The main event would come later, after Joe Schoen sacked Abdul Carter with the third pick of Thursday night’s NFL draft. 

Schoen got his quarterback of the future. 

Eli Manning’s favorite Ole Miss quarterback, Jaxson Dart. 

Schoen traded his 34th and 99th picks this year and a third-rounder next year to the Texans for the 25th pick, for the opportunity to take Dart. 

Some said former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi gave up too much in the blockbuster 2004 draft day trade with the Chargers for Manning. If it works out, no one will care about the cost. Now, this isn’t Eli II. But the Giants are confident Dart’s outgoing personality will play in this market. 

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Grading every pick from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft:

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward (QB, Miami)

Grade A-: Maybe the most unlikely No. 1 pick of all-time given that he was a zero-star recruit who played his first two seasons at Incarnate Word.

He makes both special plays and head-scratchers, but more of the former. 

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Hunter (WR/CB, Colorado)

Grade A+: The Jags made a bold trade up from No. 5 and gave up their 2026 first-round pick to the Browns.

He has Pro Bowl potential at two positions and a desire to play both ways full-time. 

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This is a complicated column in which to deliver an inarguable opinion, because the Jets made a sound decision when they selected right tackle Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft Thursday night … yet you wonder if they left something special on the table.

The 21-year-old Membou, who started 29 games across three seasons at Missouri, figures to be an immediate plug-and-play starter at right tackle opposite left tackle Olu Fashanu, last year’s first-round pick.

That gives the Jets coveted bookend tackles and gives their starting line three first-round picks and one second-rounder among their starting five.

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The Chiefs might have gotten a steal here. He started the first six games at LT but missed the final 10 with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. A premium position and added protection for Patrick Mahomes, who needed it desperately in the Super Bowl, makes total sense.

He was the key contributor on Alabama’s defense with 117 tackles, 11.5 TFLs and 5 sacks in 2024. The Eagles defense was already loaded -- but seems to get even better with Campbell.

Philadelphia swapped first-round picks with the Chiefs to select Campbell and threw in No. 164 as a sweetner.

An outside corner that can play man or zone. He missed 5 games with a shoulder injury which hurt his production – but the versatility is enough for the Bills to take a chance on.

He was a two-year starter at Oregon, plays a premium position and will be tasked with protecting budding star QB Jayden Daniels. Enough said.

Perhaps a tad rich for No. 28 but it's hard to argue with the Lions recent drafting success. He had 46 tackles, 8 TFLs and 2.5 sacks on a stacked Buckeyes team.

Solid production on a great defense makes Starks a relatively safe pick here. He will pair with star safety Kyle Hamilton, making the Ravens secondary a potential nightmare for opposing QBs.

Atlanta traded back up into the first round to select edge James Pearce Jr., who had 13 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks last season. The Falcons used each first-round selection to bolster their defense after previously picking Jalon Walker.

The trade details are as follows: Falcons trade No. 46, 242 and a 2026 first-round pick for the No. 26 and 101 picks.

He was rising up pre-draft rankings and ended up going No. 25 to the Giants after they traded back into the first round. Dart’s 4,279 passing yards and 29 TDs signal he has upside – but this crop of QBs in the 2025 class feels less certain to say the least.

The full trade details are as follows: the Giants get pick No. 25 (Jaxson Dart) and the Texans get pick No. 34, pick No. 99 and a 2026 3rd-round pick.

Jackson projects as a starting guard with good size (6'4"; 315 lbs) that can help protect J.J. McCarthy or whomever the Vikings will start at QB.