13-year NFL veteran fires clear message to Giants’ management as Shedeur Sanders to New York rumors continue to intensify

Shedeur Sanders has experienced a significant fall in his draft stock over the past couple of weeks, especially since the NFL Combine. Nonetheless, there's a belief among many that the New York Giants will draft him as their future franchise quarterback with the third pick of the 2025 NFL draft.

This may seem odd, given that the Giants have signed Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, but for many, Sanders might sit for a year before taking over the starting role.

During his appearance on a recent installment of the “Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard” podcast, former Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty gave his view on the New York Giants and Shedeur Sanders rumors. McCourty, who spent 13 years in the NFL, believes the Giants should draft Sanders with the No. 3 pick if their evaluation shows he can lead them for years.

“It’s kind of twofold because if I’m Joe Shane and I'm looking at the board and I feel a guy like Travis Hunter is there at No. 3, he's a guy that can completely change our organization, can possibly be a gold jacket type of player,” McCourty said. “You want to get him.”

“But if you're John Mayer as ownership, you may be looking and you may be talking to people around the league in different circles. And if the talk is that Shedeur Sanders could be a quarterback for the next 10 to 15 years, I'm telling management, ‘Get me a quarterback here for the future.’”

McCourty thinks the long-term future of the franchise, which the ownership should be focusing on, is more important than a short-term improvement. While Hunter might improve the team immediately and potentially become a Hall of Famer one day, he won't move the needle as much as having a long-term viable option at QB.

Given Brian Daboll is arguably on the hot seat in 2025, this could become an area of disagreement between owner and head coach.

Jason McCourty believes drafting Shedeur Sanders at No. 3 is a good idea despite Russell Wilson addition

The New York Giants recently added veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to their roster, which came shortly after adding Jameis Winston on a two-year deal. Despite this, Jason McCourty believes drafting Shedeur Sanders with the No. 3 pick is a good idea with respect to the future.

“I don't care if we have Russ, if we have Jameis, if you bring back Eli Manning or whoever, if they're going to be quarterbacks that are going to be old and only play here for a year," McCourty said. "I still want answers for the next five to six years to know that we're set up right.”

“...If the Giants leave out of there, and they feel as though Shedeur Sanders is a franchise quarterback, and he's somebody that can lead them for the future, to me, I don't care where it is, you draft him. Even with that third pick.”

The latest decision of the New York Giants has placed some doubts on their decision regarding the No. 3 pick. With Daboll and his coaching team in need of a much improved season, they might be looking to improve the overall team, rather than potentially adding more depth, even if it's a longterm investment, at QB.