‘Things I think’ as we get closer to the 2025 NFL Draft

Thoughts on Jalen Milroe, Shedeur Sanders, Abdul Carter, and more

We are less than two weeks away from the 2025 NFL Draft. Here are some New York Giants-related ‘things I think’ as we count down the days.

Jalen Milroe to the Giants?

Todd McShay of The Ringer put an exclamation point on the rising tide of support for Jalen Milroe as a potential first-round pick when he had the New York Giants trade up to No. 24 to select the Alabama quarterback in his most recent mock draft.

McShay pointed to Brian Daboll’s work with Josh Allen, a quarterback who also came out of college with plus physical traits as a runner and thrower, but consistency and accuracy issues, in teaming Milroe with Daboll for the Giants.

I have come around on the idea of the Giants possibly selecting Milroe, something I thought a couple of months ago would be doomed to fail if it happened.

GM Joe Schoen has talked about wanting a quarterback the Giants can win NFC East titles and Super Bowls with. He wants a quarterback who can lead a team there, not one who would be a passenger needing the perfect supporting cast to get there.

That’s the biggest reason the Giants might pass on Shedeur Sanders at No. 3. There are questions about how high the ceiling is, and how much he would need around him to be truly successful.

With Milroe’s plus athleticism and running ability, along with a cannon arm, there is no question about the ceiling. With his flaws in accuracy, decision-making and consistency, there are massive questions about whether or not he can get close to that ceiling.

If you’re Schoen and Brian Daboll, do you play it safe to ensure you hit a single or a double? Or, do you swing for the home run while acknowledging there is a good chance you will strike out, look silly doing it and end up getting yourself fired?

I am reminded of Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane explaining why he was so aggressive in 2018 in trading up twice to get to No. 7 and select Allen:

As you know, Schoen was Beane’s assistant GM at the time. He saw first-hand a GM putting his reputation and his job on the line for a quarterback who had very apparent flaws.

Daboll also coached Jalen Hurts at Alabama. Milroe draws comparisons to Hurts, justifiably, and we see what kind of player Hurts has become.

The more I think about Milroe to the Giants the more it makes sense. Tyler Shough is a “safe” pick because you know at the least he’s going to be a good backup/sometimes starter for a decade. Jaxson Dart is a “safe” pick if he’s available because he’s the consensus QB3 and at 21 years of age you can bank on development.

Milroe is the big swing, the big gamble. If you are Daboll and Schoen in Year 4 knowing your careers are balanced on the cliff and you may only get one at-bat you might as well take the biggest swing you can take.

Speaking of McShay

I love this version of Todd McShay. If you haven’t been watching ‘The McShay Show’ on YouTube, the McShay that you see there is a far cry from the McShay of his ESPN days.

At the Worldwide Leader, McShay was a buttoned-up, suit-wearing understudy who always played second fiddle to Mel Kiper Jr. Now, you get a scruffy, hoodie-wearing star of the show McShay teaming with Steve Meunch, dropping cuss words when he feels like it, shooting from the hip, displaying his real passion for the draft and telling you what he really thinks in the way he wants to tell you.

Go to 1:02:54 of McShay’s latest mock draft, when he talks about having the Giants trade back into Round 1 for Milroe, and you’ll see for yourself.

For me, at least, McShay has become a must-watch.

Shedeur spin move

There was a time when Deion Sanders said flatly that his son, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders would “for sure” be selected in the top three of the NFL Draft.

That was in the wayback days when Sanders was only going to visit with the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants — the teams with the top three picks.

Now, Sanders has taken a visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers (picking No. 21) and will visit the Las Vegas Raiders (picking No. 6). And his camp, through willing intermediary Louis Riddick of ESPN, is broadcasting the idea that Sanders doesn’t want to go to the top three teams, anyway.

Yeah, right.

There was debate in the comments when I wrote the Sanders post earlier in the week about whether this was just Riddick talking, or whether this was Riddick delivering a message from the Sanders camp. I fully believe the latter.

As talented as Shedeur is, examples like this are part of the reason I have been in the ‘don’t draft Shedeur’ camp. When something doesn’t go the young man’s way, there is always the potential for Prime Time to use his platform and blame everyone else — the coach, the team, the organization he plays for — and try to absolve Shedeur.

A coach and GM fighting for their jobs and without the cachet to control that distraction don’t need the headache.

One thing I need to add: This actually isn’t about Shedeur. He’s always smiling in interviews I see. He seems polite. He seems grounded. He seems to have his priorities in order. He will likely be a good NFL quarterback.

It’s about what comes with him.

Drafting Abdul Carter

There are worries by some in the Giants’ fan base about how the team would get Carter on the field enough with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns already on the roster.

I’m not one of those worrying.

Steve Spagnuolo figured it out when the Giants had Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and still used a first-round pick on Mathias Kiwanuka.

There is another, older example from the Giants’ past. Carl Banks being selected No. 3 in 1983.

George Young and Bill Parcells selected Banks despite the team already having Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt and Brian Kelley at linebacker.

In Gary Myers’ book, ‘Once A Giant,’ Banks tells a story about Carson’s comment when they met for the first time:

“Harry looks at me and says ‘so what the hell are you going to do to get on the field?’”

Banks did plenty. In the end, selecting Banks seems to have worked out pretty well.

A reminder: The draft is not just about the upcoming season. Despite the immediate pressure on Schoen and Daboll, the draft is about trying to do what is best for an organization long term.

It is why you draft ‘value’ over need as often as possible. Especially when the ‘value’ might be a transformational player. You don’t know what your needs will be in six months, to say nothing of a couple of years down the line.

In Banks’ case, both Kelley (retired) and Van Pelt (traded) were gone from the Giants after the 1983 season.

As for playing time in 2025, Shane Bowen gets paid to figure that out. It would be a good problem for him to have.