The New York Giants are picking third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft — for now. As they turn over every rock in pursuit of their next franchise quarterback, a potential trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft could come to fruition.
Giants reportedly reached out to Titans about trade for No. 1 overall pick
The Giants are surveying their options on the veteran quarterback market. While they consider the possibility of signing the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, or Sam Darnold, they are also planning ahead for the NFL Draft. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Monday morning that the Giants have already reached out to the Tennessee Titans about a potential trade for the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft:
“That said, the Giants are really doing their due diligence on all their options at quarterback, and there’s a likelihood that they add a veteran and draft one in the first two or three rounds, if not within the top five picks,” Breer reported. “So just as they’ve touched base with the Rodgers camp, they’ve also reached out to the Titans on what a trade up to No. 1 would cost—Tennessee has told teams that, at this point, it isn’t yet to the point in its evaluation of the process to engage in those discussions.”
Although the Titans are not yet ready to negotiate a deal, it is notable that Breer is reporting the Giants have already reached out to Tennessee to express their interest in making a deal. It was documented on the controversial 2024 offseason edition of “Hard Knocks” that it was during the NFL Scouting Combine that the Giants began their negotiations with the New England Patriots over a potential deal for the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.
Ultimately, the Patriots held onto that pick and used it to select a franchise quarterback in UNC’s Drake Maye. This time around, however, the Titans could do the same thing, forcing the Giants to stick and pick once again. Or, they could end up making a deal, giving the Giants a chance to draft a franchise quarterback of their own.
Who could the Giants trade up to draft?
If the Giants do trade up for the No. 1 overall pick, the expectation is that they would use the selection on Miami QB Cam Ward. SNY’s Connor Hughes recently reported that the Giants are expected to pivot to trading up and that Ward is the likely choice in the top spot:
“The expectation right after Stafford, according to multiple sources, is that the Giants will pivot to the NFL Draft and attempt to trade up to the No. 1 spot,” Hughes reported. “…The overwhelming belief is that any trade with the Titans is for Ward because there is a very good chance that Sanders would be there organically at No. 3.”
Ward is the consensus top quarterback in this year’s draft class. He and Sanders are the class’s two projected first-round picks, however, there seems to be a gap between the two signal-callers in the eyes of NFL talent evaluators. Sanders could very well be available for the Giants with the No. 3 overall pick, but Ward is unlikely to last that long. If the Giants want Ward to be their next franchise quarterback, they will need to be aggressive in their pursuit.
A trade for the No. 1 overall pick will cost the G-Men, though. Hughes added that “an exchange of first-round picks and two threes is likely enough to get it done,” though, one of those third-round picks could become a second-round pick in negotiations. The Giants will need to feel like there is a sizable difference in talent between Ward and Sanders to justify dealing away such premium assets to move up and take the Miami playmaker.
