There has been widespread speculation on what the New York Giants intend to do in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Some feel the team should trade up to the No. 1 pick and draft Cam Ward. Others argue the Giants should trade back, accumulate picks, and look to draft Jaxson Dart or another one of the top quarterback prospects on Day 2 of the draft.
But perhaps the best course of action for the team is to stay put because if they do, there’s a good chance that Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter will still be on the board. Several mock drafts have New York taking Hunter with the third overall pick, and it’s with good reason — he would be the perfect fit for the team.
Here’s why the Heisman Trophy winner is the best option for the Giants in the first round.
A two-position game-changer from Day One
The main reason why Hunter is considered the best prospect in this draft class is because he excelled at both wide receiver and cornerback in college. In his final season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, while on defense, he recorded 35 tackles with 11 passes defended and four interceptions. There’s no question that he’ll be a starter on the first day of training camp.
Just as was the case with Charles Woodson, who won the 1997 Heisman playing cornerback and receiver for the Michigan Wolverines, the expectation is that Hunter’s primary position in the NFL will be cornerback. This is a position the Giants desperately need to upgrade, especially with Deonte Banks struggling mightily in his second season.
Hunter can immediately come in and be the team’s best corner while also playing 10-15 snaps a game at receiver. With Darius Slayton hitting free agency, getting another playmaker at the receiver position to complement Malik Nabers would help the passing game tremendously. For a team lacking talent at several positions, getting a player of Hunter’s caliber who can contribute on both sides of the ball is exactly what the Giants need.
Draft security: The safest elite prospect
The NFL Draft is a crapshoot. It’s about a 50/50 chance that a first-round player will boom or bust. One of the reasons the Giants franchise has fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XLVI is because many of their first-round picks have failed to live up to expectations.
There’s no guarantee that Hunter will be a star in the NFL, but the fact that he can play two positions enhances his chances of proving worthy of a first-round pick. If the team puts him at cornerback and he falters, they can move him to be a full-time receiver, and vice versa.
The last thing New York needs is another high draft pick that doesn’t pan out, and the Heisman Trophy winner provides the safest option to live up to his potential.
Strategic value: Maximizing draft capital
A ton can happen between now and the start of the NFL Draft on April 24. But the prevailing opinion is that Ward and Abdul Carter will be the first two players chosen. This means the Giants can get the most versatile player in the draft without having to surrender any draft capital.
One of the biggest criticisms of general manager Joe Schoen is that he’s traded away significant draft assets during his tenure as GM. The team is building for the future, and trading away picks would be counterproductive. Drafting Hunter while keeping all of the team’s selections could potentially allow Schoen to uncover another late-round gem like Tyrone Tracy Jr. from last season.
The Giants need to draft Hunter, retain all of their draft assets, and hope this draft class can be the catalyst in turning around the franchise’s fortunes.
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