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The New York Giants are considered heavy favorites to draft a quarterback in April of 2025. With that in mind, reporters asked star wide receiver Malik Nabers what he thinks about top-ranked QB prospects Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Cam Ward (Miami) on December 11.
And although Nabers made sure not to gush over either out of respect to the current Giants’ signal-callers, he did acknowledge that “those guys are amazing players.”
Nabers also made it clear that he has no personal relationship to Sanders or Ward but has seen both play football. With Ward, the NYG rookie has only watched him on television, but in the case of Sanders, Nabers noted that he’s actually matched up against him at Deion Sanders’ camp.
“We actually played in — it was like a camp, the day after it was like a 7-on-7 camp — we met Shedeur in the finals,” Nabers recalled, stating that former LSU teammate Garrett Nussmeier was his quarterback in this mini-tournament. He didn’t say who won, but Nabers’ devilish grin hinted that it was a fond memory.
Later, after a follow-up question on Shedeur Sanders in particular, Nabers admitted that he’s always kept an eye on his collegiate career being that he and the QB prospect came out of the same high school class — and just the fact that he was Deion Sanders’ son.
“You always wanted to watch what those guys [were] doing, and they did it at a high level wherever they went,” Nabers concluded. “So, it was amazing and impressive to see what [Sanders] has done.”
Giants Fan Poll Provides Baseline for Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward
Sanders versus Ward might be the No. 1 debate among Giants fans at the moment, and The Athletic posed this question to NYG supporters during a survey of nearly 4,000 fans on December 4.
“If the Giants secure the No. 1 pick in the draft, whom should they pick?” The Athletic asked, with the choices including Sanders, Ward, “trade back,” Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, an offensive lineman and “other.”
In the end, three answer options dominated the poll and Ward led the way. The full results were:
- Cam Ward (34.5%).
- Trade back (27.3%).
- Shedeur Sanders (19.8%).
- Travis Hunter (9.9%).
- Offensive lineman (4.3%).
- Other (4.2%).
On that note, The Athletic’s NFL draft expert Dane Brugler argued that Ward is “the best fit” for the Giants on November 27, if they were to draft a quarterback.
“With his arm talent and elusiveness in the pocket, Ward is an exciting player who can keep plays alive and sling the ball to every inch of the field,” Brugler scouted. “The looseness in his game is a double-edged sword that allows him to improvise and create, but it also leads to turnover-worthy decisions and unnecessary sacks. And that isn’t going to change overnight. Sign a veteran starter and allow the rookie to develop at his own pace without forcing him onto the field.”
In terms of temperament — which is always a factor in New York City — Brugler described Ward as “reserved” but also “ultra-competitive” and “confidently smart.” He liked the Miami playmaker’s “mental toughness” as well.
On the flip side, he called Sanders confident, but not necessarily arrogant. “He doesn’t allow outside pressure to shrink his on-field play,” the scouting expert added, “and his Colorado teammates love him.”
Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Data Illustrates National View of Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward
According to data provided by Pro Football Network and their mock draft simulator, both Sanders and Ward are expected to be top three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
On August 26, neither QB had an average draft position (ADP) in the top 10, and Ward’s was as low as 81.3. As of December 2, however, PFN’s data shows that Sanders currently has the No. 1 ADP in the draft class, with Ward ranking third just behind Hunter.
Sanders and Ward are also the two most popular players that are mock drafted by the Giants as of December 2, and it’s not particularly close.
37.0% of fans tend to mock Sanders to Big Blue, which is a gradual rise from 24.3% in early September. Ward’s NYG popularity has skyrocketed though, jumping from less than 5.2% on September 9 to 31.8% on December 2.
Per PFN, 70.8% of fans expect the Giants to select a quarterback in round one of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Giants WR Malik Nabers Shares 5-Word Opinion on Shedeur Sanders & Cam Ward