Fact or Fiction: Draft night strategy & predictions (2025)

The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

There will be a trade in the top five of the draft order.

John Schmeelk: Fiction - I don't think there are going to be many trades in this draft due to the flatness of the draft class. Ironically, it means that the best chance of a trade probably comes in the top three where the only elite players reside: Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, and Abdul Carter. If the Giants and Browns want to draft these two position players after the Titans likely draft Cam Ward, there will be no trade. If the Browns decide to select Shedeur Sanders, they are unlikely to move the pick because of the chance the Giants might select him at third overall. It really makes the Giants the only possible trade point. If they decide to select Shedeur Sanders, they could probably safely slide down a couple of spots and remain confident they can get Sanders, while letting a team like the Patriots or Jaguars move up to get one of the elite position players. I find the scenario unlikely, but it is plausible. If they want Abdul Carter, they will just sit and pick.

Dan Salomone: Fact – Teams need quarterbacks. Teams need high draft picks to get quarterbacks. Teams need trades to get high draft picks.

Matt Citak: Fiction – While not always the case, when a team trades up in the top five, it's typically for a quarterback. With the Titans seemingly locked into Cam Ward at No. 1, I don't know how likely a trade in the top five would be. And while a team could move up to take Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, it would take a whole bunch of picks for one of the teams at the top of the round to move off either of those blue-chip prospects.

The Giants will draft two offensive linemen this year.

John Schmeelk: Fiction - I was surprised the Giants did not draft an offensive lineman last year and it would be very surprising for them to go consecutive years without selecting one, whether a developmental player or someone earlier in the draft. It is not a great offensive tackle draft, but there should be a number of guards available that can help a team on day two of the NFL Draft. It would not surprise me to see the Giants invest in one of them.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – It's tough to put a number on any position because of all the variables. They could go into the draft with that group targeted, but if the board doesn't unfold that way, they're not going to force it. What I will say, though, is that just when you think a position is set, football has a way of upending things quickly and dramatically. The Giants are in no position to pass on any position.

Matt Citak: Fiction – Prior to free agency, my answer would have easily gone the other way. But after re-signing Greg Van Roten and Aaron Stinnie, while also adding James Hudson and Stone Forsythe, the Giants already have a lot of bodies in the O-line room. All five starters from the beginning of last season are back, with a good amount of depth behind them, too. I still think they address the line in the draft, but it wouldn't surprise me if only one draft pick was dedicated to the protection up front, rather than two, especially since this isn't considered to be a particularly great draft for offensive linemen.

You would rather have one position group that is elite than a handful that are above average.

John Schmeelk: Fiction - You have to have a balanced team, otherwise an opponent will find a way to exploit you. Last year, for example, the Giants had an excellent pass rush and even led the league in sacks for a portion of the season. Their inability to stop the run and stop other teams from scoring and taking multi-score leads limited the pass rush's opportunity. Teams are not going to use a drop-back passing game when they are running it at will or up 2-3 scores. The pass rush fizzled, and a dominant unit was neutralized. Teams will find a weakness of an opponent and avoid their strength if they can. Now if you can get one dominant unit and a bunch of average ones… I'll take that.

Dan Salomone: Fact – On top of my previous answer, an elite group also gives you an identity. That's what the Giants have struggled to find consistently since their last Super Bowl.

Matt Citak: Fact – It certainly depends on the position, but having one elite group can transform a team. For example, having an elite defensive line/pass rush helps take the pressure off the second and third levels of your defense, or having an elite offensive line can help elevate the play from your quarterback and running back. This is part of the conversation about the Giants possibly selecting Abdul Carter at No. 3. Adding Carter to a defensive line already consisting of Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux would give the Giants one of the best, if not the best, D-lines in the NFL. It would boost the rest of the defense and, in turn, also help the offense.

If you draft a quarterback beyond Round 1, you would rather that player have a high ceiling and possibly lower floor than vice versa.

John Schmeelk: Fact - Scouting quarterbacks is a lot different than scouting any other position. If you draft a player and he ends up being the 16^th best at their position, most teams would be pretty happy with the result. Courtland Sutton, for example, was the 16^th leading receiver last year with over 1,050 yards with Terry McLaurin, AJ Brown, Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson the four players around him. That's a good result, right? The 16^th highest sack-getters were Zach Seiler and Odafe Oweh, ahead of players like Za'Darius Smith, Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd, Dexter Lawrence, Zach Allen, Brian Burns and Cameron Hayward. Good players, right? But would you be equally excited about walking away with the 16^th best quarterback? In a down year for him, Trevor Lawrence was 16^th in QBR last year, just ahead of Tua Tagovailoa and Sam Darnold. After Lawrence were young guys early in their careers still figuring it out like Bo Nix, Drake Maye and Bryce Young. It's not as exciting.

Dan Salomone: Fact – A theme of the offseason has been taking "swings" at quarterback. May as well take a big one on the most important position in all of sports – if the cost doesn't hamper you for years.

Matt Citak: Fact – The numbers show that most of the top quarterbacks in the league right now were first-round picks, and high first-round picks at that. If you're going to take a swing at the QB position beyond Round 1, where the chances of him becoming a franchise quarterback are obviously lower than if you take a player at the top of the first round, then you might as well swing for the fences. Of course, any quarterback taken on Day 2 or 3 comes with a certain level of risk, which means the reward better be worth it.