Finding their next franchise quarterback is priority No. 1 for the New York Giants this offseason. However, the path to finding that quarterback might not be too obvious. While the expectation is for the G-Men to draft a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft, that plan is far from set in stone, especially in a quarterback class that is considered weak.
With the NFL Scouting Combine taking place this week, projections for the 2025 NFL Draft will begin to take shape. ESPN’s Mel Kiper is one of the industry’s most renowned NFL Draft experts. Heading into Combine week, he released his latest mock draft, which had the Giants going in a surprising direction with their first-round draft pick.
Giants take Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft
In Kiper’s mock, Miami QB Cam Ward came off the board second overall. This left Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders available for the Giants with the No. 3 overall pick. However, instead of taking Sanders, Kiper had the Giants passing on the Colorado quarterback and instead drafting his teammate: Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter:
“Hunter is my top-ranked prospect in the class, and though I currently see him as a receiver in the pros, he could also play cornerback for New York,” Kiper said of Hunter. “He can make a massive impact on either side of the ball, and he’ll likely see at least some time on both sides. Perhaps the Giants take his ball skills and quickness and drop him at receiver opposite Malik Nabers to form a solid supporting cast around whomever is under center. Perhaps they look at his elite instincts and finally land a true CB1. Either way, this pick would be clutch for a struggling Giants team.”
Hunter is an elite talent with a rare ability to play at a high level on both sides of the ball. He was this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, the recipient of the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver in college football), and the recipient of the Chuck Bednarik Award (college football’s defensive player of the year). Drafting Hunter would give the Giants a truly elite and rare talent who could make an impact on both sides of the ball.
As a receiver, Hunter totaled 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. As a cornerback, he totaled 11 pass defenses and four interceptions. Some scouts thing he’ll be better on one side of the ball than the other, and others feel as though he should pick a side and stick to it. However, Hunter has expressed his intention to play both sides of the ball.
Giants pass on a quarterback in this mock draft
However, drafting Hunter doesn’t solve the Giants’ quarterback problem. Kiper explained his reasoning behind the Giants passing on a quarterback with the third-overall pick in his mock draft:
“Let’s start with the QB question, since I’m sure Giants fans would raise their eyebrows at seeing New York pass on Sanders,” Kiper explained. “First, there are mixed feelings on him around the league, and he isn’t seen as a surefire top-five pick. The front office and coaching staff have to win right now, and banking their futures on the class’ QB2 might not get it done.
“Second, I’m not ready to close the door on the Giants bypassing this lackluster QB class in favor of a veteran option. Could New York trade for Matthew Stafford? Would signing Sam Darnold fix the issue? There are options here, and if the Giants go another route, they can instead use this pick to address one of many other needs. Or, in Hunter’s case, maybe two of them.”
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The veteran quarterback market is a little more crowded than most offseasons. Typically, there are a few veterans with starting potential, if any at all on the market. This offseason, there are several, and the Giants are reportedly in the mix for one of them: Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford.
If the Giants bring in a starting veteran quarterback, then perhaps they could opt to spend the No. 3 overall pick on the best prospect available regardless of position, not feeling forced to take a quarterback with the selection. An offseason haul of Stafford and Hunter would be exciting, but would it be enough to turn the Giants into overnight contenders?/