Giants Take Huge Risk in New Mock Draft

Giants opt to select best prospect available instead of addressing the holes in the roster in FOX Sports' latest NFL Mock Draft.

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State defensive lineman Abdul Carter (DL44) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Giants are in desperate need of a quarterback. But what happens if Cam Ward and Sheduer Sanders are off the board by the time the Giants are on the clock? 

In Fox Sports analyst Jason McIntyre's latest mock draft, he answers the potential question with a surprising selection.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen vowed to leave no stone unturned in the Giants quarterback search. That includes kicking the tires on veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whom McIntrye believes will be the Giants Week 1 starter. 

If that scenario were to play out, the Giants might be less inclined to trade up for a quarterback, leading the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns to select Ward and Sanders with the No. 1 and 2 overall picks, respectively.

With the top quarterbacks off the board, the Giants, in this mock draft, select Penn State edge Abdul Carter as No. 3 overall over prospects such as Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham, and LSU tackle Will Campbell.

"The Giants are desperate for a quarterback in the draft or free agency in March. Would not be surprised if they landed Aaron Rodgers and then selected Carter, the best pass-rusher in the draft. They would contend for a wild-card berth if Rodgers can stay healthy," wrote McIntyre.

Dec 21, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) reacts after sacking Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) during the third quarter in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Last offseason, the Giants made a blockbuster trade to acquire outside linebacker Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers to pair with former first-round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux to improve the pass rush. The Giants ranked 13th in the NFL with a 41% pass-rush win rate and finished in the top 10 in sacks with 45.

Thibodeaux missed five games in the middle of the season with a broken wrist, but once he returned in Week 12, the duo found their stride. He and Burns combined for 41 of the team's 79 pressures (51.9%) since Week 12, the second-highest team share by any duo, behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker (52.3%) of the Jaguars.

They were also one of four sets of teammates, per NFL Pro, who recorded at least 20 pressures apiece since Week 12 and the only such duo who have each forced a turnover on their pressures. Thibodeaux generated 20 pressures on 158 pass rushes (12.7%), while Burns generated 21 pressures on 142 rushes (14.8%).

But as the great Ernie Accorsi once said, you can never have too many pass rushers. Adding Carter to the mix would push the Giants line into an elite tier. Last season, he led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss and finished seventh overall nationally in sacks (12.0). He also added four pass deflections and two forced fumbles.

Carter said he’d look forward to pairing up with the duo on pass-rush packages.

“Yeah, my goal is to come in and be ‘The Guy,’” Carter told reporters at the combine. “If I go to a team that already got established, I want to earn my spot anyway, so I want to come in and compete right away.”

Losing out on the top quarterbacks in the draft will sting, but there are ways the Giants can alleviate the pain. The first step is signing a veteran quarterback as an insurance policy, whether that be Rodgers, Russell Wilson, or Sam Darnold.

They can also use a Day 2 selection on the second-tier quarterback prospects such as Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, or Will Howard.

Carter is seen by many as the top prospect in the draft and will improve the roster. However, the Giants have more glaring needs that should be addressed in the draft. 

Hunter and Graham are options that could fill the roster voids. It will be interesting to see if Schoen selects the best prospect available or picks for need.

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