With two days to go before the 2025 NFL Draft, new ESPN insider Peter Schrager dropped a trade “bomb” that could significantly alter the New York Giants’ plans at No. 3 overall.
.@PSchrags says there have been calls made to the both the Browns at No. 2 and the Giants at No. 3 with the intention to move up in the NFL draft.
Who could it be? 🤔
“There have been phone calls made to both the [Cleveland] Browns at two and the Giants at three with the intention to move up [in the draft order],” Schrager reported on ESPN’s “Get Up” on April 22.
Schrager noted that this information is coming in from “several different sources.” He also stated that the “assumption” is that a trade up would target either WR/CB Travis Hunter, Edge Abdul Carter or RB Ashton Jeanty.
“There have been teams making calls and [the Browns and Giants] are not immediately slamming down the phone,” Schrager went on. Concluding that “everyone assumes this is going to go chalk… [but] I think the two spot gets very interesting if the Browns are listening to a godfather deal.”
NYG Beat Reporters React to NFL Draft Trade News Involving Giants & Browns
While it’s unclear which teams might be interested in moving up, this could shift the Giants’ fate in a number of ways. New York Post beat reporter Ryan Dunleavy discussed one scenario while reacting to Schrager’s draft update.
“I have not heard one real thing about [the Giants trading down from No. 3 overall] beyond the cliche that every GM says he is open to trading down in case a godfather offer comes in, or to drum up more interest,” Dunleavy began. “[New England Patriots GM] Eliot Wolf took calls last year with zero intention of ever trading down from No. 3. The only GM I’ve ever heard who did not take trade calls is retired now.”
“NOW … I will say that my intel that Shedeur Sanders is still in play at 3 combined with the report of trade calls is interesting because they would not have to take him at 3,” Dunleavy continued. “That said, Joe Schoen said last week that the Giants have received calls about teams trying to trade up. Without more specifics, hard to say what’s changed.”
There have been trade theories that involve Big Blue trading out of the top three, recouping more draft capital, only to select Sanders with their eventual first-round pick. Dunleavy brings up the possibility of that here, while ESPN’s Jordan Raanan called this general practice of listening to all offers “smart.”
“This is the smart way for Joe Schoen and the Giants to play it,” Raanan replied. “See what’s out there.”
That doesn’t mean you make the trade, it simply means you consider it.
Having said that, a third opinion from SI Giants reporter Patricia Traina said: “I would be very surprised if the Giants move down even though I could see it making sense.”
Browns Trade Down Might Not Impact Giants at All
While a Giants trade down would obviously shake up the entire draft for Big Blue, a Browns trade might not have any impact.
Assuming the party trading up to No. 2 overall still selects Hunter or Carter, it wouldn’t really change much for the Giants as they wait on the blue chip prospect that falls to them. In the unlikely scenario where a team trades up to No. 2 for Jeanty, that would present Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll with a choice between the two.
But aside from that, it’d most likely still be Hunter or Carter at three.
Of course, a new team does present new preferences. And while most have the Browns leaning toward Hunter, perhaps a trade up candidate prefers Carter.
So, those factors could impact the Giants too. But overall, very little changes unless it’s Schoen accepting the aforementioned godfather offer, rather than Cleveland.
