It's that time of year again when conversations around this year's top prospects pick up drastically. The NFL Combine is set to take place this weekend in Indianapolis, which means NFL Draft discussion and coverage will begin to heat up—along with the mock drafts.
Over the next few weeks, you'll see hundreds of mock drafts, but there's always one that everyone wants to see: ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s board. Kiper Jr. is known as a draft expert, and football fans want to hear his take on where he believes the top prospects will land this year.
Kiper Jr. recently released his first mock draft for the 2025 class, and it got a lot of people talking—especially New York Giants fans. This is a crucial offseason for Big Blue, which holds the third overall pick and has several key needs to address. But above all, the priority remains the quarterback position, with Tommy DeVito currently the only active signal-caller on the roster.
After finishing with just three wins in 2024, general manager Joe Schoen and the Giants' front office can't afford to mess up this draft. A mistake here could significantly alter the franchise’s trajectory and set the team back for years.
Several names have been floated as potential franchise quarterbacks for the Giants, including Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Jaxson Dart. But Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft suggests a surprising alternative that has New York fans buzzing.
While Giants fans may see this as an early projection before the combine, there will be plenty more mock drafts between now and draft night. Still, Schoen and company could take a page out of Kiper Jr.’s playbook, as the draft guru has Big Blue selecting Travis Hunter out of Colorado with the No. 3 pick.
.@MelKiperESPN has Travis Hunter going No. 3 to the Giants and Shedeur Sanders No. 7 to the Jets 👀
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 25, 2025
Where do you see the Colorado duo landing? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/rV1hoZtyHq
Mel Kiper Jr. believes the New York Giants will take Travis Hunter at No. 3
Kiper Jr. told Mike Greenberg on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday that he believes Hunter is the best player in the entire draft and that the Giants will fall in love with his playmaking ability at both wide receiver and cornerback. He called Hunter dynamic and suggested the Giants could let him play on both offense and defense before determining where he fits best in the NFL, sprinkling him in situationally at the other position.
Hunter would address multiple issues for the Giants. They need a receiver to complement Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson, and they also need a defensive back to pair with Deonte Banks. This doesn’t immediately solve the quarterback issue, but if the Giants land Dart in the second round or trade for veteran signal-caller Matthew Stafford, Kiper Jr.'s plan could make some sense.
Hunter, this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, is coming off a dominant season at both receiver and cornerback for Colorado. If Kiper Jr. is right about him being the best player in the draft, it would be difficult for Schoen and the Giants' front office to pass if he's still on the board when Big Blue is on the clock.
Schoen spoke to the media yesterday and stated that he’s open to moving up or down and is considering all options before making a final decision. But if the Giants stay put at No. 3, Hunter might be a real possibility.