2025 NFL Draft Order Power Rankings: No. 1 Pick is New York Giants’ to Lose

Current Draft Spot: No. 2

Week 12 Result: 30-6 Loss to Tampa Bay

Look, the New York Giants are tanking, even if they won’t admit it publicly. They’ve released starting quarterback Daniel Jones and handed the keys to Tommy DeVito without even giving offseason acquisition Drew Lock a look.

Anyone who watched about five minutes of their 30-6 loss in Week 12 can see players aren’t being put in a position to win—and some of them are playing accordingly. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers called his team “soft” after being blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the Colts and New Orleans Saints both have losing records, it would be hard to find an obvious win for the Giants even if they were trying. They’re not, and that gives New York the best chance of losing every game left on the slate.

The Giants would pick third if the season ended today because of their strength of schedule (526.). They’ll need help to land the top pick, but they’re also the most openly motivated to get it.

The big unknown is whether head coach Brian Daboll feels he is on the hot seat and might be willing to mess with New York’s draft plans by delivering a late win a la Lovie Smith and the Texans in 2022.

Potential Target With No. 1 Pick: QB Cam Ward, Miami

Daboll may not be totally safe, but it looks like he and general manager Joe Schoen will be back in 2025.

“Multiple sources reiterated this week to CBS Sports that Giants owner John Mara intends to keep Schoen beyond this year,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones wrote on Sunday. “…Daboll is also presumed to return for 2025 as Mara does not wish for more upheaval.”

If Daboll and Schoen remain in the front office, they may steer the Giants toward Ward. Both came over from the Buffalo Bills where they watched Josh Allen develop into an MVP candidate.

Ward (6’2″, 223 lbs) isn’t as big as Allen (6’5″, 237 lbs), but he has similar physical traits and the same surplus of upside that Allen had coming out of Wyoming.

“The combination of arm talent, mobility/athleticism, and accuracy is growing among NFL scouts,” Parson wrote. “…[Ward} has superstar potential if he can cut down on mistakes/risky decisions.”

Betting on Jones’ upside didn’t work, but neither Daboll nor Schoen was with the organization when he was drafted. They’ll pick “their guy,” and Ward is a logical candidate.