After missing the playoffs for the 11th time in 13 years, the New York Giants are near the top of the 2025 NFL Draft with the third overall pick.
Although some bright spots are within the roster — Malik Nabers, Dru Philips, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. — they got a measly 3-14 record. With Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen being under a microscope this season, they must have an exceptional draft to stay afloat.
These are the five positions they need to target in the 2025 NFL Draft.
1. Quarterback
Now that the frightful era of Daniel Jones is over, the Giants are in desperate need of a quarterback.
Some speculation says they may swing for the fences and trade for Matthew Stafford. But the more likely move is for them to draft a QB early. With Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward at the top of the draft board, the Giants have the option for two very different styles and personalities.
Although Sanders is exceptionally talented, he comes with a lot of baggage, like his father, Deion Sanders, and the constant media attention.
The Giants may avoid this since they have received much negative attention for letting Saquon Barkley leave in free agency and win a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cam Ward has prolific arm talent and a unique playstyle that many people online like to call “nonchalant.”. The one thing that can leave some people to worry is that his unique playstyle will not translate to the NFL and will leave him to be an average QB who takes a lot of sacks. This would be the safer option for the Giants, giving the offense a higher ceiling and bringing the team to the playoffs.
2. Cornerback
After Deonte Banks‘ extremely disappointing sophomore season and no real depth at the position, the Giants desperately need a CB1 that can guard division rivals CeeDee Lamb, AJ Brown, and Terry McLaurin. The top option for the Giants would be the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter.
Travis Hunter is one of the most peculiar draft prospects ever. Winning awards as a defender and receiver, nobody has ever seen a prospect play both sides of the ball as much as he does. He would be an excellent corner for the Giants with his exceptional ball skills and athleticism. If the Giants were to draft him, he could also be an effective weapon on offense that could give Daboll some unique plays.
3. Interior Defensive Line
Despite having a stellar nose tackle in Dexter Lawrence and two good edge rushers in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants’ defense is subpar due to a lack of defensive end/defensive tackle. The Giants ranked 27th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed and had a significant pass-rush drop-off in the second half of the season.
They can draft potential linemen Derrick Harmon, T.J. Sanders, and Tyleik Williams. These players would be great picks for the G-Men in the second round. Drafting a defensive lineman would solidify the Giants as one of the best front sevens in the NFL and help them return to the playoffs.
If the Giants were to maintain a strong front seven, this would give them less pressure to fix all the problems in the defensive backfield and gradually build it instead of reaching in the draft and overpaying free agents.
4. Interior Offensive Line
After another year of an atrocious offensive line, the Giants are looking at the draft to fix the issue. Last offseason, they signed Jon Runyan, a significant negative in the run game that needs to be replaced. Another lineman who could be replaced is center John Michael Schmitz Jr. The sophomore center has shown flashes in games but allows too many negative plays to continue to be a starter.
Possible players Schoen could draft are Jake Majors, Tate Ratledge, and Clay Webb. With a versatile running back like Tyrone Tracy Jr. and an improved Giants O-line, they can finally be the run-heavy team they have wanted to be for years.
5. Wide Receiver
With Malik Nabers already being one of the best receivers in the league, adding another weapon will make the Giants one of the best skill groups in the league.
On paper, the G-Men seem to have an above-average receiving core, but that depth chart is deceiving. Despite years of being a consistent deep threat, it appears the Giants will let Darius Slayton hit free agency.
One solution to the lack of depth could be Travis Hunter, who could play as much receiver as corner. This is not the probable solution, but if Hunter and the Giants organization think he can give both sides of the ball a complete effort, he would fit nicely alongside Nabers and become one of the best jump-ball teams in the league.
The more likely receiver move would be drafting a deep threat on Day 3 since Jaylin Hyatt has not shown the expected growth in his two years with the team. Sam Brown, Theo Wease Jr., and Tez Johnson all fit the mold Daboll seeks.
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