The New York Giants have spent the better part of a year digging into Shedeur Sanders. Now, one analyst says the smartest move might be walking away.
With the 2025 NFL Draft just days away, the G-Men are once again at the center of chaos. Sitting at No. 3 overall, they’re in range for three high-end prospects—Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, and Sanders. The options are strong, but so are the opinions. Everyone seems to have a different idea of what the Giants should do, including Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski.
In a piece about one prospect each team should avoid, Sobleski named Sanders as the guy the Giants should stay far away from. That’s a bold call considering the volume of work New York has put into evaluating the Colorado quarterback. But Sobleski’s argument isn’t really about talent—it’s about timing.
Could drafting Shedeur Sanders actually create more problems than it solves?
Sobleski believes drafting Sanders wouldn’t reflect a unified decision from the football operation. Instead, he sees it as a potential wedge between ownership and the current front office, one that could complicate an already fragile situation for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll:
“By adding Sanders to the mix, it will almost certainly be a decision from on-high. Meanwhile, Schoen and Daboll will be forced to deal with the media’s constant questions about when Sanders will play, while dealing with a potentially combustible quarterback room.
Basically, Schoen and Daboll would very likely be trying to develop a quarterback for the franchise’s next general manager and head coach.”
It’s a fair concern. Schoen and Daboll are under pressure after back-to-back miserable seasons. They already added Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency—moves clearly aimed at stabilizing the position short-term. Adding a rookie quarterback, especially one with Sanders’ profile, could invite scrutiny, distraction, and a timeline that doesn’t align with the coaching staff’s current reality.
Meanwhile, Hunter and Carter could help right away. Carter would slot into a loaded defensive front and form one of the league’s most dangerous pass-rush trios with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Hunter, a legitimate two-way threat, could start opposite Malik Nabers at receiver then switch to defense to help out Paulson Adebo and the secondary—whichever side of the ball they need more help on, whenever they need it.
Both Carter and Hunter offer clearer Year 1 roles and less media baggage. Sanders, on the other hand, would arrive with expectations and a spotlight that could be tough to manage in a transitional year for the Giants’ staff.
The Giants have done more homework on Sanders than any team in the league. That doesn’t mean they’ll take him—but it does mean they’re prepared. Whether they act on it or not may come down to how much risk Schoen and Daboll can afford.
Because in a draft full of good options, the wrong one might be the most costly.