The New York Giants are on the fast track to a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and as long as the Tennessee Titans or Cleveland Browns play ball, one of the top consensus passers will be available.
Whether Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders lands in New York is yet to be seen, but they wouldn't be alone in the quarterback room. On Friday, the team signed quarterback Jameis Winston to a two-year deal worth $8 million, making him a prospective backup with enough competence to start if necessary.
His signing doesn't preclude a more proven starter from coming aboard, but it does give the front office some breathing room as the draft cycle nears its conclusion.
Subsequently, the Giants picked Winston's competition in this two-round mock draft, made using Pro Football and Sports Network's mock draft simulator.
Round 1, Pick 3: Colorado Quarterback Shedeur Sanders
Many of the moves general manager Joe Schoen has made this offseason point to drafting a passer at No. 3, and for months, it has seemed like Sanders would be destined for the Big Apple.
Schoen is betting his job on the quarterback he takes in April, and Sanders is fit to provide immediate returns. He's accurate, poised, turnover-averse, and used to the spotlight that comes with headlining the Giants offense.
Schoen has held up his end of the bargain, too. Retaining last season's receiving corps of Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Wan'Dale Robinson is enough to work with, and the offensive line will be deeper after the signings of James Hudson III and Stone Forsythe to add to last year's interior.
Sanders may not start from the jump. Signing Winston gives New York the flexibility to make that choice. But he'll see the field in Year 1 and should be well positioned to play fairly close to his potential, even if that upside isn't as high as Cam Ward's.
Related: Giants Draft Target Reveals Tom Brady's Advice
Round 2, Pick 34: Florida State Cornerback Azareye'h Thomas
Simply put, this isn't the cleanest scheme fit. Thomas is a cornerback who is at his best in press man coverage where his physicality can show out and he can be a nuisance to smaller receivers and an answer to bigger targets.
For defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and defense with more off/zone coverage, that could lead to turbulence. But teams need corners that can line up against true stars and hold their own in man coverage, and Thomas has the upside to become that kind of defensive force.
A Thomas selection allows Deonte Banks to take a back seat, makes the defense more flexible in a post-Bowen world, and should give New York two plus starters on the perimeter.
There are legitimate questions about the limitations of Thomas' athletic profile, but he was one of the best defensive backs in the country in 2024. Carrying that momentum to the next level can have game-changing effects on a defense.
Related: BREAKING: Giants Finally Sign Quarterback
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This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 4:50 PM.