The New York Giants had a very successful 2025 NFL Draft. Not only did GM Joe Schoen land a potentially franchise-changing pass rusher in Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, he also landed the Giants' quarterback of the future by trading back into the first round and selecting Jaxson Dart at No. 25.
And, somehow, Big Blue still has its 2026 first-round pick, too.
As a result, Giants fans are overflowing with excitement about what the 2025 NFL season might bring. The defense will challenge to be one of the best in the league, and the offense, led by veteran QB Russell Wilson, should be a much better product than what we've seen over the last two years.
Even if Wilson struggles, the hope of what Dart can bring to the franchise will keep Giants fans invested.
But what if Schoen had taken a different approach in Round 1? What if, instead of sticking and picking at No. 3 overall, he pushed all of his chips in and traded with the Tennessee Titans for the first overall selection? And, what if the Giants were entering the 2025 season with Cam Ward as their starting quarterback?
READ: Jaxson Dart already showing signs he could challenge Giants’ QB plan
It's a scenario that CBS Sports recently pondered in their breakdown of the biggest what-ifs of the year.
"Embattled general manager Joe Schoen lived up to his promise to "look under every rock" for quarterback help this offseason, adding not one but three new passers in Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and first-round draft pick Jaxson Dart," CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin wrote. "Thing is, he may have settled for just one, had he gotten his wish. After failing to acquire Stafford in a blockbuster trade, Schoen's Giants were reported as front-runners to land the No. 1 pick in the draft, with Miami's Cam Ward the anticipated target.
"What if the Tennessee Titans hadn't been smitten with Ward -- or just so desperate for their own new signal-caller -- and actually dealt the top pick to Big Blue? We might be preparing for Ward to open the 2025 season as the new face of the Giants with head coach Brian Daboll finally set to deploy a gunslinger with long-term promise."
There's no doubt Giants fans would've been fired up for Ward to make his debut as Big Blue's QB1, but let's be honest: Ward was never considered the kind of prospect who'd flip a franchise's fortunes, even if he was the highest-graded quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In fact, he probably would've been the fourth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye.
So, yeah, Schoen did the right thing -- for now -- by holding at No. 3, selecting Carter, and finding a way to land Dart later in Round 1, two players who now represent cornerstones on offense and defense.
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