The New York Giants had a huge need at quarterback entering the offseason, and have been aggressive to improve the position so far. They went out and signed veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to lower-risk deals, meaning they can still be flexible if they want.
More news:Russell Wilson to Giants Could Mean Aaron Rodgers is Heading to Steelers
That flexible mindset is what makes the team's decision to trade up in the first round to select a quarterback in the latest mock draft from Chris Trapasso of NFL.com a viable one.
After sticking at pick no. 3 and picking offensive tackle Armand Membou, already a surprising pick, the team trades up back into the end of the first round with the Los Angeles Rams at no. 26 to select Jaxon Dart out of Ole Miss.
Dart is more of a developmental quarterback than Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, so selecting him to start as a backup makes sense compared to selecting the other two as a backup.
Also adding an offensive lineman for the future to protect him is an intriguing strategy in the first round.
Having a quarterback competition in camp for the three new quarterbacks they acquired this offseason could be a great way to gauge what the position will look like in the future, especially with extra flexibility to cut Jameis Winston if they only want to keep two quarterbacks.
The more shocking pick is passing on stud pass rusher Abdul Carter. While as mentioned, taking an offensive lineman makes sense, the team probably could have gained draft capital to use in their trade up by trading down at the third pick for a team looking for pass rush, such as the Carolina Panthers.
Their pick becomes even more valuable given Travis Hunter, who is arguably the top prospect along with Carter, goes second overall in this mock.
That happens because the Browns pass on Shedeur Sanders, who instead falls to the New Orleans Saints at pick no. 9.
Other interesting picks in this mock draft include defensive tackle Walter Nolen to the Dolphins at 13, guard Donovan Jackson at 16 to the Cardinals, and cornerback Will Johnson falling into the lap of the Commanders at 29.
Overall, now that the New York Giants have their quarterback situation somewhat resolved, they can be more flexible with their draft strategy. The domino effect of this is how it affects the rest of the top ten, especially if the Browns decide to also pass on a quarterback early.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 1:34 PM.