Shedeur Sanders to the New York Giants: Why Joe Schoen will select a QB with third overall pick in 2025 NFL Draft
Why Shedeur Sanders is going 3rd overall to the New York Giants.
It's hard to remember another NFL prospect as fascinating and polarizing as quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
His draft projection has been everywhere from No. 1 overall to the end of the first round over the last few months. He lacks the prototypical tools of an "elite" QB prospect like Cam Ward, but his college production speaks volumes of his ability.
Then of course, there's the debate about his last name. Does it make his critics too harsh or his believers too loyal? Depends who you ask.
With just days until the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders' draft stock is still extremely difficult to pin down. But after the latest reports from Adam Schefter, I'm still watching the New York Giants at No. 3 as Sanders' most likely landing spot.
Giants have invested in Sanders
As Schefter pointed out in Monday morning's article of NFL draft notes, no team has spent more time with Shedeur Sanders ahead of the draft than the Giants. Actually, no team has spent more time with any one player than the Giants with Sanders. In my opinion, that is going to matter.
"Officials from the Giants' organization were at most, if not all, of Sanders' games last season. They went to some of his practices. They met with him at the combine in Indianapolis in March. They flew him to New Jersey for a visit. They went to his "Showcase Day" in Boulder, Colorado. They went back to Colorado on Thursday to put Sanders through a private workout and spent a full day with him exactly one week ahead of the draft," wrote Schefter.
Joe Schoen has spent countless hours and days in Boulder. Giants WR Darius Slayton's sister is Colorado's director of on-campus recruiting. Sanders wants a team that is all in on him, and with all of the efforts the Giants have made and the connections within the organization, it makes too much sense.
Pressure on GM Joe Schoen
Despite what might be said publicly, I fully believe that Giants GM Joe Schoen is feeling some pressure before the 2025 NFL Draft.
Schoen has watched his team deteriorate after winning a playoff game just a few seasons ago. He botched the Daniel Jones contract. He botched the Saquon Barkley free agent negotiations. He can't afford to botch a Top 3 pick in the draft and an opportunity to land a franchise quarterback.
Any GM on the hot seat can save his job by landing the right QB. So while the "right move" might be to take the best player available and come away from draft night with Adbul Carter or Travis Hunter on your roster, it doesn't solve your problem at the most important position in all of sports.
The Giants signed Russell Wilson to a one-year, $10.5 million contract last month. He's currently in line to be the starting quarterback with Jameis Winston lined up as the backup. But is Schoen really willing to go down with that ship? If the Giants don't have success with Wilson/Winston at QB, it wont' matter how good of a draft pick Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are. They'll be All-Pro players while the next GM enjoys the fruits of their labor.
Schoen's best chance at having long-term job security is draft Sanders and selling John Mara on the plan he has for the future.
Trading up wont' work
"If they like Shedeur, they're taking him at 3," said an NFL executive in Schefter's latest report. If the Giants are truly interested in Sanders and like him, it only makes sense for them take him when they have the chance.
New Orleans is another QB-needy team and they are sitting with the 9th overall selection. Sanders may not make it past them if the Giants choose to go in another direction.
Trading back into the first round is a difficult thing to do no matter what. But it's nearly impossible when you're after an additional Top 10 pick.
If you like a player enough to trade a haul of future draft assets for him, you should like him enough to take him No. 3. I still think that is the most likely landing spot for Sanders and all the fuss about him falling will be for nothing.
Deion Sanders makes hilarious claim concerning his son Shedeur, Travis Hunter, and the 2025 NFL Draft
Deion Sanders makes wild claim about Shedeur and Travis Hunter
