NY Giants 2025 schedule could do them some serious favors in the Arch Manning sweepstakes

The New York Giants finished their 2024 season 3-14, earning the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Despite that high slot, it may be too low for the team to select a potential franchise quarterback, which is a position the team is clearly in need of improving at.

New York won a meaningless Week 17 game against the Indianapolis Colts, taking it out of the No. 1 pick position and now risking that a first-round passer won't be available. Making matters worse, there is talk of only one college passer being worth taking as high as New York is sitting and two other QB-needy squads are at No. 1 and No. 2 that could snag him first.

So then because of owner John Mara's anti-tanking culture and complacency with the head coach/general manager duo of Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen, will New York have to punt on a future quarterback until 2026?

One thing may actually point to that situation being a benefit is New York's 2025 schedule, deemed the hardest in the league based on 2024 final records.

A poor 2025 season could land the Giants another Manning savior at QB

Based on the opponents New York has to face in 2025, there's a significant chance the team is 1-12 against .500 or better squads. After that, it'll need to tank to secure the top pick - something it hasn't owned since 1965.

But four remaining games against bad teams could bite them again like they did in 2023 and 2024. Wins in those contests could cost them a shot at a franchise-altering quarterback expected to be eligible after next year.

Arch Manning, nephew to Giants legend Eli Manning and his brother Peyton, will be draft eligible after the 2025 college season. He's already impressed for the Texas Longhorns as a freshman and is expected to have a full season under center in Austin after current starter Quinn Ewers likely departs.

Whether Manning performs well enough to warrant jumping to the NFL is yet to be seen but it would be tempting for the youngster to follow in his uncle's footsteps in the Big Apple if the Giants are in prime position to pick him. That being said, Mannng's grandfather - Archie - already has an idea himself of where he'd like his grandson to play, and New York fans won't like it one bit.

Nevertheless, there's a lot that has to happen for this perfect full circle story to become a reality but Giants fans can feel reassured that the league may have set them up for failure in order to get a massive success out of the draft.