chance I get sleep at night if they draft him and pass up on one of Carter or Hunter with their first-round selection.
This brings me to the best part…who do I think the Giants will select?
Oh boy. This is tough and I would like to preface it by saying that I am okay with either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter. The Browns may choose for them at #2 and make their lives a whole lot easier, but if Shadeur happens to go to Cleveland, Joe Schoen will face one of his toughest decisions ever as the leader of the Giants.
Let’s assume the latter scenario is presented to them and they must choose between the two. I am choosing Abdul Carter. I love Travis, but Abdul feels like the smarter and safer move. Longevity has become such a focal point in this league and playing both sides of the ball could really affect him in the long run. He is more than capable of giving any team multiple seasons of top-quality play, but where will he be in 5 years? Will he still be playing both? Will he have fully shifted to one position as a result of an extended slump in the other role? Can he mentally handle poor receiving play and not let it bother him on defense (or vice versa)?
There are so many questions, and for his sake and every football fan’s sake, I hope none of this happens and he is successful in changing the game forever. However, the Giants need stability, and they need an absolute monster on defense. I wholeheartedly believe that the pulse of every great team comes from the core of the defensive and offensive lines. Carter, Lawrence, Burns and Thibodeaux is very scary for other teams, and if they all click and can put pressure on the opposing passers all game long, there is so much less pressure on the secondary.
Drafting Carter could benefit the pass-rushers I just mentioned, obviously, but it can also have a very drastic effect on stud defensive backs, Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo, and rising youngsters, Deonte Banks, Dru Phillips and Tyler Nubin. It makes this defense instantly deeper. Hunter would have a similarly immediate type of impact on the secondary and the offensive group as well, but I find it very hard to pass up on Carter if he is available.
Should Carter get drafted by Cleveland, Hunter is a more than suitable consolation prize and I will convince myself that the issues I flagged earlier can be avoided with proper coaching and load-management.
Quick sidenote: I also want to note that I believe Ashton Jeanty is the best player in the draft, but I cannot allow this team to draft a RB that high again. There are just far too many holes to fill before they could even consider pulling the trigger on that position in the first round. It has not been a realistic thought for the Giants, but I just wanted it on the record for when he dominates the league for the next 7 years.
I do, however, see the Giants following this Carter/Hunter selection up with a balanced approach in the rounds that follow. They have many positional holes to fill, but it would serve them best to find an offensive lineman with high upside in the second round. They could also be on the lookout for some linebackers, receivers and running backs.
I would be pleased with any of the following stud Offensive Linemen falling to the Giants: Tyler Booker, James Conerly Jr., Grey Zabel or Donovan Jackson.
At Linebacker, I would love to use a third rounder on Carson Schwesinger, but he is likely going in Round 2. Maybe they use that extra 3rd round pick to get crafty and find a way to snag him, but I am also content with drafting two guys in round 3. Round 4 may present a more realistic opportunity to dip into the linebacker market and I would be okay with drafting Demetrius Knight Jr, Chris Paul Jr or Danny Stutsman.
As for Running Backs, the potential of Tyrone Tracy has put less pressure on the front office to draft a runner early on, but it should still be considered a need. I was blessed to see my team win two Super Bowls in my lifetime and both were largely due to the run game. The combination of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw broke defenses down and they both ran wild for years in the league.
With that said, I would love to target a power running back in this draft to complement Tracy. My realistic wish list (considering other options) would consist of Cam Skattebo, Kyle Monangai, Bhayshul Tuten and Montrell Johnson Jr. Skattebo just has the look and playing style of a New York Giant.
Lastly, we have the quarterback position. Assuming they do not get Sanders at #3, it is very likely the Giants still go for a QB in this draft. Trading into the late first to get Sanders would be okay with me, as I mentioned earlier, and I think I am even more on board with it we get Hunter at #3. Having them stick together in the league would only help them both as they transition. Let’s remove Sanders from the conversation right now and operate on a trade-less assumption though.
There are only a few guys I like in this draft class. I would not mind spending 3rd-5th round stock on one of Jalen Milroe, Will Howard or Dillon Gabriel. I think all have varying levels of talent and would fit different schemes, but with the presence of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, it could be very beneficial for any of these three to sit behind them for a year or two and learn.
Of this group, I prefer Milroe and his otherworldly athleticism. I do believe that he may be the most physically blessed quarterback in this draft and could develop into a superstar. He will always have his rushing prowess, but studying under Wilson and Winston could end up being a perfect fit for him in the early going. Also, it is worth noting that the school of Russell and Jameis could also serve Shadeur Sanders very well.
There are so many different outcomes to anticipate for rounds 2 through 7 for the New York Giants, but I hope and pray that they approach the first round with a very simple mindset.
Do not get crazy. Do not break the internet. Do not get weird.
Draft the best player available.
DRAFT ABDUL CARTER.