The New York Giants are in a prime position to land an elite talent with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft. All signs point to Big Blue landing Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter, who many believe is the best overall player in the draft class.
However, the No. 3 overall pick is valuable, and general manager Joe Schoen has said before that all options are on the table and that he will entertain trade offers for the selection. If the Giants were to trade down, they could receive an absolute haul of draft capital in exchange for the third-overall pick.
Giants could receive a king’s ransom in trade down from No. 3 pick
According to 49ers Sports Talk on X, the San Francisco 49ers have “reached out to teams” picking inside the top six in this year’s draft to potentially trade up and select a player. If the 49ers, perhaps, had their sights set on Carter, then the Giants picking third overall could be a landing spot for San Francisco.
The 49ers currently hold the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s draft. In order to move up eight spots, they would need to be willing to give up a significant sum of draft capital. Such a deal could be similar in value to the trade made in 2023 when the Houston Texans moved from No. 12 to No. 3 to select Will Anderson Jr. The details of that trade were as follows:
- Houston Texans received: Pick No. 3, 2024 4th-Round Pick
- Arizona Cardinals received: Pick No. 12, Pick No. 33, 2024 1st-Round Pick, 2024 3rd-Round Pick
Using the Texans-Cardinals trade as a reference point, if the Giants were to trade down with San Francisco, they could likely get an extra second-round pick this year, plus first and third-round picks in 2026:
- Giants receive: Pick No. 11, Pick No. 43, 2026 1st-Round Pick, 2026 3rd-Round Pick
- 49ers receive: Pick No. 3, 2026 4th-Round Pick
Such a haul of draft capital could alter the future of a franchise. The Giants would be rich in draft capital in this year and next year’s draft, positioning them to transform their roster.
- Giants have done extensive scouting on running backs in 2025 NFL Draft
- Giants have ‘inquired’ about Eagles star tight end via trade
- Giants to host NFL Draft’s top quarterback prospects for private workouts
Would giving up Abdul Carter be worth the return?
While such a haul of draft capital would be enticing, it seems unlikely that the Giants will actually trade down. Coming off a 3-14 season, Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are living on borrowed time. They are both on thin ice entering the 2025 campaign and need to produce wins in order to keep their jobs.
Trading down to select a lesser prospect while loading up on future draft capital is not exactly the kind of thing a regime on its last leg would do. Instead, the Gians are likely to select the prospect they think is best available at third overall, improving their roster and increasing their chances of winning games next season.