Giants Reveal Draft Day Prank Call With Titans

The 2025 NFL Draft started at No. 2, when the Cleveland Browns traded out of their pick and gave the Jacksonville Jaguars the rights to two-way star Travis Hunter. Once it was clear Hunter was headed south, edge rusher Abdul Carter became the New York Giants’ newest star.

Those developments were locked in quickly on that fateful Thursday, but the draft’s first pick might as well have been made at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Tennessee Titans took Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first pick, an open secret that spanned from the rumor mill to the prospect’s livestreams.

The selection came as a surprise to nobody. But New York general manager Joe Schoen called Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi in a last-ditch, mostly joking inquiry about that top pick.

The team revealed on “Giants Life: 2025 NFL Draft” their draft-day prank call with the Titans.

“Were you waiting for this? Are you gonna pick?” Schoen joked to Borgonzi. “I had to do it, I had to do it. All right, man. Well, good luck to you man. I was gonna wait and just call you now on the clock, so I figured you guys were picking. But thought I’d give it one more swing.”

Needless to say, he was quickly shut down. Ward had unofficially been a Titan for weeks, and Tennessee wasn’t passing up on the opportunity to draft a franchise quarterback.

“Tennessee’s gonna pick. I think Ward’s going here.”

New York still found its future under center in Round 1. By trading back into the Day 1 festivities, the Giants added Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart. While Ward will start right away, the New York faithful may not see much of Dart until 2026. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston were added in the offseason to mentor Dart and ensure he doesn’t play until he’s ready. Both add credibility to the 2025 offense and a bevy of experience for Dart to learn from.

The Giants also highlighted the front office’s reaction to the Dart selection, with Schoen saying that they must roll the dice on someone who “checks all the boxes.”

By virtue of their draft class, Dart and Ward will be tied for the remainder of their careers. Ward will have a head start, but New York is building an impressive environment to support Dart’s growth.