Giants end 10-game skid, lose grip on No. 1 pick in NFL draft

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Even when the New York Giants win these days, it comes at a cost.

The Giants fell out of pole position for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft with a 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

With a week of games still to play, the No. 1 pick in the draft currently belongs to the New England Patriots (3-13), with the Giants falling to No. 4 — behind the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans — after their third win.

Strength of schedule serves as the tiebreaker for the draft, and the Patriots currently have the easiest slate. The quarterback-needy Giants have the hardest schedule of the group.

“That’s why you have a [general manager], all those assistants and scouts,” offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said.

The Giants entered Sunday with a 57% chance of finishing with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, according to ESPN Analytics. It would have ballooned to 86% with a loss. Instead, it dipped to 5%. The Patriots, meanwhile, are now the heavy favorites at over 78% to land the top pick.

The Giants would have been in prime position to draft a quarterback had they lost their final two games against the Colts and at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Colorado‘s Shedeur Sanders and Miami‘s Cam Ward are projected to be the top quarterbacks selected and have been linked to the Giants throughout the season. New York general manager Joe Schoen has been to Colorado and Miami on multiple occasions this year.

“I don’t got nothing to say about that,” said wide receiver Malik Nabers, who increased the hype by playing catch with Sanders in the streets of New York in recent weeks. “The draft will be the draft.”

Nabers, the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft, had a career-best 171 yards and two long touchdowns on seven catches Sunday. He helped New York snap a franchise-record 10-game skid and avoid becoming the first team to finish 0-9 at home in a season.

The Giants’ offensive explosion included quarterback Drew Lock being responsible for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) while the team reached 30 points for the first time this season.

“It was a lot of fun. A lot of fun. We were clicking,” Lock said. “We knew we had it in us. It was just time to go out and show it and do it and make plays when they were there. Sure enough, we went out and did that today. So, it was a fun time. Really good time.”

For Giants fans, draft position has been the primary topic of conversation in recent weeks. That wasn’t the case for the players before and after a win that ultimately eliminated the Colts from playoff contention.

“Not one bit. That’s not talked about with us,” Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson said. “Guys are out here playing for their livelihoods. This is their job. A lot of guys, they might not be on this team next year.”

The Giants are now in a trickier spot after benching and cutting starting quarterback Daniel Jones last month. Lock and backup Tommy DeVito will also be free agents — just months after the Giants were shown on “Hard Knocks” looking for a quarterback in the draft.