APRIL 9: Echoing the notion that Carter or Hunter are the team’s likely targets at No. 3, Fowler’s colleague Jordan Raanan reports some see the Giants as not being high on Sanders. If that were to be the case, a quarterback move later in the draft would certainly still be in play, but a package deal of Hunter and Sanders would not be feasible. How New York evaluates the Colorado passer over the coming days will be critical in informing the team’s draft approach.
APRIL 8: For a while, it seemed like there was an obvious path for Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders to land with the Giants. Some later acquisitions made it seem likely that New York would go elsewhere in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a recent mock draft by Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York suggested that there’s still a less obvious path that could see Sanders end up with Big Blue. 
Initially, it was thought that the Giants would be considering drafting Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. A few things have changed that thinking. First, while quarterback was certainly seen as an area in need of improvement initially, the Giants have since added two veterans with starting potential in Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. Adding two veteran passers doesn’t solve the team’s long-term future at quarterback, but it did make it to where there’s no obligation to address the position in this year’s draft, perhaps delaying to a class with more than one first-round worthy player at the position.
Second, Sanders’ draft stock has not exactly been on the rise in recent weeks. Whether a result of one-on-one interviews or his workouts, some teams seem to have fallen out of love with him. As a result, Sanders has seemed to be in danger of sliding down the draft board and, at times, out of the first round altogether.
The third thing to change the potential outcome is the increasingly certain outlook of the Titans’ No. 1 overall pick. While not Sharpied in, there’s growing certainty around the league that Miami quarterback Cam Ward is headed to Tennessee. That leaves the draft’s top two prospects — Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter — available for Cleveland to decide between, assuming they’re also out on Sanders.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler asserted recently that with the acquisitions of Winston and Wilson lessening the need for a passer, it’s the belief of most teams in the top 10 picks of the draft that the Giants will choose whoever remains out of Carter and Hunter after the Titans and Browns make their picks. He doesn’t abandon quarterback as an option but claims they may defer that position to Days 2 or 3.
Hughes’ mock draft agrees on one hand, showing New York selecting Hunter after Ward and Carter go 1 & 2. Where it disagrees with Fowler’s sentiment comes six picks later, where Hughes doesn’t rule out the possibility of the Giants trading back into the first round to draft Sanders alongside his teammate at No. 9 overall. As Hughes explains, New York has plenty of picks to give up in order to move up; they have two thirds this year and their full cache of picks in 2026.
It would be a bold move for general manager Joe Schoen and company, likely spending a lot of draft capital in order to take the Buffaloes teammates in the top 10, but perhaps a bold move is exactly what is needed in New York. It was news when Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll kept their jobs after Black Monday, so making bold moves to setup up the future of the team may be the all-in action necessary for Schoen to stick around past 2025.
This is what desperate clickbait looks like the closer you get to the draft and nobody really KNOWS anything.
It’s fun to read though.
i prefer cooking up dirty burgers as opposed to most anything else
Have you seen my son Jacob?
Next article “Rumor: Chargers looking to draft first round QB?”
Or Bears are thinking about future after Caleb Williams retires
Yes that’s why it is a mock draft, one potential way it could go. If everyone knew everything before the draft there would be no reason to have it, but people enjoy reading them even if just to disagree. I don’t think you know what click bait means sadly.
Sounds like something a clickbaiter would say…
“Sanders’ draft stock has been on the rise in recent weeks” and “in danger of sliding down the draft board” don’t jive together in the same paragraph…
That mistake, and the presence of mind to capitalize “Sharpied” right afterward, is also an interesting dichotomy.
Offer the Patriots #34 and #65 plus your #1 in ’26 and #1 in ’27 to get pick #4.
Who says no?
The Giants, if they have any self-awareness. The #1 picks in 2026 and 2027 will probably be top 10 picks. Patriots would be foolish to pass that opportunity up.
I agree with you, rct. It would be unfairly ridiculous. However, the wildcard here could be Schoen and Daboll’s desperation to save their positions, rather than looking after the long term concerns for the Giants. Should that proposal happen, though, you’d hope that Mara would veto it immediately.
Well, here’s the chance to both Mara’s and Tisch to weigh in…..panicking and not continuing to build the roster with picks 3, 34, and even 65, (with the rest being cannon fodder for the punt team) would be a serious mistake and Mara needs to weigh in and address what Schoen does in the draft room…..Maras concern is the long term and if Schoen thinks he can do something stupid and draft Sanders, who clearly wouldn’t play at least for this season and next should be stopped immediately……build the roster this draft, especially given that the QB class is much stronger next year than this year’s guys who wouldn’t even be in the top 5 of last years class….and that includes Ward too.
Rd, damn straight, I’d take that trade
Giants-not close.
It’s fine if you think Shedeur isn’t worth it. But the Giants clearly do, if this report is true.
The value is obviously fair. That much isn’t debatable.
When Houston trade up to get back to back picks in ’23, they gave up 12, 33, for a future 1 and 3.
In this case, 33 is basically equal to 34, which is where the Patriots would be moving down to. The 12th pick would equate to the ’26 1, and the future 1 the Texans gave up is the 2nd future 1 the Giants give up. Actually the Texans value was much more because that pick #12 was current value. A future 1 carries less value than a 1 now. So the value is absolutely in the ballpark.
“But the Giants clearly do, if this report is true.”
FYI, this report is pure speculation from a reporter without insider info. I would put zero stock in it.
rd42 • 20 hours ago
The value is obviously fair. That much isn’t debatable.
=======================
According to Draftek’s trade value chart, the NYG’s picks are worth
#34 560
#65 265
2026 #1 (assuming a #16) 1000
2027 #1 “”” 1000
That’s a total of 2,825. The Pats #4 is worth 1,800. And I’d bet that the NYG 2026 #1 closer to top-10 than #16.
Give up all that for Shedeur Sanders??? If Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll did this they would only be guaranteeing their unemployment by week 6 and Deion would be the new coach
I’m not a Pats fan…but I’d sign off on this deal.
I think forfeiting a 1st this round for a 2nd + 3rd + 2026:1 + 2027:1 would be gold for NE.
From what I’ve gathered, there are a couple of impact LT available in next year’s draft…as well as a couple RB. If NYG play poorly enough, could get a LT without trading up and still have their own pick!
Giants never offer that…patriots hit accept quickly
Connor Hughes must have just watched the Kevin Costner movie Draft Day to propose trading 2nd and 3rd round picks for a Top 10 and PR David Putney.
Well, he didn’t suggest trading 2nd and 3rds for #9 so maybe you need to work on your reading comprehension a little more than your witty quips.
Yeah, that Kevin Costner trade ruined that movie.
What the Mel Kiper did I just read??
Such a rare opportunity. They already mesh. Great theory. Love this mock. Titans could trade back and do this too.
If the Saints pass on Sanders at 9 and he’s still available in the 16-19 range I could maybe see the Giants trying to trade up if they think the Steelers are going to grab him at 21. But jumping back into the top 10 is insane. This theory also assumes the Giants view Hunter as a WR and not a corner since it’s kinda weird logic to grab both then have them play on opposite sides of the ball which would negate their already established chemistry. Then you have to factor in that the Giants just took a WR in the top 10 last year who has a similar style of play as Hunter anyway.
Best case scenario for the Giants is drafting neither Hunter or Sanders. They need Abdul Carter and help on both lines way more than either of these two guys.
I could see the logic in stacking Hunter opposite of Nabors, but I don’t see the logic in signing both Winston and Wilson simply to trade up for Sanders.
I also wonder, in part, whether Sanders actually would be best served by moving out on his own-that is to say, away from both Hunter and his father. He’s been with them for many years and a few moves now. It will probably be much better to adapt to the new arena if the NFL if he can do so independently, instead of leaning on Hunter on the field and his father off.
Shedeur certainly has talent, and processes in a very mature way on the field, but it would probably behoove him to learn to adapt to unfamiliar players and unfamiliar settings without his old guardrails to help. It would probably make him more able to be more versatile in adapting to new teams. There’s nothing to say that he can’t right now, mind you, it just seems that it could potentially be an issue going forward if the dependence remains.
Your last paragraph made he chuckle Ak
Even being so green, he’d be better than anything we’ve had in Pittsburgh in years
And with the high powered wideouts?
Instant chemistry
But hey, why bother when you can back up the Brinks truck for a 42 year old?
I could only hope to be serious on my best day :).
To be fair, that 42 year old will also be better than anything the Steelers have had in years…
We’ll see what they do. Personally, I don’t really see someone that makes me think that he’s worth a trade up this year. If there were, I’d be more wary of a Rodgers signing, but there’s always a chance that Shedeur could deliver on his potential, too, if Pittsburgh nabs him. Really, I’d prefer to see them use their picks to fill other holes for a potential future QB, but there’s always uncertainty if talent this year sort of rewards the whole “best player available” mentality when you’re picking.
I’m hoping that other teams overvalue the qb prospects and scramble to grab them in the 12-18 range leaving the Steelers with their preferred choice between Walter Nolan, Kenneth Grant and Derrick Harmon to help out the d-line.
I think the Giants will be targeting Jalen Milroe in the late 1st. Or just take him with their own pick in the 2nd. Daboll likes mobile QB’s–something Shedeur is not.
Way too early for a QB who is at least 3 seasons from starting and even then you’ll have a RPO run offense….no…build the roster….3 and 34 need to be immediate starters…..
He’s been invited to the draft, which means one or more teams view him as a first round talent. I’m not saying you’re wrong. But there are people who get paid to make these decisions who are really high on the guy.
I seem to remember a guy named Gino Smith sitting in until the second round, and there was a quarterback a couple years ago, sitting in the green room that went in the second round
Tank for Arch!
Giants need a git ‘er done type, not another Manning crony.
I mean, the last “crony” that they picked ended up with two rings, so they could do worse.
That Manning brought the Giants 2 SB wins…..
Daniel Jones is a Manning crony.
You need to tank for two seasons for Arch Manning. Assuming he’s even the #1 pick.
“You need to tank for two seasons for Arch Manning.”
My Giants are way ahead of you there.
The way the Giants have been playing its possible they could be tanking for Peyton’s son
The same arch man that played in the lowest division in high school football and got their doors blown off by 40 points in the playoffs
Hard to call this aggregation of actual sourced news. This is just some rando’s hypothesis that *it’s possible* the Giants could pull this off. Speculation, and he could have just as easily written the Chiefs could pull off trades to draft both Colorado stars…if so, would PFR reported that too??
Come on bro. This commentary is basically saying. Each article can be written about anything. But this writer chose this topic and could have easily chosen a different topic. Lmao. Come on bro. Obviously 🙄
This writer is doing a great job in the spirit of mock. He is introducing it as a high variable for this team first, but then our minds are open to the alternative his brain achieved. Trailblazer!
The Raiders have a much better QB than the NYGs and they still need to draft a QB, so the Wilson/Winston thing is a non-factor.
And it feels like the article is way over-emphasizing that both Hunter and Sanders went to the same school. I think most people see Hunter as a CB first, and an occasional WR in passing downs.
If the raiders made a dual first move. It would still be jeanty/sanders anyways.
Reminds me of the CJ Stroud nonsense from a couple of years ago. He won’t make it past Las Vegas.
Sanders will not make it pass 9. Would not argue trading down, not too far. But pick up a 2 or 3 and a 1 for next year.
Shoen and Daboll are on borrowed time and no way will they take a QB with the #3 pick. Doesn’t make sense on a few fronts.
1. If they pick a QB at #3 there will be pressure from both the front office, fans and media to play the guy right away. Meaning the 2 veteran QBs you signed are essentially backups. Plus you’ll have to live with the rookie mistakes and poor play since you don’t have a competent team around him to take the pressure off.
2. The coach and GM need immediate results to retain their jobs. A QB at #3 doesn’t make this team better in the short run, which is all they have.
3. Once the GM and Coach are gone, who is to say the new GM and Coach will want their QB pick as their QB? Then you have a wasted pick that becomes similar to the Cardinals when they traded up for Josh Rosen ( a 1st, 3rd and 5th rd picks)then the very next year took Kyler Murray with the first pick. They then traded Rosen for a 2nd and 5th.
4. Reaching for a QB in the high 1st round never works out well. The Giants have experienced this before with not only the Jones pick, but also Dave Brown. This will and has set the franchise back at least 5 years. Sanders, or even Dart are not QB’s that are worthy of the #3 overall pick.
Best bet for the Giants, get Best Player Available at #3 (Carter or Hunter), use a later pick in either the 2nd or 3rd round to draft a developmental QB who will sit for at least a year and learn. That way if a new regime comes in and doesn’t like the QB it’s much easier to look for someone else than to be tied to the #3 pick and his cap hit.
It will be a moot point if the Browns draft Hunter with the second overall pick. The Giants might even be tempted to trade down themselves, do they really want to add Abdul Carter when they already have Brian Burns & Thibodeaux? Their best option might just be offensive tackle if they can’t trade down.
Need we remind you about the perils of the Giants drafting an OL when they drafted Neal and even Thomas has missed more games in the last 2 than he played….other than Corner, the Giants only suck worse at drafting O linemen…and…you never have enough pass rushers….Hunter.Graham.or Carter will be there…all might work….
I don’t think they’re keeping Thibodeaux long term. He hasn’t lived up to what he was supposed to be at that pick. Seems like the type of player they’ll pick up the option and then let him walk or trade next year.
Depends on the type of money another team may try and throw at him as compared to what the Giants can afford to pay……if anything, the NY press has really criticized the Giants for letting serviceable NFL players go because of money….sound sill I know, but guys they have had in their system for 5 years are better signings then journeymen who played for other teams they pic up as free agents……sign him…he’s not spectacular but is a better than average rotational Edge defender…..
Thibodeaux is being floated in trade talk if the Giants want to grab more craft choices.
Shoot….add Aaron Rodgers and tariffs to that headline for even MORE clicks.
Big time Click bate from this writer Ely….
Double the headaches…
What were the tough defenses that Sanders faced at Colorado in 2024?
All college defenses are remedial. Patrick Mahomes was really challenged by terrible defenses in the same conference by the way. The thing most people seem to hate Sanders for is why I’m pretty certain he won’t be a bust. He’s been groomed from birth by the greatest CB of all time. It’d be like a athletic Manning at CB. He has had all the answers to the questions since he was a kid, something you can’t tangibly quantify. I know everyone is in love with the off-schedule athletic QB but I think people are overthinking this one too much. I’ll be surprised if he’s not a top end starter in the league by year three of his career.
Well get ready to be surprised…..not saying he won’t be a starter, but no way he compares to the greats in the NFL of today….he’s more of a Ryan Tannehill….serviceable but nothing special and when the clock runs out, he’s a backup going nowhere…..pats the ball telegraphing his throws, takes way too many sacks, not the strongest arm….and he had Hunter at WR who pretty much went up and got everything….even the ridiculous throws….he won’t be able to get away with those throws in the NFL……
By year 3? For many high first round QB picks, if they haven’t proven themselves in year 1 or 2, there may not be a year 3.
There is a lot of impact from where they end up that factors into their success as well.
They won’t have the cupcake schedule they had at Colorado.