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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are entering a critical year after the franchise went 3-14 in 2024. They finally moved on from former first-round quarterback Daniel Jones and embraced the stress that comes with walking through the unemployed quarterback wilderness. Veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston were signed to provide some flexibility in the draft.
It is evident that New York wants to come away with its quarterback of the future in the 2025 NFL Draft, but it's not within reach of the perceived top option. At No. 3 overall, the Giants are, however, in range to add one of the premier non-quarterback talents.
Here is one potential path the franchise could take in a seven-round mock draft:
Giants' current 2025 NFL Draft picks:
- Round 1: Pick 3
- Round 2: Pick 34
- Round 3: Pick 65
- Round 3: Pick 99 (compensatory selection)
- Round 4: Pick 105
- Round 5: Pick 154 (from Seattle)
- Round 7: Pick 219
- Round 7: Pick 246 (from Buffalo)
For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with analyst Ryan Wilson. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Listen to the latest episode below!
Round 1: EDGE Adbul Carter, Penn State
Although Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is still probably part of the conversation, Carter is the choice because my personal expectation is that Cleveland will take Colorado athlete Travis Hunter No. 2 overall. Regardless, the Giants' pick likely boils down to those two players.
Carter is hopefully a productive pass rusher opposite Brian Burns and the franchise either has depth at a critical position or the door is suddenly ajar for Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved. Carter had 12 sacks and two forced fumbles for the Nittany Lions in 2024.
Round 2: QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
New York may have to move up in the pecking order to secure the quarterback, but the Ole Miss signal-caller stands out as potentially being the type of quarterback that the Giants want as part of their future. The presence of Wilson allows them to bring Dart along at his own pace. Neither Wilson nor Winston is a long-term solution, so the franchise will find itself in a similar situation next offseason unless it takes a swing at the position.
Dart completed nearly 70% of his pass attempts for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.
Round 3: OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
Milum played tackle in Morgantown, but the belief is that he will move inside at the next level. In an ideal world, he would become a starting guard for the Giants in the next few years, but in the present, he serves as playable depth for a franchise that has struggled with injuries along its offensive line.
Round 3: LB Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr., Ole Miss
Steady, but not splashy is the way to describe New York's linebackers. The idea is to add competition and potentially provide an off ramp to Bobby Okereke's contract. By moving on from Okereke in 2026, they would save roughly $9 million toward the salary cap and Paul would have been in the system for a year.
Round 4: CB Quincy Riley, Louisville
The Giants signed Paulson Adebo in free agency, but that should not stop them from seeking help in the draft. Similar to Paul, the hope would be that Riley can provide quality depth as a rookie and one day be able to take on the starting role, which would allow them to move on from more expensive contracts in theory.
Round 5: OT Chase Lundt, UCONN
Lundt is a long, lean right tackle. The Giants finally got stable play from the position after signing free agent Jermaine Eluemunor last offseason, but he turns 31 in 2025. Teams should aim to take a few offensive linemen every year to develop in their system.
Round 7: DT Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
Between Dexter Lawrence, D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley, New York has a lot of mass on the inside, so Cross offers the team a change of pace. He has a high motor, but is coming off a season in which he dealt with injuries. The New Jersey native still managed four sacks this season.
Round 7: WR Chimere Dike, Florida
Darius Slayton was retained to go along with Wan'Dale Robinson and Malik Nabers. The hope is that Dike can provide early contributions on special teams and eventually work his way into a larger role. The senior from Wisconsin caught 42 passes for 783 yards and two touchdowns this season.
The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
