As the 2025 NFL Draft gets closer, it’s becoming clear the New York Giants are focusing on two top prospects for their third overall pick: edge rusher Abdul Carter and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Both are talented, but each comes with questions.
Abdul Carter: Worth the Health Risk?
Carter is considered one of the top pass rushers in this year’s draft. But health concerns emerged after a stress reaction was found in his right foot during medicals at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February.
Carter didn’t do drills at the combine and opted not to have surgery. Now teams are wondering about his long term durability. To make matters worse, his shoulder injury flared up again at Colorado State’s pro day and he was sidelined again. The issue first popped up during the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve and now teams are questioning if he’s ready for the season.
Despite all the red flags, Carter recently visited the Giants facility and updates on his condition were shared. “He feels good,” Giants GM Joe Schoen said. “He’s working out. He’s running. I don’t think there’s going to be much pause there.”
Schoen sounds optimistic but it’s hard to ignore the risk of drafting a player who may not be 100% for the season.
Can Travis Hunter Play Both Ways in the NFL?
If Abdul Carter is a health gamble, Travis Hunter is a different kind of risk. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner has made waves not just for his athleticism but for his insistence on playing both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL.
Hunter is unwavering in his dual role. In fact, he told CBS Sports, “I’ll never play football again” if the team that drafts him makes him play only offense or defense. For now, the Giants seem to like the idea of using him on both sides of the ball.
“He’s fun to watch,” Schoen said. “It’s unique—the ball skills, the route ability and also the ability to go to the other side and play corner. You don’t see that very often.”
Schoen acknowledged that Hunter’s physical tools are undeniable but the real challenge is the mental load of playing two positions.
“To me, what has to be settled is the mental part of it, because the offense is very hard to learn,” Schoen said. “And then the defense on a weekly basis—it’s not college anymore where, hey, these are our basic plays, this is our basic defense. There’s a lot more week-to-week matchup type stuff that our coaches are doing.”
With Deonte Banks, Dru Phillips and Cor’Dale Flott already in the secondary and Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton in the receiving corps, the Giants are in a position to take a chance on Hunter’s versatility.
“We’re in a unique situation, we have three good receivers and we like our secondary right now,” Schoen said. “So our situation will be unique. I would not be afraid to play [Hunter] on both sides of the ball.”
Physical vs. Mental Challenges
Playing 100 snaps a game would be a physical toll on Hunter but Schoen seems more concerned about the mental strain of learning two complex roles.
“Physically I wouldn’t doubt the kid,” Schoen said. “But how much can you handle mentally where you can go out there and execute and they can trust you to do your job?”
This is the balancing act that will determine if Hunter is a game changer in the NFL or an experiment that doesn’t work out.