Prominent NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper released his latest mock on Tuesday morning, and it carries plenty of intrigue for both New York teams.
Per the ESPN senior draft analyst, the Giants will stay put at No. 3 and take Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, leaving Hunter’s college teammate Shedeur Sanders on the board after the Browns go with Cam Ward with the second overall pick in this hypothetical. Sanders, who has been linked to the Giants for months, would slide all the way down to No. 7, where none other than the Jets would take the promising young quarterback.
Gang Green is in need of a quarterback after announcing that they are moving on from Aaron Rodgers, and Sanders could be their next shot at a franchise cornerstone, a critical position that the team whiffed on with Zach Wilson last time the organization tried to draft its future QB. Per Kiper, some around the league are skeptical that Sanders is worthy of a top-five pick, which could lead to him falling into Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn’s lap at seven.
Why would Big Blue pass on Sanders if the team also needs a new quarterback? Kiper notes the expectation to turn things around quickly after another disastrous season, and the Brian Daboll/Joe Schoen regime is likely feeling the heat, which could lead them to draft the best star available to help the team immediately.
Many expect the Giants to take a quarterback with their pick, or even trade up to make sure they get either Sanders or Ward. But Kiper is currently predicting that the G-Men will go a different route and bring in one of the most electric talents available in the draft, but Sanders still coming to New York, only in a different uniform.