Giants Fans Concerned About Shedeur Sanders' ESPN Ranking
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has a franchise-altering waiting for him with the No. 3 pick. Assuming the Cleveland Browns take one of Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, the Giants will choose from one of the remaining blue-chip prospects and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
There are valid reasons to roll the dice on any of them. Hunter’s upside is hard to fathom given his versatility and innate athleticism. Carter is a freak and the best pass rusher in a strong class. Sanders isn’t seen as the best quarterback in the class, or the best athlete. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, and there’s a chance he falls much deeper into Round 1 than his in-season stock suggested.
Nevertheless, Sanders remains in play due to the lack of long-term options in the building. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston will insulate the passing offense and bolster the short-term floor for New York. But with Sanders looming and little long-term stability, taking a quarterback remains tempting.
However, the fanbase isn’t behind it, at least not wholeheartedly. Giants fans are concerned about Sanders’ ranking among the class’ top prospects, emphasized by a recent ESPN big board.
Jeff Legwold’s board has Sanders as the 32nd-best prospect in the class; the second quarterback behind Cam Ward (18th).
“When he sets his feet in a clean pocket, Sanders shows the best mechanics and accuracy of any quarterback in this draft,” Jeff Legwold wrote. “His 71.8% completion rate in two seasons at Colorado is an FBS career record. But he is undersized and doesn't throw the ball quickly, which partially explains why he took an FBS-leading 94 sacks the past two seasons.”
Having a rookie quarterback is the quickest path to newfound optimism, and Sanders’ flashes will give fans enough to clamor for as the season continues. But the opportunity cost of missing out on a blue-chip prospect at a high-value position will follow the quarterback.
Adding to that pessimism is the rookie years fans will have to watch. If Carter looks like the next double-digit-sack mainstay or Hunter makes good on his versatility, watching Sanders wear a baseball cap on Sundays won’t sit well, fair or not.
Sanders is flawed, and while being a franchise quarterback is well within his range of outcomes, it stands to reason that he’s the least worthy of the most likely outcomes at No. 3. He’ll be tasked with fighting off those doubts without seeing the field for much of 2025.
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