Giants Shake Up the Draft: Hunter & Shedeur Land in Jaw-Dropping Mel Kiper Jr. Prediction!

ESPN’s NFL Draft expert, Mel Kiper Jr., once predicted that Shedeur Sanders would be selected by the New York Giants with the third overall pick in the draft. However, as Sanders’ draft stock continues to decline, Kiper now believes the Giants have an opportunity to secure both the top player on his draft board and a quarterback whose value is dropping.

While reviewing Field Yates’ latest mock draft on Wednesday, Kiper discussed the possibility of the Giants selecting two-way star Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both in the first round. Though the idea seems unconventional, it remains a plausible scenario given Sanders’ decreasing stock. Kiper emphasized that the Giants must decide whether to pass on the best player available to reach for a quarterback or take a more strategic approach.

“I’m looking at maybe the best player on their board—he’s the best player on my board—Travis Hunter,” Kiper explained. “He’s there at No. 3, and Shedeur Sanders is No. 5 on my board. So do you pass on the No. 1 player just to take the No. 5 player because he’s a quarterback? Maybe not.”

Kiper then laid out how the Giants could pull off this bold draft strategy. While it may seem improbable, if Giants general manager Joe Schoen can execute the plan, Kiper believes it would make the Giants one of the biggest winners of the offseason.

“How about this scenario?” Kiper proposed. “You draft Travis Hunter at No. 3. Then, if Shedeur Sanders falls, you trade back into the first round and grab him. That way, the Giants end up with both Hunter and Sanders. It’s a scenario that could realistically happen.” Kiper noted that in Field Yates’ latest mock draft, Sanders was still projected to go No. 3 to the Giants, a move he personally would not oppose.

However, for this scenario to unfold, Sanders’ draft stock would need to drop even further. A poor showing at the Colorado Pro Day Showcase on Friday could be the tipping point. Kiper also speculated on an alternate possibility: “What if Shedeur Sanders is still available when the Steelers pick? What if he falls to the 15-20 range, and the Giants, having already selected Travis Hunter, decide to move back up and secure both Colorado stars?” Kiper concluded by saying, “It’s going to be really fun to watch.”