Giants Skip Quarterback in New NFL Mock Draft

The New York Giants need a quarterback, right?

Right, and in an ideal scenario, they find their next franchise signal caller in the upcoming draft to pair with a veteran who will likely be added during free agency, which begins next month.

But in one recent mock draft penned by NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, grabbing one of the top two quarterbacks (Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Sheeur Sanders) in the first round surprisingly isn’t happening.

Zierlein has the Tennessee Titans selecting Ward with the first overall pick. The Cleveland Browns selected Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter with the second overall pick, which makes sense given Myles Garrett's trade request.

However, with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders still on the board, Zierlein has the Giants selecting his teammate CB/WR Travis Hunter with the third overall pick.

"Two-way talent in the Big Apple! I like it! The Giants had the second-fewest interceptions in the league in 2024 (five). The ball-hawking Hunter can help New York do a better job of taking the ball away -- and score some touchdowns as a part-time receiver," Zerlein wrote.

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter poses for a photo after winning the Heisman Trophy award during the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is an enigma. Hunter can play both cornerback and receiver. That type of flexibility can help solve two holes on the Giants' roster, assuming they agree he can continue handling double duty.

Hunter finished the season with 96 catches, 1,258 yards, and 15 touchdowns as a receiver. On the other end, he recorded 25 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass deflections as a cornerback.

The Giants' secondary recorded the second-fewest interceptions (5), allowing 3,869 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Giants’ 2023 first-round pick, Deonte Banks, also regressed in defensive coordinator Shane Bowen’s zone-heavy scheme. Banks still has a chance to turn it around in his third year and will have a new position coach in Marquand Manuel to help him do so.

There is some exciting young talent in the secondary. The Giants selected Tyler Nubin (No. 47) and Andru Phillips (No. 70) in the 2024 NFL Draft. Phillips finished the season as the 15th-ranked cornerback with a grade of 77.5

Tre Hawkins III and Cor'Dale Flott are also contributors who add depth to the unit, but Hunter can be the final piece to the secondary.

New York could also use another dynamic receiver to pair with their 2024 first-round selection Malik Nabers, especially if they lose Darius Slayton in free agency.

Their 2023 third-round pick, Jaylin Hyatt, was supposed to progress in 2024 but finished the season with just 23 receptions and 373 yards and played just 51% of offensive snaps, making him something of a mystery after two seasons.

It will be interesting to see how a team uses the dual-threat Hunter. Last season, he played both positions and recorded 1,443 snaps in 12 games.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer views Hunter more as a full-time cornerback and a part-time receiver.

"So why corner? I think it’s harder to find a great corner than a great receiver, and his ceiling is probably a little higher as a defensive back. Also, as I see it, it’s easier to moonlight on offense than on defense.

"And I actually don’t think being a full-time two-way player is practical for him—the main reason being that doing it would take a hefty toll on his body and make it tougher to reach a second contract, where the real money is, at full speed," said Breer.

No matter what position he plays in the league, Hunter would come in and become the playmaker the Giants were missing on either side of the ball.

It is hard to see the Giants skipping out on taking Sanders, but the Giants can also address the quarterback position in free agency and always look to either Day 2 or next year to draft a quarterback.

But it’s not very often that they’ll encounter a generational talent like Hunter, who can help in many ways.

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