The New York Giants hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but uncertainty looms over whether they’ll finally address their glaring quarterback need. Rumors suggest that Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders isn’t high on their board, and Giants analyst Sal Licata isn’t holding back his frustration.
On his WFAN Sports Radio podcast, Licata blasted general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll for what he sees as a disturbing trend: repeatedly failing to take decisive action at quarterback despite having premium draft capital.
Sal Licata Slams Giants’ Front Office Over Consecutive QB Draft Blunders
Licata’s criticism was sparked by recent chatter from ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who shared that the Giants’ internal evaluation of Shedeur Sanders has been lukewarm at best.
“I heard from somebody that I’m friendly with, was talking to somebody within the Giants, and they were like, ‘You know what, we really don’t love Shedeur Sanders,’” Raanan said. He added that multiple sources within and around the organization echoed similar skepticism.
Despite this, there have also been conflicting voices praising Sanders. Yet, Raanan noted a key shift at the NFL owners meetings when GM Joe Schoen “starts sort of greasing the skids to maybe not taking a quarterback,” signaling a possible pivot away from selecting a QB at No. 3.
That notion didn’t sit well with Licata.
“They had the sixth pick last ye,ar and there were no quarterbacks good enough for them,” he said, referencing the Giants’ 2024 draft decision. “But Sean Payton could draft Bo Nix and turn him into a playoff quarterback. Atlanta, who already paid a billion dollars for Kirk Cousins, can identify Michael Penix [Jr.] and say, ‘Holy crap, this guy’s got it, we have to take him.’”
He continued his scathing critique, aiming directly at the Giants’ risk-averse mindset: “So other teams can take a risk even in not ideal situations. With Daboll and Schoen, it’s like, ‘Oh no, it’s got to be perfect. Everything’s got to be perfect.’ This guy’s got to — no, if it’s not Jayden Daniels or it’s not Drake Maye, we can’t take them. No, we need a wide receiver. Wrong. You were wrong last year.”
Frustrated by what he sees as the front office’s repeated failure to prioritize the league’s most valuable position, Licata concluded, “Now this year, it’s gonna be, ‘Oh no, no, we don’t like Shedeur Sanders. We’re not gonna trade down for J.J. McCarthy [in 2024]. So we’re gonna get the best player available.’ Wrong again. How many years is this gonna go down the road?”
While the Giants’ draft strategy remains under wraps, one thing is clear: Licata believes the franchise has already lost valuable time, and possibly its future, by passing on quarterbacks two years in a row.