PALM BEACH, Fla. - The NFL Draft can't get here fast enough.
But let's be real: we're under a month away from the event and each passing day brings another potential wrinkle to what the New York Giants might do.
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll have faced an offseason of decisions that will speak to the urgency of turning the franchise into a winner again. That comes with the obvious pressure under which everyone will be operating as they enter a pivotal fourth season in control of Big Blue.
With NFL Draft festivities in Green Bay set to begin with the first round in prime time on April 24, we will continue to analyze what we know about the prospects who should be in play for the Giants.
Who will Giants draft in first round?
So much is on the table for the Giants, who currently hold the No. 3 overall selection with the pre-draft focus turning to Pro Days, private workouts and "30" visits in East Rutherford. Whatever plan Schoen executes in free agency was going to have a significant impact on the Giants' draft plans, especially at quarterback, and uncertainty remains. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are viewed as the top two QBs in the Class of 2025, and Ward is expected to go to the Titans at No. 1.
Sitting at No. 3, with the additions of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, what does that mean for the prospects of taking a quarterback there? Sources have told NorthJersey.com and The Record that those two signings will not alter the plan, and that if they believe in Sanders or another quarterback in that spot, the presence of Wilson and Winston will not prevent a selection.
The Giants are going to continue operating in the spirit of keeping all options open.
Giants mock draft: Every selection for Big Blue
Using the Pro Football Network Draft simulator, here is our now-weekly stab at laying out a possible mock path for the Giants. Ward went to the Titans and the Browns took Sanders, so I had the choice between Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter, and went back and forth.
Round 1, Pick 3: Abdul Carter, LB, Penn State
Ultimately, I went with the potential of the pass rusher.
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid told NorthJersey.com that Carter has a similar upside as a pro to that of another former Penn State prospect that moved around from off-ball linebacker to the defensive front in rush packages: Cowboys star Micah Parsons.
Carter plays with ...
