For a few fleeting weeks, the dream was alive. The New York Giants, barreling through one of the worst seasons in franchise history, had their sights set on the ultimate consolation prize: the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But thanks to their Week 17 win over the Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns' 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, that dream is officially dead.
At 3-13 heading into Week 18, the Giants were still technically in the running for the No. 1 pick. But Cleveland's weaker strength of schedule (.544 compared to New York’s .551) and their head-to-head loss to Big Blue back in Week 3 mean the Browns now hold the edge.
With one week left in the season, the Giants are out of the race for the top pick, barring a trade.
With the Browns' loss to the Ravens, the Giants no longer have a chance to get the No. 1 pick pic.twitter.com/yvEjXFEcEt
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 5, 2025
If this season hasn’t already been painful enough, Cleveland's outcome adds another layer of salt to the wound. Losing out on the No. 1 pick not only stings from a draft perspective—it also reinforces the chaos and misfortune that have defined this Giants season.
The Browns have a worse quarterback situation than the Giants and that says something...
What makes this especially brutal for the Giants is Cleveland’s potential draft strategy. With Deshaun Watson sidelined indefinitely by an Achilles tear—and a historically awful contract making it impossible to move on—the Browns are suddenly in the market for a new franchise quarterback.
If they fall in love with Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, the two standout passers expected to go at the top of the draft, the Giants’ hopes of landing their next QB may take a serious hit.
Even if Cleveland decides to trade down, the price to move up to No. 1 has just skyrocketed. Teams will undoubtedly seek to find their future quarterback, and with so few options available, that could lead to a bidding war. The cost of trading up might be prohibitive for a team like New York, which needs every draft pick it can get.
Meanwhile, the Giants now face the distinct possibility of drafting anywhere from No. 2 to No. 9, depending on how the final week of the season shakes out. A win against the Eagles’ backups could send New York tumbling even further down the draft order.
This development is pretty crushing, but also a reality. After the win over the Colts, the probability the G-Men would end up with the first overall pick was slim. Missing out on that chance to draft first, especially after being in the driver’s seat just two weeks ago, feels like the ultimate gut punch.
The Browns’ loss is a stark reminder of just how fragile draft positioning can be. A single game—or in this case, a single head-to-head win—can completely change the trajectory of an offseason. For the Giants, that win over Cleveland in Week 3 now looms large as a costly mistake.
Now, the Giants must regroup and hope for the best in Week 18. But with the No. 1 pick officially off the table, it’s hard to avoid the sinking feeling that this season has taken yet another turn for the worse. At least there’s always next year, right?