Joe Schoen on Why Giants Have Late and "Sudden" Private Workout with Shedeur Sanders

Giants GM Joe Schoen cleared up the mystery behind Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders' late scheduling of a private workout with the team.

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) runs drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

East Rutherford, NJ. - Word had dropped that the New York Giants planned to attend a private workout for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders on Thursday, and speculation began to ramp up as to why, given the late timing.

Many wondered whether the Giants would split on Sanders for the third overall pick or perhaps even for a possible trade-up candidate.

In his pre-draft press conference on Wednesday, General Manager Joe Schoen tried to clear up the speculation, noting that the scheduling had more to do with the calendar than anything else.

“It's a unique calendar year. I think the draft is as early as it can be, that Thursday in April being the 24th,” Schoen said.

“If you're speaking specifically of Colorado, their Pro Day was April 4. With the April 4 Pro Day of Colorado, we were already in meetings. When I left you guys at the owners' meetings (at the end of March), we started (draft meetings)that Wednesday. That's how the calendar is for us every year.

“It was unusual that a Pro Day was that late, and we had to stop meetings to go to Boulder. But these private workouts have been in place.”

Apr 16, 2025: New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen addresses the media during his annual draft preview press briefing. | Patricia Traina, New York Giants On SI

So why not try to schedule the private workout before the pro day? 

“What happens is a lot of times these prospects won't do privates before their Pro Days,” Schoen explained. “If we could have done a private workout with Shedeur before his Pro Day, we probably would have. 

“But the concern there is they also have receivers, and… you don't want to be the team that does a private workout with a prospect, and then they pull a muscle … before their Pro Day when all 32 teams can watch them perform.” 

Schoen, who said that team co-owner John Mara wasn’t attending the private workout with Sanders and that there were a couple of other non-quarterbacks with whom they had private workouts coming up, reiterated that it was simply a matter of scheduling.

“They're busy. We're busy. This was the week when we could get out there and do some of these private workouts.  

“When you're trying to put the big puzzle together, and players are coming in, they're at 30 visits, the off-season program, it takes two to be on the same page and have openings where you can get together.” 

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