The New York Giants are preparing for the NFL draft with rumors surrounding prospects like Jeremiyah Love and Jordyn Tyson. Key discussions include potential trades and draft strategies as the event approaches.
New York Giants. They are on the verge of a breakthrough anyway with young quarterback Jaxson Dart and new coach John Harbaugh. But they still have a ton of holes to fill. They need plenty of help on defense, especially after trading defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and another weapon on offense would be a big help, too. But they now have two top-10 picks (Nos. 5 and 10) after the Lawrence trade, and a high second-rounder (37), too.
That gives them a shot at three players who should step right in and help. They could add one of the two best receivers in the draft to pair with Malik Nabers and maybe a top safety or linebacker to strengthen the middle of their defense. And there figures to be some gifted defensive tackles available to fill Lawrenceâs spot early in the second round. They need more talent overall, especially on defense, to make a really big leap. But they were 4-13 in a weak division last season. Strengthen their defense and add a little explosion to their offense, and they wonât challenge the Eagles, but a wild card is within reach.
Tracking pre-draft visits may not prove to be as helpful as past years, but that answer wonât be known until after the draft. Itâs notable that neither Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles nor Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has visited. But theyâre considered particularly âcleanâ prospects, so the Giants may have deemed a deeper dive unnecessary. Dan Duggan tracked down as many names as possible. Teams donât broadcast their list of pre-draft visitors, so hereâs the list of 20 visitors he was able to confirmed or were reported by a reputable source: RB Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame), WRS Carnell Tate, Ohio State; Makai Lemon, USC; KC Concepcion, Texas A&M; and Ted Hurst, Georgia State; OL Spencer Fano, Utah; Caleb Lomu, Utah; Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M; Travis Burke, Memphis; Febechi Nwaiwu, Oklahoma; and J.C. Davis, Illinois; Â DL Chris McClellan, Missour; Lee Hunter, Texas Tech; and Christen Miller, Georgia; LB Josiah Trotter, Missouri; and Arvell Reese, Ohio State; Â and CB, Tacario Davis, Washington; Mansoor Delane, LSU; Will Lee, Texas A&M, and Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina.
It officially remains unclear who the John Harbaugh-led Giants will pick with the fifth and 10th overall selections Thursday night, when the 2026 NFL Draft begins. But multiple draft analysts â including NFL Networkâs Daniel Jeremiah â are now saying it wonât be Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
Hereâs what Jeremiah said on Ryen Russilloâs podcast: âI was told [the Giants] were not going to take Styles. I was told that was not their guy. So that came from a couple of different places.â
The Giants could use another offensive playmaker with Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers both recovering from significant injuries. Whether that comes in the form of a receiver like Ohio Stateâs Carnell Tate or an all-around weapon like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is irrelevant. New York also needs a starting-caliber interior lineman, though it probably wonât take one in the top 10. Prospects like Georgia Techâs Keylan Rutledge and Texas A&Mâs Chase Bisontis should draw interest if available early on Day 2.
The Giants also need help in the secondary, and they, obviously, now need a replacement for Lawrence. Donât be surprised if they snap up a defensive back like Ohio Stateâs Caleb Downs or LSUâs Mansoor Delane early before coming back for a D-lineman like Georgiaâs Christen Miller or Floridaâs Caleb Banks.
The smoke around Tyson keeps getting thicker. Multiple executives around the league seem to believe itâs real, not just for pick No. 10 but also potentially for No. 5. If the Giants are truly serious about landing Tyson they might need to take him fifth. He may not be there for their second selection in the first round.
The Commanders and Saints with the seventh and eighth picks, respectively, are threats for Tyson. The Jets are also a potential option in a trade-up scenario. So this is what the Giants might have to decide. Who has a better chance to being there at No. 10: Caleb Downs or Tyson?
GIANTS: Sonny Styles, LB, Giants. Styles is arguably the best player in this yearâs draft and the Giants get him at pick No. 5. Thereâs been a lot of chatter about whether an off-ball linebacker goes this early in the draft. But Styles would provide the Giants with versatility to line up in any formation, along with the ability to excel when he drops back into coverage.
GIANTS (from Bengals): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State. John Harbaugh planned to pick an offensive lineman here, maybe Utah tackle Spencer Fano. But Downs falling into their laps in the pick they acquired for Dexter Lawrence works out perfectly. They double up on Buckeyes standout defenders and help a unit that lost its best player after Lawrenceâs trade to Cincinnati this month.
No. 5, New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State. One head coach selecting within the top five cut SNY off when asked about the Giants. âTheyâre taking Downs,â he said. The Giants have done a ton of work on wideout Jordyn Tyson, but those injury concerns make him such a risk this early. Carnell Tate is a far safer pass catcher, but more limited physically. âThe problem with these two is itâs easy to see how it goes wrong,â a coach said. âTate if he doesnât develop, Tyson if he canât stay healthy. You have egg on your face.â Give Downs to New York.
No. 10: New York Giants: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State. Ioane is far from a poor consolation prize for the Giants. Downs stabilizes their secondary. Ione fortifies their offensive line. Greg Van Roten started inside the last two years. That was always a Band-Aid patch. This is a mainstay for the next 10 years. âHeâs a stud,â a general manager said. âJust a really, really good player.â
New York Giants: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State. With the Giants now also sitting at pick No. 10, John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen have flexibility. I donât care that the Giants just signed Tremaine Edmunds; this draft is about honing in on someoneâanyoneâwho would be good enough to be considered a top pick in another class. Styles is going to aid the Giants against the run, heâs going to help the team from leaking against the pass and is growing as an interior blitzer as well.
New York Giants: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State. Fairway picks for the Giants. This is a Baltimore-like mockâthink Tyler Linderbaum and Kyle Hamilton in 2022âwithout concern for who should be drafted where. Ioane may feel like a stretch, but the Giants are loading up on bruisers and trying to establish the run while also shutting it down on the opposite side.
LB Sonny Styles at No.5, S Caleb Downs at No. 10. This is a dream scenario for Giants fans. In the weeks leading up to the draft, Downs had been gaining traction as a potential fifth-overall selection. If the Giants are now able to land two players they deem worthy of a top-five pick, they would walk away as one of the biggest winners on Thursday night.
Sonny Styles at No. 5; Jordyn Tyson at No. 10 If the Giants instead want to follow the path of the Jets in 2022 or the Texans in 2023 by selecting one offensive and one defensive player inside the top 10, this may be their best route.
Other players include Jeremiyah Love and Francis Mauigoa at 5 and Mansoor Delane and Olaivavega Ioane at 10.
