ESPN NFL experts get heated over Brian Daboll, Shedeur Sanders snub, what it means for Giants

All of the NFL world will ascend on Boulder later Friday for Colorado‘s NFL Showcase — also known as Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter‘s Pro Day. All except Giants head coach Brian Daboll it seems.

UPDATE: Daboll calls audible, will be in attendance for the Colorado NFL Showcase event Friday, according to NewJersey.com.

The New York Giants own the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft later this month and have a serious need for a franchise quarterback. It’s for that reason, that Daboll’s planned absence started a bit of a back-and-forth on ESPN’s Get Up earlier Friday morning between ESPN insiders Dan Graziano and Mike Tannenbaum.

“The Giants have a large contingent there, notably absent is head coach Brian Daboll, who said he’s not big on Pro Days, he prefers the private workout and the Giants are hoping to set up a private workout with Shedeur Sanders next week as well,” Graziano said on Friday’s Get Up after pointing out the Cleveland Browns, owners of the No. 2 overall pick, were already in Boulder as of Wednesday. “So really it’s a chance for both of these teams picking second and third – we’re operating under the assumption that Cam Ward is going one and Tennessee’s going to sit there and take him – to get a sense of whether Sanders is the guy they want leading their franchise for the long term or if they’re better off taking someone like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter and figuring out quarterback later in the draft.”

At this point, Tannenbaum — a former general manager with the New York Jets from 2006-12 — doubled down on Daboll’s absence. Tannenbaum suggested it means the Giants are already out on Sanders at No. 3 overall.

“The headline is Brian Daboll is not there. They are not going to take Shedeur Sanders at 3 without their head coach being there,” Tannenbaum said. “Typically, if you want to have a private workout, you go there, maybe have dinner with Travis Hunter, you watch him workout and that night you have dinner with Shedeur and see him not only at the Pro Day but then see him at a private workout.

“What you’re looking for is what you can’t see on tape, you want to see him interact with his teammates, does he lead, how do his teammates respond to him,” Tannenbaum continued. “You’re looking for mental toughness, resiliency, leadership. The fact that the head coach of a Top 3 pick isn’t at the showcase or Pro Day tells us a lot about what their plans are.”

Graziano also pointed out Daboll also didn’t attend the Miami Pro Day last month. There, he could have watched the expected No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.

“He didn’t got to Cam Ward’s Pro Day either, and I’m pretty sure if Cam Ward is there at No. 3, the Giants would take him,” Graziano added. “I just think that’s a peculiarity of Daboll, he doesn’t love that Pro Day as an evaluation tool.”

Whether or not there’s more to Daboll’s absence in Boulder on Friday is unclear at this point. But if Get Up is any indication, it has clearly raised eyebrows around the NFL, and will certainly be noticed by the those in attendance Friday … including Shedeur Sanders and his famous father, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.