The New York Giants hold the fifth and tenth overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after trading Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals. They are expected to target Ohio State superstars Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs.
Key points
New York Giants hold fifth and tenth overall picks
Giants traded Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati Bengals
Predictions include drafting Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs
Six teams have two first-round picks in 2026 NFL Draft
Sonny StylesCaleb DownsNew York GiantsCincinnati Bengals
Before the Lawrence trade, mock drafts varied widely on who the Giants would take with the fifth pick. Now that they hold two of the top 10 picks, they have a good chance of drafting two players who have been linked to them.
Anything can happen in the NFL Draft, especially this year as there are six teams, including the Giants, who have two first-round picks. Here are three bold predictions for Big Blue for the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Unfortunately for New York, Love won’t be on the board as the Tennessee Titans will take him with the fourth overall pick. So, with the fifth overall pick and first pick of the John Harbaugh era, New York will take Styles with the fifth pick.
With the addition of Styles, the Giants have the best interior linebacker in the draft, and then they’ll run into some good luck as Downs will still be on the board at 10, which will allow them to draft the best safety in the draft.
Getting the best player at two positions will pay huge dividends to a struggling defense for years to come. Styles and Downs played pivotal roles in the Buckeyes winning the National Championship in 2024, and Giants fans are hopeful that they’ll help bring the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy someday.
Giants Find Dexter Lawrence’s Replacement in Kayden McDonald
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
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With the departure of Lawrence, Big Blue will need to address the defensive tackle position as they are very thin at the position. Their luck of players falling to them will continue as Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald will fall to them with the 37th overall pick.
Some feel that McDonald could be taken late in round one, while others feel that since he only had one-year as a full-time starter, he could slip into round two. In his final year with the Buckeyes. The 6’2, 326-pound defensive lineman had 65 tackles, with three sacks, and was named Unanimous All-American.
He’ll be the third consecutive Buckeye the Giants will draft, but more importantly, he’ll be the replacement for Lawrence.
With Kayvon Thibodeaux entering the final year of his contract, the 25-year-old edge rusher has been the subject of trade rumors since the conclusion of the 2025 season. The Giants are set at edge rusher with Second-Team All-Pro Brian Burns and second-year player Abdul Carter.
New York does not have a third-round pick, and with several positions they need to address, the team will be actively seeking to acquire more picks. Thibodeaux is the ideal candidate to be traded during the three days of the draft, as the franchise does not have plans for him beyond 2026, and other teams could always use a quality edge rusher.
By trading Thibodeaux for a mid-round pick, the team could look to acquire a wide receiver such as Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt or Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields. Or the team can look to address the interior offensive line with Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer, or take a corner such as South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse, or Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun.
The Giants are building for 2026 and beyond, and to trade away a pass rusher on the final year of his deal for a player who can help the team for years to come makes a ton of sense.
