The New York Giants are desperately in need of a franchise quarterback after spending six seasons pretending that Daniel Jones could fill Eli Manning’s shoes.
The upcoming free agent class of signal callers looks weak, and it’s exceedingly rare that talented field generals hit the trade block anywhere near their respective primes.
Armed with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Giants are currently on the outside looking in among teams in need of a QB. After Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, this draft class doesn’t offer much in the way of elite upside at the position. So, then, perhaps a trade-up is in order for Big Blue?
New York Giants Predicted to Trade Up For Cam Ward in Latest PFN Mock Draft
In PFN’s latest first-round-only mock draft, which allows for trades, the Giants are predicted to move up two slots to the first overall pick by Chris Dodson. New York gave the Tennessee Titans picks 3, 65, 155, and 221, while they also received pick 180 to sweeten the pot.
As mock draft enthusiasts might assume, Dodson predicts that the Giants wasted no time rushing to the podium to select Cam Ward out of Miami with the first overall pick.
“The Giants, concerned with Sanders’ boom-or-bust risks, believe they can win with Ward’s strong arm and mobility,” Dodson explains. “Ward is accurate and not prone to boneheaded decision-making or holding on to the ball too long. That is a big upgrade over what Daniel Jones was putting on tape the past few seasons. It’s also the first thing the NYC media would scrutinize with Sanders.”
In Dalton Miller’s scouting report on Ward, the quarterback is lauded for his pocket presence and versatility as a thrower, both on the move and from solid footing. He’s also revered for his deep ball velocity and accuracy, which should be music to the ears of Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers.
However, Ward naturally comes with a few flaws, namely his unpolished feeling for pressure.
“If a team forces Ward on the field as a rookie, it will likely lead to disaster,” Miller elucidates in his scouting report. “He’s not cognitively ready to work within an offensive structure on an NFL timeline. You’ll see the same social media highlight throws he made at Miami to a lesser degree while the turnovers remain a thorn in his side.”
Behind the Giants’ notoriously turnstile-like offensive line, Ward could be a very risky play for New York.
The Cam Ward-Shedeur Sanders Debate
If the Giants do trade up — or if the Titans or Cleveland Browns (picking at No. 2) opt not to select the top options at quarterback, then New York will be faced with the biggest question every scout is trying to answer in this draft cycle: which quarterback should go first?
Sanders was a star at Colorado in recent seasons, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns for the Buffaloes in 2024. He helped his team, coached by his dad, Deion Sanders, to a 9-3 record in the 2024 college football season and an Alamo Bowl appearance.
On the other hand, Ward’s 2024 performance caught the eye of scouts. He passed for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns for the Hurricanes, helping them to a 10-2 season and a Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance.
Giants GM Joe Schoen spoke highly of the Colorado QB at the Shrine Bowl. “He’s a great kid, he’s a really good personality, he’s football smart, and his dad is a football coach. It’s a little bit cliché, but he checks all the boxes of a [player with a] dad that is a football coach and the passion that he approaches the game with,” Schoen said.
Regardless of which QB they land on, fans will be expecting the team to figure out a way to come away with one of the two top prospects in this year’s draft. If it requires a trade up — or a lot of praying that Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter woos one of Tennessee or Cleveland — then the Giants should be prepared to do whatever it takes to find their QB of the future.