The New York Giants’ plan for Round 1 of the 2025 NFL draft is already taking shape, with the team tipped to decide between top prospects Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter with the third-overall pick. Big Blue’s decision will come down to a single factor, according to a senior reporter.
An update from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler for SportsCenter revealed “the Giants will take either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, whoever’s there.”
Fowler’s reporting is based off what he was told by those who attended Colorado’s pro day. The event was headlined by wide receiver, cornerback Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, with the Giants already making a big decision about the latter.
That decision was surely informed by the Giants adding veteran QBs Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson during free agency. Their arrivals have informed a growing consensus about what the Giants will do with the third pick.
Taking either Hunter or Carter would be considered a win for the Giants, but their plan could be shaped more by how they would use each player.
Draft Order Not the Only Consideration with Travis Hunter
It won’t just be what the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns do that will determine who the Giants pick, although those teams are a factor. Particularly when a draft analyst believes Hunter is bound for Cleveland as the second-overall pick.
If Hunter is still available at No. 3, the Giants will need a definite plan about where to deploy the two-way star. Fortunately, the G-Men are well-placed to use Hunter in one spot.
As Fowler’s colleague Matt Miller explained, “the Giants might be Hunter’s most likely destination as a primary cornerback, because of Nabers and the team’s lack of a true top cover man, despite signing Paulson Adebo in free agency.”
Having Hunter as a shutdown cover man would strengthen a position that still has questions. Those questions concern Adebo’s lengthy injury record, as well as the effort and maturity of 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks.
This many question marks make it difficult to resist Hunter’s athleticism and acumen in coverage. His “IQ & instincts watching QB’s eyes in zone to pounce on routes outside of his immediate area is beautiful,” according to Giants Nation Show host Bobby Skinner.
Hunter also posted elite numbers in press coverage during his final season with the Buffaloes, per PFF College.
Colorado CB Travis Hunter in Press Coverage Last Season:
🦬 10 Catches Allowed (23 Targets)
🦬 Zero TDs Allowed
🦬 3 INTs | 3 PBUs
🦬 11.2 Passer Rating Allowed
🦬 89.6 Coverage Grade
A corner this versatile is an asset in any era. Especially one when the Giants’ NFC East rivals are loaded at receiver.
The Washington Commanders have Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, CeeDee Lamb stars for the Dallas Cowboys, while A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are a productive double act for the Philadelphia Eagles.
There are good reasons for the Giants to hope for Hunter, but many of the same reasons also apply to Carter.
Abdul Carter Pick Would Make a Giants Strength Stronger
Drafting to a strength can be a good thing, and putting Carter alongside incumbent edge-rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux would be a home run for the Giants. They would form a potentially dominant trio sure to make life hell for opposing passers.
Burns showcased formidable traits last season, and while Thibodeaux hasn’t always performed like a top-five pick, he’s still a talented player. He’s also somebody the Giants need to make a decision about regarding his fifth-year option.
Although they snagged Chauncey Golston in free agency, the Giants don’t have an edge defender as dynamic in as many ways as Carter. Highlights from NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger help show why Carter is worthy of the third pick.
Carter or Hunter would instantly upgrade a rebuilding roster, so the Giants are in a sweet spot. One from where under-pressure general manager Joe Schoen shouldn’t go wrong.
