Victories have been few and far between for the New York Giants over the past couple of seasons. But after what many are calling a successful NFL Draft, perhaps things are changing for Big Blue.
New York used the third overall pick to draft Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter, whom many have called the best player in the draft. The Giants weren’t done in the first round either, as they shocked many by trading up to the 25th overall pick to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart—perhaps their franchise signal-caller for the next 10 to 15 years.
Those were just some of the many great selections Joe Schoen and Co. made during this draft, leaving many people calling the G-Men one of the biggest winners of the weekend. After seemingly dominating the draft, did the Giants put their NFC East rivals on notice for the upcoming 2025 season and beyond?
The Giants just sent the NFC East a message after a strong and successful draft
In an article for Sports Illustrated, Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame graded each NFL team’s draft class this season. When it came time to grade the NFC East, they had the Giants sitting pretty at the top, giving them an A+.
"After a miserable 2024, the Giants could soon be headed in the right direction after delivering an impressive draft class featuring plenty of talent and filled needs," Manzano and Verdermae wrote. "Carter, who drew comparisons to Micah Parsons and Von Miller, could be a future game wrecker playing next to Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence II."
"Dart isn’t a surefire QB prospect, but he’ll now get to work with coach Brian Daboll, who has no interest in rushing his development after he announced Russell Wilson as the starter. And let’s not overlook the selection of Skattebo, a hard-nosed running back who can also make plays out of the backfield."-GM
Here's how the rest of the division shook out:
Team | Size of class | Draft grade |
|---|---|---|
Dallas Cowboys | Nine | B+ |
New York Giants | Seven | A+ |
Philadelphia Eagles | 10 | B |
Washington Commanders | Five | B |
It wasn’t just the selections of Carter and Dart that could be franchise-altering; the fourth-round pick of running back Cam Skattebo out of Arizona State could also end up being one of the steals of the draft. Skattebo rushed for over 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns last season for the Sun Devils while adding 605 receiving yards. If the 22-year-old can replicate that success in the NFL, he and Tyrone Tracy Jr. could become a dangerous running back duo for the Giants.
The Giants were under enormous pressure to string together a strong draft, and it sure looks like they delivered. While no one is viewing them as an immediate contender yet, they certainly sent their rivals in the ultra-competitive NFC East a strong message.