A total of six quarterbacks were selected in the top 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, most in the modern draft era. One year later, quarterback prospects will be much harder to find.
The 2025 NFL Draft is widely considered to feature just two first-round quarterback prospects: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Instead, this year’s draft class is loaded with talent at other premium positions. Potentially generational prospects and the scarcity of quality passers could lead to some difficult decisions with the early selections, especially for the teams that desperately need to find a franchise quarterback.
The Tennessee Titans are expected to select Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick. The Cleveland Browns have struggled to find stability at quarterback, which has led some analysts to believe that Cleveland will select Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick. That’s far from a foregone conclusion at this point, however.
Giants could face franchise-altering decision in 2025 NFL Draft
The Browns are leaning toward selecting Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday. Sanders, who was once considered to be the consensus No. 1 overall pick, has been slipping down draft rankings. If he falls past Cleveland, the New York Giants would be set up for an intriguing — and potentially franchise-altering — decision.
The Giants signed veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency, but neither present a long-term solution. New York could select Sanders and develop him as their future quarterback behind Wilson and Winston, but that would be far from an easy choice.
If New York decides to select Sanders, they would do so at the expense of passing up on Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, who is considered to be a generational talent and the best overall prospect in the draft.
Hunter thrived as both a wide receiver and cornerback under Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. Just how good was Hunter? In 2024, he won the Biletnikoff Award for being the best wide receiver, the Bednarik Award for being the best defensive player and the Heisman Trophy for being the best overall player in college football.
There’s little doubt that the 21-year-old’s ball skills will translate to the professional level, but there are skeptics that say he will not be able to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL. Some teams may view him as a cornerback who can play wide receiver in situational offensive packages, while others may view him primarily as a wide receiver. Finding a fit and utilizing Hunter properly could prove difficult if handled poorly, but he could also prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime player who can dominate on both ends.
If Sanders doesn’t pan out and Hunter lives up to his potential, the Giants’ regret would make their Saquon Barkley blunder seem insignificant.