Decoding The Intentions Of The Top Three Teams -- Titans, Browns, Giants -- Of The NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL draft begins with the Cleveland Browns selecting at No. 2 and if you're wondering what happened to the Tennessee Titans and the No. 1 selection, kindly catch up, because much of the NFL has expected it to be Miami quarterback Cam Ward for quite some time.

That likelihood, barring an unforeseen trade by the Titans, was all but sealed by late last week when Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders had a nice throwing session during the Colorado pro day, but the Titans informed him they were canceling a private workout.  

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: Shedeur Sanders #QB13 of Colorado speaks to the media during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Browns Need A QB, But Sanders?

The Titans are picking Ward, folks.

And that means the draft's intrigue begins with the Cleveland Browns, who hold the NFL's No. 2 pick.

So the Browns, needing a quarterback because they are all but done with Deshaun Watson, will probably be picking Sanders, right?

Well, don't be so sure about that.

Multiple NFL sources tell OutKick that while the Browns sent a significant number of their personnel department and coaching staff – not to mention club owner Jimmy Haslem – to the Colorado pro day last week, their eyes were focused on Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter as much or more as Sanders.

BOULDER, COLORADO - AUGUST 29: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

Travis Hunter More Likely To Browns

And while the Browns have not finalized what they're planning to do with the No. 2 pick, one source said there is growing momentum in the building for Hunter – a hybrid player who can play either cornerback or wide receiver (he insists both) – to be the selection.

And that would be fascinating because of what it means for Sanders and where it puts the New York Giants with the No. 3 selection. 

Sanders has been under some interesting scrutiny since his pro day because, as we mentioned first, he threw a lot of loose, wobbly footballs to open his workout and also patted the ball on practically all his throws. 

And that patting of the ball has become a question the pundit class has felt a need to defend since the workout – with no less than former quarterbacks Dan Orlovsky and Chris Simms among those that seemed to dismiss the slight pause in getting the ball out.

Funny, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, and dozens of other past or future Hall of Famers didn't pat the football with any consistency.

Sanders Gives Rise To Patgate

So the pundits have responded by saying Tom Brady patted the football before throwing it. And he happens to be the greatest quarterback of all time, so patting the ball is just fine.

Maybe.

But Brady most definitely did not pat the ball all the time.

Go on YouTube and study Brady's last season in 2022. Or go on X and watch some highlights. It all features a lot of great throws, many of them with the ball coming out quickly and on time with no patting.

Regardless of that habit, the question now rises whether the Giants will select Sanders with their No. 3 pick.

Sanders is the 19th-rated prospect on Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50. He is rated 14th by Scouts Inc. So are the Giants, needing a franchise quarterback that can take them into the future, a fit at No. 3?

I don't see it. 

New York Giants co-owner John Mara (left) and New York Giants General Manager, Joe Schoen, speak with New York Giants Head Coach, Brian Daboll, at MetLife Stadium before their team hosts the New England Patriots, Sunday, November 26, 2023.

Giants In A Tough Spot

Firstly, it would take the Giants talking themselves into a massive overdraft situation. And that's something they've resisted under general manager Joe Schoen. 

I simply find it hard to believe a team that couldn't feel comfortable pulling the trigger on Michael Penix. Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix last year would this year do so on Sanders, who is not the prospect those other guys were a year ago.

So the Giants could find themselves with a tough decision on their hands.

They could obviously take Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter despite already having big financial and/or draft investments on Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, because Carter is the consensus next-best prospect. 

The club could, and probably should, give significant thought to drafting Michigan State's Mason Graham because his take-no-prisoners approach would be fascinating when he lines up beside Dexter Lawrence, who is the best nose tackle in the league.

Ashton Jeanty is considered to be the consensus top running back in April's NFL Draft. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Membou, Campbell Or Jeanty Make Sense

Or the club, needing offensive help, might want to improve that side of the ball with the addition of a tackle (Armand Membou or Will Campbell), or running back Ashton Jeanty, to finally move on from Saquon Barkley and give Russell Wilson his latter-day Marshawn Lynch.

Any of these choices would not be wrong, but they all suggest the Giants would be wise to explore a trade-down option. Such a move down might still land them one of the players just mentioned, plus an extra pick or two.

Amazingly, the Giants have a premium pick at No. 3. But that pick isn't going to land them a quarterback prospect on par with what Jayden Daniels or even Drake Maye were last season.

Maybe the draft really begins with whatever the Giants do.