Some draft moments are measured in speed, arm strength, and highlight reels. Others are revealed in silence — a test, a pause, a missed detail.
The New York Giants walked out of the 2025 NFL Draft with more than just talent. They walked away with clarity, confirming what they needed and dodging what they didn’t.
They secured one of the draft’s best defenders at No. 3 overall. But the drama behind the quarterback they passed on tells the rest of the story.
The Giants go best player available — and win big
With the third pick in the draft, the Giants didn’t flinch. They passed on the quarterback buzz and took Abdul Carter.
The decision reflected discipline, not doubt. Carter had long been viewed as a top defensive prospect, and the Giants valued the ability to reshape their defense immediately.
While many expected them to pursue Shedeur Sanders, the Giants trusted their board and landed the best available player.
In Carter, they didn’t just draft talent. They drafted identity — a foundational piece to build around.
Shedeur Sanders’ fall was steep and revealing
For weeks, Sanders was linked to the Giants as a possible top-five selection.
But on draft night, the slide began — and didn’t stop until the fifth round, when the Cleveland Browns ended the descent.
Sanders had tools. But tools alone don’t get you a job in the NFL.
He skipped the Senior Bowl. He opted out of the combine. And yet, he expected to be crowned a top pick.
In the end, the red flags caught up.
The install test that told the Giants everything
According to Albert Breer, the Giants gave Sanders an install packet during the pre-draft process — a common exercise under Brian Daboll.
It wasn’t standard. It was a test.
The packet included intentional mistakes, designed to see how sharp the prospect was mentally and how much detail he could process.
Sanders didn’t catch the errors. And worse, he got upset when the Giants called him out for missing them.
“The Giants one, they give players an install, and there are mistakes intentionally put in the install,” Breer explained on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “He didn’t catch them and got called on it… He was pissed that they did that to him.”
That reaction said more than any throw on film could.
The NFL demands adaptability and humility. Getting rattled by a test like that suggests immaturity, not leadership.
Giants double down and find their future quarterback
After locking in Carter, the Giants weren’t done.
They traded back into the first round and selected Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss at No. 25 overall.
Dart doesn’t have the same buzz as Sanders, but the Giants see something real — toughness, upside, and a better foundation for development.
They didn’t chase headlines. They chased fit.
And now, they walk away with a franchise defender and a quarterback they believe in — without the drama.
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