Giants Could Continue This Trend If They Select Travis Hunter

With just three weeks left until the 2025 NFL Draft, the New York Giants’ looming quarterback situation continues to be the chief concern of many watching the team. However, recent trends might show a disconnect between them and the logic of the franchise’s brass that could extend into this year’s event.

While a significant emphasis has been placed on the signal caller position in light of dismal efforts from former starter Daniel Jones, who was released in Week 10 of last season after six seasons under center, the Giants’ approach in the draft hasn’t responded lately.

New York has held six picks in the top 75 selections since the end of the 2022 season, their lone campaign of relative success with the ex-sixth overall pick that saw a 9-7-1 record, postseason berth, and win for the first time since 2016 and 2011, respectively.

Yet none of those picks were used on a potential replacement as Jones regressed again in 2023 and half of the 2024 season. The only player they brought on was Tommy DeVito, an undrafted free agent two years ago, who hasn’t ascended beyond a decent reserve option during his time in East Rutherford.

The Giants tried to pursue that future gunslinger last offseason. Still, they couldn’t get high enough on the board to grab one of either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, both of whom went No. 2 and 3 ahead of the Giants’ pick at No. 6.

Instead, they tried to give Jones one more shot at redemption, hoping he could be saved with Brian Daboll’s tutelage and an arsenal of weapons that added wide receiver Malik Nabers at that spot.

Sadly, the backup plan didn’t procure the results that the Giants wanted, other than earning them an all-around receiving threat for a long time. They never addressed it later, either, meaning they still need a franchise passer to throw the ball to their new targets. There have been doubts about the current class having the type of quarterback the Giants need for long-term success.

General manager Joe Schoen has had his back against the wall trying to resurrect the roster this year, and this has led him to make moves that suggest the Giants aren’t heading in the direction of taking a quarterback prospect with their top pick in April, most specifically the signing of two veteran arms in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

All signs are starting to point toward the Giants landing one of the premier skilled players when they get to their turn at No. 3, and the feeling is that it will be Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.

Should they land the two-way prospect, Pro Football Network notes it would continue the Giants' trend of spending a top-75 pick on an offensive position player.

Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) runs with the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The analysis mentioned how the Giants have spent four recent selections in that range on highly-graded broad receiver prospects dating back to the 2021 draft class, beginning with Kadarius Toney (20th overall) after the Giants traded down with Chicago that year and extending to Wan’Dale Robinson (43rd in 2022), Jalin Hyatt (73rd in 2023) and Nabers (6th in 2024).

And based on the way things have fallen for New York in recent drafts, the pattern largely makes sense: if a quarterback prospect that you want is out of reach or you aren't in full-bloom love with any of them, then why not pivot towards a talented skill player who can diversify the huddle and supply a prospect with an arsenal of talent once he arrives from a later draw.

Outside of the need to bolster their offensive and defensive lines in this draft, that scenario could unfold again if both Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders sit at No. 3. The outside world thinks Sanders will take over the spotlight in the Big Apple. Still, the Giants haven’t let their true colors show regarding their feelings about the young man.

A large contingent was present at Colorado’s pro day on Friday to watch Sanders and Hunter perform, but there is a good chance that the Giants will still choose Hunter to serve as a dynamic piece at two different positions on the roster.

Nothing is changing Schoen and Daboll's reality of a win-now season, and in most cases, it makes more sense to stack the talent around their veteran arms than risk failing in the immediate future with a franchise hopeful. If failure does come, that quarterback gets out through two regimes in the same span of seasons, which is rarely a recipe for development.

Like the potential quarterback, the key is still that the Giants have to find the right guys out wide and hit on those picks, which hasn’t always been the case. Nabers was a surefire win in Schoen’s draft column last season, with a 1,000+ yard outing for one of the most reliable receivers in the league. Robinson has also panned out pretty well as a shifty slot threat in the short passing game.

On the other hand, Toney was a complete dud, and it has been rough sailing for Hyatt, the former SEC leading receiver in receiving yardage in 2022, to find an impractical role in the Giants' offense.

Even when they were targeted, the result didn’t speak well, and it left the Giants with one less option when they needed a player to step up for a big play.

While the broad expectation is that Hunter would primarily contribute to the Giants on the defensive side as a second-starting perimeter option with Paulson Adebo, he can easily be a cure-all for any weaknesses the team has faced on the offensive end in recent seasons.

Then, the Giants can see what develops with the quarterback class later in the draft or next year, but they must tread carefully as there isn’t a guarantee that one of the best will be in their range again, as was the case with the 2024 draft crisis.

That remains to be seen, along with the possibility the Giants will reverse course and change their tune surrounding a third quarterback partnership this offseason. The franchise feels Colorado in one way or another by practically sending the whole front office to Boulder to scout their two biggest stars.

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