The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is on Thursday, and the New York Giants have crucial decisions to make. Holding the third overall pick, there are two major questions they must answer that will alter the future of the franchise as well as the shape of the draft for the entire league.
Carter Or Hunter?
There are two elite non-quarterback prospects in this draft class: edge defender Abdul Carter from Penn State and two-way player Travis Hunter from Colorado. The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to select quarterback Cam Ward first overall, leaving Carter and Hunter to the Cleveland Browns and Giants with the second and third picks. Which player New York gets is largely up to Cleveland.
Carter is seen as a game-changing pass rusher. He can set the edge in a defense either standing up or with his hand in the dirt, and would project as an outside linebacker in the Giants’ three-man front. They have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux penciled in as their starting edge rushers, but there’s a significant drop in talent on the draft board behind Carter and Hunter. Besides, the Giants thrived with multiple star pass rushers during during the Eli Manning Era, and Thibodeaux hasn’t been as dominant as they hoped when they made him the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft.
If the Browns take Carter, the Giants would be thrilled to land Hunter. He won the Heisman Trophy this season for posting elite production as both a cornerback and a wide receiver, and he has expressed a demand to continue playing both positions in the NFL. Most likely, he would have to play full-time at one spot while specializing at the other in certain packages and situations, but there isn’t a consensus around the NFL on which position is his strongest. His size is more conducive to playing on defense, which is also a greater area of need for the Giants.
There’s an outside possibility the team could go in a different direction. They have an enormous hole at defensive tackle, and Mason Graham from Michigan would be an ideal fit playing next to Dexter Lawrence, but they would be passing on a higher-value player if they choose him. This is also a deep draft class on the defensive line, so they could address that need later on. A trade down is also a possibility if they get a strong enough offer, but it’s more than likely they will pick either Carter or Hunter.
The Quarterback Question
The Giants are drafting third overall because ineffective quarterback play doomed them to a 3-14 record. They released Daniel Jones during the season when it became clear he could not be counted on as the starter any longer. They signed veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason, but neither represents a long-term solution at the most important position.
If Ward was going to be available for them with their first pick, he would be an easy choice, but that’s not going to happen. They’re also unlikely to reach for the second-best quarterback at that spot because it would be a poor value. Depending on who they like best and how the draft plays out, they have to decide whether to trade back into the first round to pick one.
Colorado’s Shadeur Sanders is favored by many to be the next passer taken after Ward, but his limited physical skills could have him sliding on the day of the draft. Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart could end up going ahead of him. Jalen Milroe of Alabama and Tyler Shough of Louisville also have favorable skills that could have them sneaking into first round consideration, though it’s more likely they are selected on the second day of the draft.
If there is a certain quarterback who the Giants admire, it will be interesting to see how much they will let the draft progress before the trade up for him. There are other teams who could have there eyes on one, such as the New Orleans Saints picking ninth, the Indianapolis Colts picking 14th, the Pittsburgh Steelers picking 21st, and the Browns with the first pick in the second round.
The Giants’ second pick is right after Cleveland’s at 34th overall. All of the aforementioned teams won’t draft a quarterback, but some of them probably will. If quarterbacks start coming off the board, New York can’t afford to sit and wait for a passer to fall to them in the second round.