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The headline if the Giants land the reigning Heisman Trophy winner next Thursday night will be that Joe Schoen passed on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Maybe that’s why the Giants GM shared so much enthusiasm for Travis Hunter‘s two-way ability and potential fit on New York’s roster Wednesday: he wants fans to get excited about Hunter’s potential immediate impact on both offense and defense absent a franchise QB on the roster.
“If there is a blue chip or generational type talent or something you just can’t pass on, even if you maybe already have starters at that position, you don’t pass on that type of player,” Schoen said at Wednesday’s pre-draft press conference in East Rutherford, N.J.
“Travis is a unique individual,” the GM added later. “He’s fun to watch. 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.”
The 6-foot, 188-pound Hunter starred at both receiver and corner at Colorado. He played more than 1,000 snaps in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 TDs on offense. And he made four interceptions with 16 passes defended and 35 tackles on defense.
Last year, Schoen passed on three first-round quarterbacks to select LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers. The Giants promptly went 3-14 in Nabers’ rookie season. Stacking the best player available on the board year after year theoretically, could build a better foundation over the long haul.
Hunter could be a transcendent Giants player — if he gets to them at No. 3. Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry, who holds the No. 2 overall pick, compared the unique Hunter to Los Angeles Dodgers two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani.
“It’s a little bit like Ohtani where when he’s playing one side, he’s an outstanding player,” Berry told reporters Thursday. “If he’s a pitcher [or] he’s a hitter, he’s an outstanding player. You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.”
Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is viewed by many NFL evaluators as the consensus top prospect in the draft class, though. It would be a bit of a surprise if the Browns passed on him. That could drop Hunter straight into the Giants’ laps.
So how would Schoen use Hunter in New York? The GM said he’d be comfortable letting him play both sides of the ball.
“I would not be afraid to play him on both sides of the ball,” Schoen said. “I think it would be difficult, but he’s proven that he can do it and be available… This guy can do it all. Also, he’s a great kid. It would be hard to keep him off the field. He’s motivated to play both ways.”
The Giants GM may be saying that out of necessity for now, however. Hunter recently told CBS Sports that he would rather not play football at all if he were not allowed to play both offense and defense in the pros.
So whatever team picks him won’t want to pigeon-hole him into one role for now, at least.
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter said last week. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
Schoen also understandably sounded like he did have some reservations about Hunter handling a full workload on both sides of the ball.
“You’re always worried about the length of the season, with the NFL [having] 17 games and training camp,” the GM said. “If he gets hurt doing something that he’s not doing full-time, you’re going to kick yourself. But he’s a unique athlete that I think will be able to do both.”
Schoen specified he would be more concerned about Hunter’s mental ability to handle his offensive and defensive responsibilities rather than any physical risk.
“To me, what will have to be settled is the mental part of it, because the offense is very hard to learn,” Schoen said of Brian Daboll’s scheme. “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. We’re going to play cover 3 against Kansas. We’re going to play cover 3 against Nebraska. There’s a lot more week-to-week matchup type stuff that our coaches are doing.
“Just how much can you handle mentally where you can go out there and execute and they can trust you to do your job?” he asked rhetorically. “Physically, I wouldn’t doubt the kid.”
This is a similar point that several coaches and scouts have raised about why they’d prefer Hunter play full-time corner and be a part-time receiver: defensive playbooks and adjustments week-to-week and in-game require full attention to master on game days.
In general, it would be easier to give Hunter some offensive packages to unleash his athleticism with limited preparation compared to what it takes to be effective on defense week-to-week.
Schoen’s input that Daboll’s offense is hard to learn, as well, seemingly could complicate Hunter’s ability to both full-time in New York.
Daboll said at the NFL owners meeting that “I think he’s a good player both ways,” though, and called Hunter a “heck of a player.”
“It’s really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level, not really getting a rest,” he said. “He’s been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with.”
Not everyone in the NFL thinks Hunter is a transcendent talent. While some scouts see him as a home run prospect, there are others who do not view him as a shutdown corner or a certain No. 1 or 2 wide receiver.
Scouts love Hunter’s athleticism and versatility to play both man and zone or inside and outside at corner on defense. So maybe he’s a useful chess piece who can be used strategically on offense in packages designed to unleash him but keep his snaps reasonable at the same time.
Or maybe Hunter will be an immediate game-changer and those scouts are wrong. Maybe Nabers and Hunter could become a nightmare pairing for NFC defenses to face the next five seasons plus.
“I wouldn’t doubt the kid,” Schoen said. “He’s that type of athlete, and he’s had that type of production. It’s insane the amount of snaps he played, the amount of snaps he plays a game. Doesn’t sit down. Goes over and gets a drink of water and gets back out on the field.
“He’s got that type of athleticism,” the GM said. “He’s got the right mindset. He’s a great kid. I wouldn’t doubt him.”
Continue reading...
Maybe that’s why the Giants GM shared so much enthusiasm for Travis Hunter‘s two-way ability and potential fit on New York’s roster Wednesday: he wants fans to get excited about Hunter’s potential immediate impact on both offense and defense absent a franchise QB on the roster.
“If there is a blue chip or generational type talent or something you just can’t pass on, even if you maybe already have starters at that position, you don’t pass on that type of player,” Schoen said at Wednesday’s pre-draft press conference in East Rutherford, N.J.
“Travis is a unique individual,” the GM added later. “He’s fun to watch. 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.”
The 6-foot, 188-pound Hunter starred at both receiver and corner at Colorado. He played more than 1,000 snaps in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 TDs on offense. And he made four interceptions with 16 passes defended and 35 tackles on defense.
Last year, Schoen passed on three first-round quarterbacks to select LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers. The Giants promptly went 3-14 in Nabers’ rookie season. Stacking the best player available on the board year after year theoretically, could build a better foundation over the long haul.
Hunter could be a transcendent Giants player — if he gets to them at No. 3. Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry, who holds the No. 2 overall pick, compared the unique Hunter to Los Angeles Dodgers two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani.
“It’s a little bit like Ohtani where when he’s playing one side, he’s an outstanding player,” Berry told reporters Thursday. “If he’s a pitcher [or] he’s a hitter, he’s an outstanding player. You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.”
Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is viewed by many NFL evaluators as the consensus top prospect in the draft class, though. It would be a bit of a surprise if the Browns passed on him. That could drop Hunter straight into the Giants’ laps.
So how would Schoen use Hunter in New York? The GM said he’d be comfortable letting him play both sides of the ball.
“I would not be afraid to play him on both sides of the ball,” Schoen said. “I think it would be difficult, but he’s proven that he can do it and be available… This guy can do it all. Also, he’s a great kid. It would be hard to keep him off the field. He’s motivated to play both ways.”
The Giants GM may be saying that out of necessity for now, however. Hunter recently told CBS Sports that he would rather not play football at all if he were not allowed to play both offense and defense in the pros.
So whatever team picks him won’t want to pigeon-hole him into one role for now, at least.
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter said last week. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
Schoen also understandably sounded like he did have some reservations about Hunter handling a full workload on both sides of the ball.
“You’re always worried about the length of the season, with the NFL [having] 17 games and training camp,” the GM said. “If he gets hurt doing something that he’s not doing full-time, you’re going to kick yourself. But he’s a unique athlete that I think will be able to do both.”
Schoen specified he would be more concerned about Hunter’s mental ability to handle his offensive and defensive responsibilities rather than any physical risk.
“To me, what will have to be settled is the mental part of it, because the offense is very hard to learn,” Schoen said of Brian Daboll’s scheme. “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. We’re going to play cover 3 against Kansas. We’re going to play cover 3 against Nebraska. There’s a lot more week-to-week matchup type stuff that our coaches are doing.
“Just how much can you handle mentally where you can go out there and execute and they can trust you to do your job?” he asked rhetorically. “Physically, I wouldn’t doubt the kid.”
This is a similar point that several coaches and scouts have raised about why they’d prefer Hunter play full-time corner and be a part-time receiver: defensive playbooks and adjustments week-to-week and in-game require full attention to master on game days.
In general, it would be easier to give Hunter some offensive packages to unleash his athleticism with limited preparation compared to what it takes to be effective on defense week-to-week.
Schoen’s input that Daboll’s offense is hard to learn, as well, seemingly could complicate Hunter’s ability to both full-time in New York.
Daboll said at the NFL owners meeting that “I think he’s a good player both ways,” though, and called Hunter a “heck of a player.”
“It’s really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level, not really getting a rest,” he said. “He’s been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with.”
Not everyone in the NFL thinks Hunter is a transcendent talent. While some scouts see him as a home run prospect, there are others who do not view him as a shutdown corner or a certain No. 1 or 2 wide receiver.
Scouts love Hunter’s athleticism and versatility to play both man and zone or inside and outside at corner on defense. So maybe he’s a useful chess piece who can be used strategically on offense in packages designed to unleash him but keep his snaps reasonable at the same time.
Or maybe Hunter will be an immediate game-changer and those scouts are wrong. Maybe Nabers and Hunter could become a nightmare pairing for NFC defenses to face the next five seasons plus.
“I wouldn’t doubt the kid,” Schoen said. “He’s that type of athlete, and he’s had that type of production. It’s insane the amount of snaps he played, the amount of snaps he plays a game. Doesn’t sit down. Goes over and gets a drink of water and gets back out on the field.
“He’s got that type of athleticism,” the GM said. “He’s got the right mindset. He’s a great kid. I wouldn’t doubt him.”
Continue reading...
