New York Giants Finally Did the Right Thing
It has been a couple of weeks since the 2025 NFL Draft, and the New York Giants made up for past mistakes as management decided to pick the best players available instead of trying to reach for another franchise quarterback.
Despite reports that the Giants tried to trade up to get Cam Ward, the Tennessee Titans never gave up that pick. The Titans saw Ward as their guy. As we have seen, Giants GM Joe Schoen tried to trade up one last time, but why do that for a guy who might not be a Sunday guy and needs work?
If you watch the video, Schoen clearly knows it is not happening as he is smiling and joking the whole time. The New York Giants would not take a quarterback with their first-round pick. If they had been Shedeur Sanders, it would have been a lock. But he was not a lock.
The two obvious choices were Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter at number three. Those were the best available players. The Giants needed help on the defensive side of the ball. Not to mention if Hunter could boost the Giants receiving core as he played both sides of the ball.
With Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson throwing to him, the Giants would have had a solid one-two punch with Malik Nabers. However, the Cleveland Browns traded the second overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Jags selected Hunter.
As former Super Bowl-winning head coach Tom Coughlin said on the Pat McAfee show, the Giants always select the best available player. Except in 2019 with Daniel Jones. However, the Giants chose Abdul Carter to put him opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Around Full Press Media
Montreal Canadiens: Montreal Canadiens Will Stick to the Plan
NFL: NFL Should Not Ban the Tush Push
Dallas Stars: Mikko Rantanen Continues to Make History
New York Rangers: What Are the New York Rangers Doing?
PODCAST: Do the Seattle Kraken Have a Clue on How to Run a Team?
WANT MORE PODCASTS? Montreal Sticking to the Plan as Vancouver and New York in Turmoil
The Giants were getting back to what made them great: a strong defensive unit and solid running backs. But the Giants were not done in the first round. And this is where the Giants learned from the mistakes of 2019.
They took Jones at six but could have traded back into the first round to get him. Instead, they chose him, which cost them as they needed to find a starting quarterback. Outside of the playoff year, primarily because of Saquon Barkley's play, Jones’s tenure in New York was not good.
So, Schoen traded back into the first round and got Houston’s pick at 25 to select quarterback Jaxson Dart of Mississippi. The Giants traded the 34th and 99th picks and a 2026 third-round draft pick to Houston so they could get the quarterback of the future.
This was a wise decision because Dart will learn behind Wilson and Winston this season and maybe next. There are no expectations for Dart this season. He can develop the right way, potentially allowing Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll another season.
There is a reason they signed two veteran quarterbacks; Jon Mara's mandate is to get back to the playoffs or show progress. The Giants will be better, but the playoffs are a tall task. However, even if they miss, returning to the first round to get Dart gives Daboll a chance to see what he can do the following season.
Why select a quarterback in the first round if you will not allow the coaching staff to see it through at least for a season? Having a rookie quarterback go through so many coaches and playbooks does not work.
But the first round wasn’t the only good pick. The Giants got Darius Alexander, another defensive tackle, in the third round. Running back Cam Skattebo from Arizona State to pair with Tyrone Tracy.
In addition, the Giants filled the needs of Marcus Mbow, Thomas Fidone II, and Korie Black. The latter three may not see the field this season.
However, the New York Giants had the first good draft in a long time. Not only did they take good players, they took the best available players. The Giants made up for past mistakes. Now they can let their potential future quarterback develop and not be thrown to the wolves when he isn’t ready.
There is optimism about the New York Giants' future on the field. Maybe confidence is finally returning. However, the Giants still have a few years before they make the playoffs again.
One thing is for sure: Giants management finally got things right.