Once upon a time, it felt inevitable that the New York Giants would take a quarterback with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. After giving fans a carousel of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle last season, the thought of not going after Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders seemed borderline malpractice.
But not so fast, my friend.
General manager Joe Schoen finally addressed the void in the quarterback room this offseason, signing both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. That move gives the Giants some rare flexibility—one that might actually let them take the best player available at No. 3 rather than forcing a quarterback just to check a box.
Cam Ward is widely expected to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans, and most signs point to Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Penn State’s Abdul Carter battling for the next spot. Sanders could still crash the party if Cleveland goes full quarterback mode at No. 2, but if one of those three falls past the Browns? New York might be on the clock for the best non-QB prospect in the class.
And if Brian Daboll’s breakfast habits tell us anything… edge rusher might just be on the menu.
Brian Daboll has breakfast with potential top-3 pick Abdul Carter
Carter might not have been the original headliner for the Giants’ draft plans, but the closer we get to the 2025 NFL Draft, the louder his name becomes in team circles.
The Giants practically just sent their entire front office to Boulder to vet Sanders and Hunter. But only a few days later—per ESPN's Adam Schefter—Daboll is grabbing breakfast with a potential top-3 pick on a Sunday morning in State College. If nothing else, it shows they’re exploring every scenario at the top of the board—and Carter is absolutely in the conversation.
Carter is the kind of twitchy, bendy pass-rusher who makes offensive coordinators miserable. He explodes off the line like he’s got somewhere to be, and more often than not, that place is the quarterback’s lap. He’s raw in some areas—needs refinement with his hands and could add more play strength—but the upside? It’s terrifying. A front seven with Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence? That’s got some real danger feel.
As long as there's interest in Carter, there’s a subplot that won't be going anywhere: Thibodeaux’s long-term future in New York isn’t set in stone. The Giants will soon have to make a call on his fifth-year option, and a decision on a contract extension could follow soon after.
Drafting Carter does more than upgrade the pass rush—it potentially changes the conversation around Thibodeaux and his future with Big Blue altogether. Whether that’s motivation or foreshadowing, the Giants are clearly weighing their options. And if Carter is the guy, Thibodeaux might not be long for New York for much longer.