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On SI Publishers Mock Draft Yields a Surprise Pick for the Giants in Round 1

The Giants should draft a quarterback in the first round, right? Not in this mock draft though.

Patricia Traina

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) against the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) against the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Up at the top of New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen’s to-do list in big read letters remains the words “GET A QUARTERBACK!” 

While Schoen has been looking at every corner of the planet to find an established veteran signal-caller with Super Bowl experience seemingly preferred, when it comes to the draft, the Giants take a very different direction.

In the latest On SI mock draft run by the 32 NFL team publisher, the Giants sit tight at No. 3 and select Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. 

In this mock, the Tennessee Titans select Miami quarterback Cam Ward, believed to be the Giants’ top choice at the position in this year’s thin class. The Cleveland Browns then select Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, leaving the Giants a choice of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders or Carter. 

Why Carter over Sanders? Here is my reasoning. 

“Yes, the Giants desperately need a quarterback. However, one look at the veteran bridge quarterback options they have tried to land (Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson) would suggest that they might not be as all-in on the top of the class as those outside the building might be. 

“Although Shedeur Sanders was tempting at this spot, the Giants need their top three picks to contribute immediately, and if they can land either Rodgers or Wilson, they can wait until later in the draft to select a quarterback.”

(Sanders went to the Seahawks at No. 18 in this mock draft despite the Seahawks' landing veteran free-agent Sam Darnold, who was previously with the Vikings.) 

Carter is a prospect the Giants are thought to “really like” and who are reportedly giving serious consideration to selecting at No. 3. He would instantly add some firepower to the Giants’ pass rush, which already has Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence II, and newcomer Chauncey Golston. 

That beefed-up front should make life easier for the defense's back end, whose members, Doente Banks, Paulson Adebo, Tyler Nubin, and Jevon Holland, are still relatively young.   

The big question Schoen must answer, assuming Carter and Sanders are both on the board, is whether he can justify not selecting the quarterback, even if Sanders doesn’t have as high of a draft grade as Carter. 

In the past, Schoen said that he believed in sticking to his board, but then again, he has never had a situation where what he called “the most important position on a football team" was such a glaring hole on the roster.

Perhaps landing a veteran will make the decision easier for him, as he will defer taking  quarterback until Day 2 for whichever veteran he signs to help acclimate to life in the NFL.  

While it’s always been widely assumed that the rookie would be one of Ward or Sanders, the next tier of quarterbacks, including Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss and Jalen Milroe of Alabama.
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Ideally though, the Gians get their next franchise quarterback in the first round so that they can benefit from getting the option year that comes with all first-round draft pick contracts. If they were to skip picking a quarterback at No. 3, they would have to try to trade back into the bottom of the first round for a signal caller, assuming one is left on the board.

The NFL Draft begins April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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