And desperation is the New York Football Giants' middle name.
I wasn't in the room when John Mara confirmed to Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll that they would be back for one more "prove it" year. Although I believe the best option was to ultimately retain the two for at least one more year, that doesn't change the fact that they are on the hot seat in 2025, and tasked with suddenly turning around a team that won three games in 2024. A paltry upcoming season of 6 to 7 wins probably won't cut it, so their work is cut out for them this offseason.
The NFL draft is a little less than three months away and the combine is at the end of this month. Schoen and Daboll have to move with a sense of urgency and build on a successful 2024 draft with another solid showing in 2025. They are in "prove it" mode and must show Mara and ownership that the ship isn't sinking, but slowly rising from the depths of the foggy deep.
The draft clock has officially commenced, and the Giants have a big decision to make with pick number 3.
Who do they choose?
The 3rd overall pick
There are a few ways in which this pick can play out, and I'd like to lay out a few of the scenarios based on their level of priority.
Scenario 1: Ideal sequence of events
Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders fall to the Giants at three, and they take their rookie quarterback of the future. In this scenario, either the Titans feel okay with Will Levis and in bringing in veteran competition to compete with him, or the Browns want to add a Heisman winner and incredibly skilled player in Travis Hunter. I'm hesitant to think that there is any world in which both teams possibly more desperate than the Giants pass up on a quarterback, but I have seen crazier things happen.
Keep in mind that eight out of the last 10 drafts have kicked off with a quarterback chosen at number one, so the writing may already be on the wall. But again, the ideal scenario here is one of the two quarterbacks falling to the Giants and they get their guy to build around. Daboll will finally have a chance to develop a quarterback as head coach, an opportunity that he has not yet been afforded given his first three seasons as coach consisted of Daniel Jones under center.
Scenario 2: Both quarterbacks off the table
If both Ward and Sanders are chosen with the top two picks, the Giants will have to make a decision. Travis Hunter would be there and, in my opinion, is a generational talent that should not be overlooked. He would pair well with Malik Nabers in what would become one of the most dynamic young wide receiver duos in football. I think in this scenario, the Giants should keep the number three pick, take the best player on the board in Travis Hunter or even Abdul Carter, and reevaluate the quarterback position in the second round.
They will have an early second round pick and can look at the likes of Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, or even Dillon Gabriel; all high risk picks, but still picks that solve the quarterback conundrum. There is no guarantee that a guy like Dart will be there with quarterback hungry teams with the Raiders and Jets picking 6th and 7th overall, but hey, it's worth calling out. Dart showed flashes in his college career and during the Senior Bowl in late January. He also got some high praise from Charlie Weis, a guy that has seen it all and been around football for 40 years. Maybe he's got the chops to be the guy for an NFL squad. We all know how one Ole Miss quarterback worked out for the Giants back in 2004.
Scenario 3: The Giants trade out
This is a very real scenario on the table. If the Giants feel that either Ward or Sanders will not be available, or they are chosen with the first two picks, they may look to trade back with another team. Although I see this scenario as the most unlikely (and if the Giants were to make a trade it would probably be with the Titans or Browns to move up and grab a quarterback), I wanted to throw it out there as a possible move. The state of the organization is still in disarray, and Schoen and Daboll are in desperation mode, so I don't think they trade back and they force their hand with the number three pick.
In conclusion
The Giants need a quarterback in the worst way. It doesn't really help the situation in that their general manager and head coach know their seats are red hot barring a dramatic turnaround. The draft is fast approaching, and the path to success starts with the third overall pick. Will a desperation move set the organization back again? Or will Schoen put together another solid draft inclusive of a young quarterback and playmakers? Come draft time, we will see if the Giants truly did their homework.
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