Giants Have "Done Their Homework" on This Likely First Round Draft Pick

Recent draft winds suggest the Giants are moving away from taking a QB at No. 3, but one analyst says that notion doesn’t match the team’s process with one prospect.

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) takes a snap at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. / Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

As the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is just around the corner, there is a growing sense amongst league circles that Colorado quarterback and potential first-round selection Shedeur Sanders might not hear his name called among the top-three picks of night one, specifically the New York Giants at No. 3.

For most of the draft process, Sanders, who has been widely regarded as the second-best quarterback prospect in this year’s class, was projected to be a top-five candidate with the most attention coming from either the Cleveland Browns or Giants, two teams in dire need of a gunslinger. 

However, with the Giants taking a double veteran quarterback approach to their early moves in free agency, signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston for short-term starter and backup roles, the vibe has been given off that the team doesn’t have a significant interest in Sanders, and the thin quarterback class in general, or believe they have a chance to grab him at the third overall pick. 

Then, the Giants, like the Browns, made a massive statement by hauling a large contingent of front office and coaching staff personnel, including head coach Brian Daboll, to attend the Colorado program’s final pro day in Boulder on Friday. 

The thought was that New York was coming to primarily watch Sanders’s teammate, cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, whom many reportedly believe they are keying on taking as the best available player with their first pick. 

That was until Daboll made a surprise at the scouting event after he said he wouldn’t be attending just a few days earlier. It has prompted one notable analyst to opine that the sighting was very strategic regarding how the Giants ponder the thought of addressing their most important position for the future. 

ESPN draft analyst Field Yates, who appeared on The Pat McAfee Show from Boulder to discuss the scouting showcase and his latest mock draft, which had Sanders going to the Giants at No. 3, says that the franchise is still very much in the race for Sanders and has been his most aggressive suitor to this point in the process.

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) runs drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. / Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

“The Giants still need to consider taking a quarterback in this draft,” Yates said on the show.

“On top of that, in talking with some scouts, they’ve said if the Giants aren’t interested in Shedeur, it’s not going to be from a lack of effort. People who have been here at Boulder or at games they’re playing on the road this year have noticed that the Giants are always well represented.”

“So they’ve done their homework on Shedeur, and maybe their conclusion by the time we get to round one on April 24th is that he’s not the quarterback worthy of being taken at the No. 3 pick, but I haven’t ruled it out entirely.”

It was also noted that the Browns had a large group of onlookers at the event, including owner Jimmy Hasle, which could have been a huge hint towards Cleveland’s intentions at the No. 2 slot. Most mocks have had them pursuing the best player available between Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

Regarding the Giants’ agenda, it is very hard to ignore that Daboll changed his mindset and showed up to watch Sanders for the final time in action. While it’s not a full admission of their intent, he was present last year at Malik Nabers’ pro day at LSU and similarly at Maryland to see Deonte Banks in 2023 and Oregon for Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2022, all of whom were the team’s first choices in those drafts.

Even if it was simply a coincidental change of heart, the Giants hope that Daboll remains the coach in place for developing a potential prospect for at least the next year or two, as he did with Josh Allen in Buffalo, before they take over the huddle. 

His presence was likely a desire for him to be fully comfortable with the idea of landing Sanders before they gambled their most valuable draft asset on making him the franchise quarterback of the future. 

They might not want to gamble that Sanders is gone by the latter half of the first round if they bypass him for Hunter first, so they gave it one more telling glance before the ultimatum was reached.

Again, that all is moot unless Cleveland takes their hands out of the game as they remain one pick above New York, and their brass has made comments that suggest they need to bring in their heir apparent to eventually replace Deshaun Watson quickly. 

On the other hand, the Giants also have to discern if they want to pass up on a player of Hunter's or even Carter’s talents to prioritize the quarterback position for the third time this offseason. 

The 2025 season promises to be a must-win campaign for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, who are believed to be in the hot seat after consecutive losing seasons. 

The duo is likely being pulled just as strongly toward chasing the best available player who can help them fill a need and put wins in the column. Hunter does that for the young secondary that needs a premier ballhawk to go with Paulson Adebo, and Carter would further fortify the defensive front. 

As Yates noted, the history of the NFL has told us time and time again that what matters for longstanding success in the league is having a quarterback who can handle adversity and carry the team on their shoulders. 

Sanders did that in college with Colorado and seems eager to do the same for the Giants and the Big Apple, which has been starving for relevance again. 

Sanders could give them the fundamental backbone of what they need from a rookie quarterback before Daboll hopefully works his magic like he did in Buffalo with Allen. But it all comes down to timing and the important question of whether they view him worthy enough of that third overall pick or try to chase him later down the board if he falls. 

The recent massive entourage in Colorado suggests they are still pondering all the possibilities until they have to hand in the card. 

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