3 Underrated Needs for Giants To Fill

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen had his work cut out for him after a 3-14 season that squarely put his job in doubt, and he quickly addressed a litany of needs in free agency.

Signing quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston was paramount. They’ll be joined by a deeper offensive line and a handful of depth contributors with special teams experience to round out the defense. In the secondary, safety Jevon Holland and corner Paulson Adebo will give the Giants a new brand of potency.

Yet, a handful of short- and long-term needs persist, and they are likely to be addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft. While debates continue about the merits of a franchise quarterback against another starting corner or a surplus along the edge, the Giants have a handful of underrated needs to address on Days 2 and 3.

While taking two-way star Travis Hunter with the third pick might rectify this issue, the receiver room can use some reinforcement. Malik Nabers is a star in every sense of the word, but Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson are closer to role players than above-average starters.

The latter is limited to the slot and struggles to win downfield, and as he enters a contract year, there’s room to backfill. Slayton’s three-year deal should keep him on the boundary for the foreseeable future but if Hunter can push him for snaps, a strong rookie performance from a later-drafted selection could, too. The depth behind the two is shaky at best, and there’s seemingly no such thing as a bad receiver class anymore, leaving the door open.

Elsewhere on offense, the search for a complement to running back Tyrone Tracy is a focus for Schoen. The Giants have already hosted Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon (via Jordan Schultz and Ryan Fowler, respectively) and welcomed Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai to the local pro day.

Tracy was great in Year 1, but adding a powerful back to the rotation would add legitimacy to the ground game, and New York could use better pass protection in the backfield. Notably, the 2025 class is exceedingly deep at running back, comparable to the iconic 2017 group.

Lastly, the Giants haven’t been aggressive adding to the safety room outside of Holland. Dane Belton has flashed at times, but given the unsteady nature of Tyler Nubin’s rookie season, another playable safety would reinforce a secondary New York cannot afford to watch fail.

Doing so would give Schoen the ability to find another versatile, athletic defensive back that can find snaps on special teams – a priority for Schoen’s defensive acquisitions.