The New York Giants finally pulled the trigger on a starting-caliber quarterback, and luckily it wasn’t Aaron Rodgers. Instead, it was Russell Wilson, the veteran Super Bowl winner who agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $21 million, including $10.5 million guaranteed.
He joins a suddenly crowded quarterback room that already includes Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito.
That move all but slams the door shut on the Rodgers watch and throws some serious doubt on whether Big Blue will even go quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft. For a front office in win-now mode, signing Wilson gives Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen a little breathing room and the chance to look beyond just addressing the quarterback hole.
Well, if they do choose to pivot from selecting a quarterback with the third overall pick, there's an obvious name that should top their new draft board. And it just so happens the Giants are his best fit.
Giants' Russell Wilson signing makes Travis Hunter a very interesting draft pick
According to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, Colorado star Travis Hunter is the top overall player on the board, and the G-Men are his ideal landing spot. And it’s not hard to see why.
Hunter is the rare type of prospect who breaks molds. He played over 100 snaps in 11 of 13 games last year. He parlayed his elite play on both sides of the field into a Heisman trophy. And now, with Wilson holding down the quarterback spot for a season, Big Blue doesn't have to take Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward (if either falls) at No. 3.
They can take the guy who might just be the best football player in the entire draft.
Yes, they signed Paulson Adebo. Yes, they drafted Malik Nabers last year. But Travis Hunter can fill needs on both sides of the ball. Cornerback remains a work in progress, and behind Nabers, the wide receiver depth chart still lacks punch. Hunter could rotate in as needed and make an impact immediately.
Davenport had high praise for Hunter, saying, “[He's] arguably the most fascinating draft prospect to come along in the past decade—largely because we just haven’t seen a player like him [in] years.” Spot the lie. The Giants haven’t had a player like Hunter in probably... ever (specifically in terms of his two-way ability). And Hunter has been very outspoken about playing both sides.
With Wilson under center, the Giants can afford to swing big and take the best player available—a true unicorn. They're no longer forced to draft for need. They very well could still draft Sanders, but it's no longer the utterly dire need it was a few hours ago.
Don’t get it twisted, they still need a long-term answer at quarterback. They don’t want to end up like the Pittsburgh Steelers, stuck in quarterback limbo. But now, they might have the flexibility to wait until their early second-round pick or even trade back up to find their guy.