Giants Get a Choice of Quarterbacks in New Mock Draft

Which of Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders has New York Giants written all over him?

That question will continue to linger until the first of the two youngsters hears his name called on the first day of the NFL draft. Until then, there will be mock drafts galore that seem to flip-flop with every iteration as to which of the two quarterbacks will find himself playing at the Meadowlands on Sundays starting next fall.

Of course, in an ideal scenario, the Giants have their choice when they go on the clock at No. 3, and that is precisely how ESPN analyst Field Yates' recent mock draft plays out for Big Blue.

In his scenario, the Tennessee Titans selected Travis Hunter (CB/WR; Colorado) as the No. 1 overall pick. The Cleveland Browns then selected Abdul Carter (EDGE; Penn State) as the No. 2 overall pick. That leaves the teams free to pick their guy, with Yates having selected Ward as the Giants’ next franchise quarterback.

"The two teams most pressed to upgrade at quarterback this offseason are the Giants and Raiders, and I wouldn't rule out New York pursuing a veteran via a trade before we even get to the draft,” Yates wrote.

“Under present roster constructions, though, I have the Giants taking the electric Ward as the first signal-caller off the board."

Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) scrambles with the ball against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at Camping World Stadium. | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Giants reportedly had an interest in Sanders last season before Sanders opted to forego the NFL Draft and return to school for another season. Back then, the thought process was that the Giants would have used their second-round pick to select Sanders, but the team ultimately selected safety Tyler Nubin once Sanders was no longer an option.

Sanders made the right decision by returning to school. He improved his draft stock and has likely cemented his first-round draft status. He threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, leading the FBS in completion percentage (74%). Not surprisingly, Sanders has a meeting scheduled with the Giants, one of the first top-30 visits he’ll take.

The Giants, meanwhile, were unable to trade up last year to get a franchise quarterback. Their targets were believed to have been Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. Instead, they ran it back with Daniel Jones, who was rehabbing from an ACL injury, and backups Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito.

Jones was ready for Week 1 of the season, but unfortunately, his struggles before his ACL injury in 2023 didn’t go away. He was eventually benched after the team returned from its bye and was released five days later.

DeVito, Lock, and Tim Boyle all took turns finishing out the season at quarterback for the Giants, and the unit finished 28th in QBR (44.9), scoring only two more touchdown passes (15) than interceptions (13).

Ward and Sanders could provide stability at the position. This past season, Ward shot up draft rankings after throwing for the most touchdown passes (39) and second-most passing yards (4,313) in the FBS and seven interceptions. He was also accurate, completing 67.6% of his throws. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

The 22-year-old's potential is unlimited; however, as Yates noted, he still has plenty to improve on.

"Though he must clean up his footwork and decision-making, Ward has a high ceiling. He brings a powerful arm, can be an innovator on the field, and has a steely demeanor in big moments."

The Giants have a major need at quarterback entering the season. They will address the position in both free agency and the draft.

Whether that means drafting Ward or Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick remains to be seen. Their view on both quarterbacks will also remain to be seen as they continue to do due diligence on both, the process continuing at next week’s combine.

Giants Get a Choice of Quarterbacks in New Mock Draft

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