Travis Hunter AND Jaxson Dart in Round 1 for New York
With Russell Wilson now QB1 for the New York Giants, will they go all-in for a quarterback of the future in the 2025 NFL Draft? Or, will they take the best position player available? How about doing both?
That’s what I try to accomplish in this week’s seven-round New York Giants mock draft. Let’s see how it turned out.
Round 1 (No. 3) — Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
I passed on Shedeur Sanders, who fell all the way to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14. I chose Hunter over Abdul Carter, which is pretty much a coin toss. I might even be mad at myself for not choosing Carter, but Carter vs. Hunter is a hard call without a wrong answer.
As for passing on Sanders, this is a “what I would do” scenario and right now I’m just not convinced Sanders is the right play. I think with the heat on GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll in 2025, the smart play is to use the No. 3 pick to get the best player who can help the team immediately.
Then, as you see below, figure out how to get a quarterback of the future.
TRADE!!! Round 1 (No. 18) — Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
I gave up picks 34, 65 and a 2026 second-rounder to make this move. That’s more than I wanted to part with, but the Pro Football Network simulator is stingy. I wanted to get in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 26), as well as the Cleveland Browns (No. 33).
So, the Giants have their cake and eat it, too, with one of the two best players in the draft and a splashy move up for a quarterback.
Per the traditional Jimmy Johnson trade chart, I gave up 1,014 points in value while getting back 900. Trade up teams always have to give a little extra, so I will live with the cost.
This is admittedly a stiff price to pay and it is going to stink to sit through 80 picks before getting a chance to draft again. I do not, though, think Schoen can keep punting on taking a big swing at finding a quarterback of the future. I think John Mara more or less mandated getting a quarterback of the future in this draft, and this is what it took to get that done.
I think this is a best-case scenario Round 1 outcome for the Giants.
Here are some Dart highlights:
Round 3 (No. 99) — T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina
It was a long wait from 18 to 99, more than two full rounds. I am not complaining, though, I accomplished in Round 1 what I thought needed to be accomplished. Getting a top player who could help the Giants now, and a quarterback they could try to build around in the future.
I was happy to find Sanders, one of the top defensive tackles in the class, still on the board.
Here is a scouting report from 33rd Team:
South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle T.J. Sanders projects as an attacking interior defender for the NFL level. There appears to be a developmental foundation for a more complete role and profile with time — he has enough length and enough punch power to align overtop of blockers and stack the point if he can be more consistent with his anchor, block recognition skills, and hand placement.
As is, he’s an absolute savage rushing the passer who should bolster an NFL team’s sub-package rush group from the jump. Sanders has played more than 150 snaps apiece in the A-gap and head-up over tackles, showing the ability to win from all kinds of angles thanks to his first step, lateral quickness, active hands, and ability to turn tight corners.
Other players considered: Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee; Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers; Anthony Belton, OT, North Carolina State; Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech; Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
Round 4 (No. 105) — Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers
A developmental offensive tackle who could eventually be a starter opposite Andrew Thomas at right tackle feels like a good idea. Here, I take Pierce over Anthony Belton, Ozzy Trapilo and Ajani Cornelius.
Here is Pierce’s 33rd Team scouting report:
Rutgers Scarlet Knights offensive tackle Hollin Pierce is a player who gets drafted simply off his physical tools. He’s done a wonderful job during his collegiate career of remodeling his body and getting into a position to offer sufficient levels of mobility on the edge to complement his raw size and length.
Folks like this don’t grow on trees, and Pierce has a massive zip code worth of real estate on the edge that he’ll force defenders to navigate. He’s a developmental talent who must polish his play and remove some of the ugly losses that still exist on film, but he’s got a number of uncoachable variables in his corner.
I had an opportunity to interview Pierce a while back. I love the kid’s story.
Other players considered: Anthony Belton, OT, North Carolina State; Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College; Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon; Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
Round 5 (No. 154) — Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers
Yes, a second straight Scarlet Knight! Monangai had back-to-back 1,200-yard rushing seasons for Rutgers. He’s a powerfully-built 5-foot-8, 211 pounds and should provide nice running back depth for a committee led by Tyrone Tracy Jr.
DraftBuzz says Monangia is “the kind of Day 3 selection that often outperforms his draft position when placed in the right system.”
Round 7 (No. 219) — Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon
I was really hoping to find an interior offensive lineman to add to the mix in the seventh round. There just wasn’t any value there, however, so I made a value pick to continue stockpiling depth on the defensive interior.
Caldwell is a 6-foot-2, 341-pounder who profiles as a nose tackle backup for Dexter Lawrence, something the Giants could use.
Oregon Ducks nose tackle Jamaree Caldwell projects as a space-eater in the heart of an NFL defense. Caldwell offers a dense, squatty frame and an excellent center of gravity. He absorbs solo blocks and double teams on the interior and will be a useful weapon for keeping his linebackers clean so they can flow to the football.
Caldwell has flashes of surprising athleticism and quickness, offering some upside for impact on early downs out of base personnel. He plays with an effective lateral mobility that allows him to flow with the front, help stay in his fit, and prevent interior blockers from climbing up to the second level.
Round 7 (No. 246) — Craig Woodson, S, California
The Giants’ depth behind Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin is questionable. Former fourth-round pick Dane Belton has never really established himself, and Anthony Johnson is a former seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers who played almost exclusively on special teams last season.
Woodson is a 6-2, 200-pounder who could be added into the mix as potential depth.
California Golden Bears safety Craig Woodson projects as a developmental starter at the NFL level. Woodson boasts good football IQ and sufficient functional athleticism to play on the back end as a low safety or split-field defender.
Woodson is tough but not overly physical, which makes him a bit of a tweener for the transition he’ll face. With reliable tackling form, good play processing, and some alignment versatility in the intermediate areas of the field, Woodson’s college tenure and experience have prepared him to serve as a potential role player early on.