Many draft prognosticators thought the New York Giants would spend their first-round pick on a quarterback.
Simply put, a quarterback is a must-have, a top priority for the Giants – there’s no debate about that. The debate, however, has centered on whether the Giants should draft Shedeur Sanders from the Colorado Buffaloes or Cam Ward from the Miami Hurricanes if they are both on the board when the Giants are on the clock.
It’s certainly a tough choice to make right now, but believe it or not, some have considered a third option for the Giants, a candidate who isn’t necessarily being talked about (yet) as a top-five prospect .
This candidate is Dillon Gabriel of the Big Ten champion Oregon Ducks, who Money launderers report Matt Holder seems to think he could solve the Giants’ quarterback woes and who could be a candidate the Giants could get later in the draft.
Gabriel, a Heisman Trophy finalist, was ranked as the best quarterback in CBS Sports’ CFP area by Tom Fornelli, who noted that although Gabriel got off to a slow start this year as he learned a new offense, Gabriel eventually improved to the point of helping the Ducks remain the only undefeated team in the country en route to winning the Big Ten title game against Penn State.
But is Gabriel the right choice for a Giants team that craves stability at the quarterback position? In our opinion, there is no need to think too much about this choice. The Giants need to draft the best quarterback in the draft and time will tell after the combine and practice whether it will be Ward or Sanders.
According to Damian Parson of Money launderers report (and New York Giants On SI contributor), Gabriel is currently projected as a third-round prospect with a 7.05 rating, making him a potential high-level backup/starter.
For the Giants, who just spent six seasons with Daniel Jones, who appears to be more of a potential high-level backup/starter, that’s not enough.
Gabriel has his advantages. He’s a good and effective game manager, but he doesn’t have the size and speed that scouts are looking for in a quarterback today. His 6-0 stature doesn’t compete well with Ward or Sanders, who are both bulky 6-2s. They can also both run like lightning, while Gabriel has less foot speed.
Gabriel is a true pocket passer in every sense of the word. He doesn’t like to roll but can extend plays with his legs. This season, he threw 28 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for seven more scores.
Parson also believes Gabriel’s skillset would be better suited to a West Coast offense, which is not what the Giants run.
Gabriel could have a successful career with the right team and in the right system. But he is not the choice to get the 2025 New York Giants out of their quagmire.
