For a team without a quarterback, no fanbase is as reluctant to welcome a rookie passer than the New York Giants. In the 2025 NFL Draft, it's becoming increasingly difficult to blame them.
The Tennessee Titans are now expected to take Miami's Cam Ward, the first-round passer who made more sense for the Giants because of his upside and the last six seasons of Daniel Jones' limited play. Head coach Brian Daboll should be foaming at the mouth for a passer with upper-level arm talent. Shedeur Sanders, the other top-five-projected quarterback, isn't that.
As a result, fans and analysts alike have turned to the blue-chip prospects atop the class, namely Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado corner/receiver Travis Hunter.
With Ward presumed to be off the board, the Giants pick cornerback Deonte Banks' replacement in this two-round mock draft.
The following mock draft was made using Pro Football and Sports Network's mock draft simulator.
Round 1, Pick 3: Colorado Corner/Receiver Travis Hunter
If there is a player in this class most likely to make teams jealous for passing on him, it's Hunter. There simply isn't precedence for the kind of skill set he brings to the modern game. Hunter is a first-round prospect at both corner and receiver, an accomplishment that helped him win the Heisman.
If he hits on offense, receiver Malik Nabers would have a partner in crime capable of elevating whichever rookie quarterback eventually lands in East Rutherford. If he hits on defense, he'd instantly have the position's best ball skills, injecting the capacity to create turnovers into a unit that badly needs it.
If he hits on both, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Actually doing so is far more difficult than it sounds, but Hunter is a safe bet to be a high-level contributor somewhere, even if his role isn't yet clear.
Round 2, Pick 34: Mississippi Defensive Tackle Walter Nolen
New York has invested resources into its defensive line early in the offseason. Adding depth at 3-tech by adding Roy Robertson-Harris and Jeremiah Ledbetter allows for the Giants to feel more comfortable with the spine of its defense and how it can hold up over the marathon of an NFL season.
But general manager Joe Schoen will not build an elite defensive line until he finds a starting defensive tackle who can appropriately take advantage of Lawrence's dominance. Nolen is a worthy attempt at finding that kind of player.
Nolen is a physical, athletic tackle who plays with strong leverage and great burst, making him a wrecking ball against the run. Those tools have combined with flashes of technique to make him a pass-rushing project who can start next to a nose tackle from the jump.
If he can grow into the pass rusher his abilities tease, he'd either produce on the backs of Lawrence's double-teams or force teams to abandon the tactic, indirectly adding to New York's pass rush synergy.
