What we’ve learned from Giants’ pre-draft visits: Which QB has NY spent most time on?

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Every NFL team is allowed to host 30 prospects on pre-draft visits. The purpose of the visits varies by team — if they even utilize them. The Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars don’t host visits largely because they don’t want to reveal their interest in prospects.

The New York Giants have used the pre-draft visits conventionally under general manager Joe Schoen. The fourth-year GM seeks as much exposure as possible with prospects leading up to the NFL Draft. The pre-draft visit, which typically includes a dinner upon arrival and then a full day of interactions with staff members from a variety of departments, is viewed as an important piece of the Giants’ evaluation process.

A visit doesn’t necessarily mean the Giants will pick a prospect. Aside from the fact that the Giants only have eight picks, sometimes visits are used to rule out a player based on medical or character concerns. But the pre-draft visits have been an indication of interest in prospects during Schoen’s tenure. Of his 24 picks, 11 took pre-draft visits with the team.

Teams don’t share their list of pre-draft visitors, so I’ve tracked down as many names as possible. Here’s the list of visitors I confirmed or were reported by a reputable source:

Quarterbacks

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

The Giants spent more time scouting Sanders than any other prospect. It’s possible they spent more time on Sanders than any team did on any prospect in this class. The Giants had a constant presence at Colorado games and practices in the fall and then maximized their exposures in the pre-draft process: East-West Shrine Bowl, combine, pro day, private workout and visit.

There’s a lot to evaluate with Sanders on and off the field. He seemed like the favorite for the No. 3 pick early in the process, but that buzz has faded. The outlook is murkier as the draft approaches. It’s possible the Giants could take him at No. 3, later in the draft or not at all. Whatever they decide, it won’t be due to a lack of diligence.

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart is another quarterback who received extensive attention from the Giants during the pre-draft process. There have been rumblings that Dart is a favorite of coach Brian Daboll. It would be a stunner if the Giants took Dart with the third pick, but he’ll be in consideration at any point after that.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Shough’s profile has risen through the process. He has an unconventional profile due to his age (turns 26 in September) and injury history (three major injuries in college) that warranted further examination. His 2024 tape was impressive enough that the Giants will likely need to take him with the 34th pick (or earlier) if they want him. Age is less of a concern at quarterback considering the Giants’ starter is 36-year-old Russell Wilson, and they pursued 37-year-old Matthew Stafford and 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers this offseason.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Milroe was the fourth quarterback subjected to the Giants’ thorough evaluation process. Milroe is the least developed passer of the group, but he has elite rushing ability and a high ceiling due to his physical traits. He would represent the big quarterback swing Schoen has teased. It’s possible Schoen and Daboll could see parallels to Josh Allen, the raw quarterback picked by the Bills in the first round of the 2018 draft when they were in Buffalo.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse

While the other quarterback visitors are potential targets in the first two rounds, McCord could be an option later in the draft. He would at least serve as the type of cheap, quality backup Schoen referenced as valuable last week. McCord, who set an ACC record with 4,779 yards passing last season, has the potential to develop into a starter.

Running backs

Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

Hampton was the highest-rated prospect among the parade of running backs to visit the Giants. Widely viewed as the second-best running back behind expected top-10 pick Ashton Jeanty, Hampton is likely to be gone before the Giants’ pick at No. 34. But they did their homework in case he slides. Hampton is a complete back who would be an upgrade over 2024 fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy.

Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

Johnson headlines the next tier of running back visitors. He could be an option as early as No. 34, although he’s more likely to be a target in the third round if he’s still available. It’s a bit surprising the Giants used a visit on Johnson since he’s a clean prospect, and they have unparalleled first-hand intel on him from new running backs coach Ladell Betts, who spent the past three years as Johnson’s position coach at Iowa.

Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State

Judkins is another Day 2 option and another clean prospect. The abundance of running back visits is a strong indication the Giants are planning to use one of their five picks in the top 105 on the position. Judkins could step in as the lead back, which would allow Tracy to slide into a complementary role.

Cam Skattebo, Arizona State

Skattebo is another mid-round running back with no red flags, so his visit seems to be another example of the Giants’ thorough assessment of the position. The Giants have the 99th pick at the end of the third round and the 105th pick at the top of the fourth round. That could be the sweet spot for a back like Skattebo, whose physical style would complement the dynamic Tracy in a backfield committee.

Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State

Gordon was arrested for a DUI last June, but there were no other character concerns in his scouting report. His visit is more due diligence on the running back class. Gordon is another option in the same range as Skattebo.

Pass catchers

Travis Hunter, Colorado

Hunter could easily be listed as a cornerback. A case can be made that he’s the best wide receiver and cornerback in this class. The focus of the Giants’ heavy scouting of Colorado was tied to Sanders, but those visits also afforded an opportunity to get a close look at arguably the No. 1 prospect in this class.

Developing a relationship with Hunter has been important to set expectations for his NFL position. He has been adamant that he wants to play both ways like he did in college. The word at the NFL Scouting Combine was that the Giants viewed him primarily as a cornerback with the ability to mix in at receiver. That view may have shifted during the process, especially with the offense lacking firepower.

Hunter’s intangibles match his exceptional talent, but the Giants need to deeply investigate a possible top-three pick. The research on Hunter may be wasted, since there’s a strong chance he lands in Cleveland with the second pick.

Savion Williams, TCU

Williams is an intriguing mid-round prospect. The 6-foot-4, 222-pounder looks the part with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash. He’s not a polished receiver, but he could be a versatile weapon with the ability to line up at wide receiver, running back and wildcat QB.

Tyler Warren, Penn State

Warren and other Penn State prospects don’t count toward the 30-visit limit because Penn State is deemed a local college for the Giants by the NFL. The top tight end in this class could be a target if the Giants trade back from No. 3, reminiscent of tight end Brock Bowers being a contingency plan in last year’s draft.

Elijah Arroyo, Miami

The Giants are currently slated to return the same tight end room as last season. They could use more help at the position. Arroyo is projected as a second-round pick, which may be early for the Giants considering their needs at other positions. The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Arroyo is similar to 2024 fourth-round pick Theo Johnson as a tight end with limited college production who is projected to be more of a receiving weapon in the NFL. The visit allowed the Giants a closer examination of the torn left ACL that kept Arroyo out of 16 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Offensive linemen

Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

The Giants didn’t draft an offensive lineman last season. They won’t duplicate that this year. There are no obvious questions in Jackson’s profile, so this visit is likely a sign of interest with the 34rd pick. Jackson can play guard or tackle, which provides value as a versatile backup immediately with the potential to claim the starting right guard job.

Marcus Mbow, Purdue

Mbow could be a third-round target. Like Jackson, Mbow has guard/tackle flexibility. It wouldn’t be surprising for the Giants to use a Day 2 pick on the offensive line considering both starters on the right side — guard Greg Van Roten and tackle Jermaine Eluemunor — are 30-plus and in the final year of their contracts.

Defensive tackles

Darius Alexander, Toledo

Defensive tackle is another position on the radar for the Giants with their three picks on Day 2. Alexander has the traits to be a pass-rushing complement inside next to Dexter Lawrence. Alexander could be a target with the 65th pick at the top of the third round.

Alfred Collins, Texas

Collins is another possible option with pick No. 65. He’s more of a run-stuffing option than Alexander. The visit gave the Giants an updated look at the calf strain that limited Collins’ participation in the pre-draft process.

Joshua Farmer, Florida State

Farmer is another third-round option. Like the other defensive tackles, Farmer doesn’t have any red flags, so the visits of third-round tackle prospects suggests the position could be a target then.

Edge

Abdul Carter, Penn State

Carter may not technically count toward the 30-visit limit because he’s a Penn State product, but he surely got the full treatment on his trip to the Giants’ facility. As the favorite to be the No. 3 pick, it was important for the Giants to get as much exposure to Carter as possible.

There were medical concerns stemming from a stress reaction in Carter’s right foot that was flagged at the combine and the shoulder injury that he played through at the end of last season. The injuries prevented Carter from participating in any pre-draft athletic testing. A misdemeanor assault charge in March 2024 raised additional questions that needed to be explored

Schoen expressed no concerns last week about Carter, who could elevate the Giants’ pass rush to an elite level.

Inside linebackers

Kobe King, Penn State

Another Penn State product, King visited the Giants on their local pro day. Projected as a fourth-round pick, King could replace 2022 fifth-round pick Micah McFadden when he hits free agency next offseason.

Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State

Oliver is another projected Day 3 linebacker to visit the Giants. The visit provided a closer look at the foot injury that sidelined Oliver for the final 10 games of last season. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Oliver is a tweener who could be in the mix at linebacker and edge.

Defensive backs

Korie Black, Oklahoma State

Black’s visit allowed the Giants more exposure to a combine snub who ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at Oklahoma State’s pro day. Schoen touted the depth at corner in this draft class, which could make Black a fit on Day 3.

Andrew Mukuba, Texas

Mukuba is a clean prospect who could be targeted with one of the Giants third- or fourth-round picks to serve as the third safety alongside Tyler Nubin and Jevon Holland.

Jaylen Reed, Penn State

Reed was another local visitor from Penn State. He’s another safety projected in the same range as Mukuba.

There’s a clear trend with the Giants hosting clusters of players at the same position with similar draft projections. That information can be used to forecast possible selections with those picks.

The visitors can be grouped into four tiers:

• First round: QB Shedeur Sanders, WR/CB Travis Hunter, OLB Abdul Carter and TE Tyler Warren.

• First/second round: QB Jaxson Dart, QB Tyler Shough, QB Jalen Milroe, RB Omarion Hampton, TE Elijah Arroyo and OL Donovan Jackson.

• Middle rounds: QB Kyle McCord, RB Kaleb Johnson, RB Quinshon Judkins, RB Cam Skattebo, RB Ollie Gordon, WR Savion Williams, OL Marcus Mbow, DL Darius Alexander, DL Alfred Collins, DL Joshua Farmer, LB Kobe King, S Andrew Mukuba and S Jaylen Reed.

• Late-round picks: LB Collin Oliver and CB Korie Black.

(Photo of Tyler Shough: James Black / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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