The New York Giants made a major decision Thursday night during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite the fact that Colorado's Shedeur Sanders was available when the Giants made a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans for the No. 25 pick, they opted to go with Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss instead.
It was a move that confounded ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. after the selection was made.
"Surprised he went ahead of Shedeur, not shocked, because (coach Brian) Daboll wants mobility,” Kiper said via the New York Post.
While Kiper noted Dart's abilities as a runner, he doesn't believe the Ole Miss product is a capable winner, which is the defining reason he thought it was the wrong move.
Kiper took aim at Dart’s performances in the games against LSU, Georgia and Florida, two of which were ranked. The loss against Florida likely kept Ole Miss out of the College Football playoffs.
"The concern for me, and the reason I’m a Shedeur guy is, in a big spot, do you come up big?” said Kiper. "Three big spots [Dart] didn’t come up big, Shedeur consistently did despite being harassed.”
Only time will tell whether the Giants made the right decision taking Dart over Sanders. Both quarterbacks bring concerns with their profiles.
With Dart, the Giants will have the benefit of sitting him behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston for at least a season. Sanders is generally viewed as a prospect who is more pro-ready, but he's limited athletically and there are concerns about his affinity for taking drive-killing sacks.
Whether head coach Brian Daboll will be around to further develop Dart's game after the upcoming season remains to be seen, but New York now has some hope for the future.