Imagine landing a player who can impact both sides of the ball, someone who steps on the field and immediately becomes your best wide receiver and your top cornerback. It sounds more like something from a video game than reality, but that’s exactly the dilemma facing the New York Giants with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Titans look ready to grab Miami’s star quarterback, Cam Ward, first overall. That leaves Giants GM Joe Schoen with some serious thinking to do. Should he gamble on a young quarterback like Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, or grab a player from that same team who many believe is a generational talent?
Travis Hunter: The Ultimate Swiss-Army Knife
Travis Hunter isn’t just another talented college player—he’s a football unicorn. At 21 years old, Hunter is a once-in-a-generation athlete who excels equally at wide receiver and cornerback. Usually, players have to choose offense or defense at the NFL level, but Hunter isn’t your average prospect.
NFL analyst Todd McShay recently raved about Hunter’s potential, saying, “This son of a gun is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. He’s got a chance to be a Hall of Fame player. Deion didn’t do it, Champ Bailey didn’t do it, Charles Woodson didn’t do it. Nobody’s done it. What if he can play 90 snaps?”
And that’s the tantalizing question the Giants must ponder. Can Hunter realistically handle a workload on both offense and defense at the NFL level?
A Game-Changer on Offense
Despite re-signing Darius Slayton to a three-year deal, the Giants still need another offensive playmaker alongside Malik Nabers. Hunter isn’t just a good receiver; he’s elite. Last season at Colorado, he put up video-game numbers, with 1,258 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns, and an absurd 79.3% catch rate.
He could easily step into the Giants’ offense and give them a level of firepower they haven’t seen since the days of Odell Beckham Jr. Imagine a star quarterback like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson throwing passes to Nabers and Hunter—it would instantly transform the Giants into one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
Lockdown Cornerback Potential
But Hunter’s not just a flashy receiver; he’s also a shutdown cornerback with incredible instincts and ball skills. Last season, Hunter allowed just 222 yards in coverage, with a stellar 56.1% reception rate against. He intercepted four passes and added seven more breakups, consistently making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
The Giants already improved their secondary by signing Paul Adebo and Javon Holland this offseason, but adding Hunter would be like dropping a Lamborghini engine into a well-built sports car. It takes the WR unit from good to elite. Hunter’s versatility means he could step in immediately if injuries pile up, giving the Giants unparalleled flexibility.
Superstar Potential or Safe Bet at Quarterback?
All this sounds fantastic, but the Giants still have a glaring hole under center. If Shedeur Sanders slips past the Browns, Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll will face immense pressure to secure their franchise QB. Sanders, accurate and steady, would provide stability at quarterback. But Hunter’s talent is so unique, he might just be impossible to ignore.
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Drafting Hunter is a bold move, but fortune favors the bold. Schoen and Daboll would need to have a veteran quarterback secured first—someone who can maximize Hunter’s immediate impact. If that happens, passing on the Colorado star could be the kind of decision that haunts a franchise for decades.
In a league filled with copycats, Travis Hunter is the original nobody else can imitate. The Giants have the chance to draft not just a player, but a legend. The question now is whether they’re willing to take the risk to grab greatness.