NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks projects QB to Giants in first mock draft

With only one game remaining in the 2024 NFL season, many analysts have already turned their attention towards the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Giants hold the third overall pick in this year’s draft, and with a glaring hole at the quarterback position, it should not come as a surprise that many draft pundits are projecting a QB to be the team’s pick.

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks just released his first mock draft of the year, in which he selects Miami quarterback Cam Ward for the Giants.

“The selection of this alpha-dog quarterback gives the Giants the competitive leader needed to bounce back from a couple of disappointing seasons,” Brooks wrote.

After transferring to Miami for the 2024 season, Ward went on to put together a dominant campaign for the Hurricanes, which led to him finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

The 6-foot-2, 223-pound signal-caller completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Ward earned numerous accolades for his performance, including Consensus All-American, ACC Player of the Year, and the Davey O’Brien Award, just to name a few.

Brooks is not alone with this projection, as earlier this week, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner also predicted the Giants select Ward with the third pick.

“I’m still torn between Ward and Sanders for QB1, and there are days it feels like Sanders is more ready right now to lead a successful offense,” wrote Baumgardner. “But, long-term, Ward — who improved every day of his lengthy college career — could have the higher ceiling.”

In addition to his production as a passer, Ward also enjoyed plenty of success running the football. Across his final three collegiate seasons between Miami and Washington State, Ward rushed for 17 touchdowns.

Baumgardner’s mock draft extended into the second round, where he has the Giants selecting North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the 34th overall pick.

Hampton put up impressive numbers over his final two seasons with the Tar Heels. He rushed for 15 touchdowns and over 1,500 yards in each campaign, while averaging 5.9 yards per carry both years. He was named first-team All-American and first-team All-ACC after both seasons.

The 6-foot, 220-pound back finished his collegiate career with 4,200 total yards of offense, including 3,565 rushing yards, and 40 total touchdowns