When the New York Giants pulled off a bold move to trade back into the first round and select Jaxson Dart at No. 25 overall, there were still whispers about another quarterback they left on the board: Shedeur Sanders.
Some thought Sanders could have been the guy at No. 3. Others assumed if he slid past the early picks, the G-Men might still snag him later. Neither happened.
Instead, New York zeroed in on Dart—a player who crushed the pre-draft process and had the full trust of the front office. Sanders? His slide continued well into Day 3 until the Cleveland Browns finally took him in the fifth round. Now, with more details emerging about Sanders’ interaction with Big Blue, their decision is starting to make a whole lot more sense.
Sanders reportedly bombed his meeting with head coach Brian Daboll, which included a critical playbook install session that didn’t go over well—at all... really from either side.
Giants were never going to take Shedeur Sanders—and now the fans know why
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer via 98.5 The Sports Hub:
“The Giants one, they give players an install, and there are mistakes intentionally put in the install. He didn’t catch them and got called on it, and it didn’t go well after that. He was pissed that they did that to him.”
Getting caught off guard is one thing. Being annoyed? Not ideal. But being pissed? That’s a massive red flag. This test was all about how a potential franchise quarterback handles coaching, adversity, and criticism in the moment. And in Daboll’s eyes, it was an instant no-go. Word is, Daboll didn’t love the reaction either—he was visibly annoyed that Sanders took issue with the process.
Todd McShay confirmed the meeting soured quickly, calling Sanders “a no-go” for Daboll. And while some in the organization were reportedly intrigued by the upside, the head coach wasn’t willing to gamble the team’s future on a quarterback who didn’t approach the process the way they needed him to.
Instead, they turned to Dart, a guy whose meeting reportedly did go well, who impressed with both his preparation and attitude, and who’s been praised by his former coach at Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin.
We’re not here to drag Sanders. The Browns took a flier, and maybe he proves the doubters wrong. That’s great. But in New York, it’s Dart’s team now. The Giants wanted someone they could build around—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Dart checked all those boxes. Sanders didn’t. That doesn't mean he won't for another team.
New York's quarterback carousel has spun wildly for the past few seasons. It’s been out of control. What they need now isn’t more uncertainty or misdirection. They need calm. They need maturity. They need structure. And most of all, they need the right fit.
Maybe the Giants could’ve rolled the dice on Sanders. But the more we learn, the clearer it becomes: they were right not to. Dart was their guy. And judging by everything we’ve heard so far, he still is.