NFL analyst shares 'hope' for Giants fans regarding No. 3 pick of 2025 NFL Draft

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen recently suggested that the club signing veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency makes it not "mandatory" that the Giants have to select a quarterback such as Colorado's Shedeur Sanders with the third pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

During a Friday appearance on the "First Take" program, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes explained why Giants fans would hope Schoen wasn't fibbing this past Wednesday. 

"If I’m a Giants fan, I hope [Schoen]’s telling the truth," Kimes said, as shared by Bridget Hyland of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "Because what you don’t want is a GM who’s fighting to save his job. I think we all know this current regime in New York is on the hot seat. My belief is that there are two truly great, potentially transcendent players in this draft, (Colorado wide receiver/cornerback) Travis Hunter and (Penn State pass-rusher) Abdul Carter. I think the New York Giants should take one of them."

Just about every noteworthy insider is now predicting that the Tennessee Titans will make Miami's Cam Ward, the consensus top quarterback in this year's class, the draft's first pick. Barring a surprise, the Cleveland Browns will likely take Hunter at No. 2. 

Following Schoen's latest news conference, multiple Giants reporters linked Big Blue with Carter. 

As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Carter as a -550 betting favorite over Sanders (+400) to be the draft's third choice. That said, ESPN's Field Yates revealed on Friday that he's heard Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and not Sanders could become the draft's QB2 on the night of April 24. Also on Friday, ESPN's Matt Miller mentioned he feels drafting Dart would fill "the Giants' biggest long-term need...even if No. 3 would be high based on value."

Kimes does not want Schoen to go down such a road. 

"I do not think this is a team that is a quarterback away," Kimes added about the Giants. "And quite frankly, I don’t think the quarterbacks outside of Cam Ward are that type of quarterback who can resuscitate a franchise. So going back to Joe Schoen, I hope he will make this decision with what’s best for the long term for the franchise in mind, rather than just doing something to save his job."

If draft gurus such as Dane Brugler of The Athletic are correct, the Giants could trade back into the first round for Dart or grab a project for the future (Alabama's Jalen Milroe) at overall pick No. 34.