With the 2026 NFL Draft officially here, rumors are swirling about the destination of the NFL’s potential future stars. The New York Giants are armed with some firepower, and with picks five and 10, they can add what they hope are some instant-impact starters.
With rumors ranging from them drafting Jeremiyah Love to trading back and taking Jordyn Tyson, it seems like, unlike prior years, Giants fans and reporters have no clue who the pick will be. The Harbaugh camp has been very tight-lipped and has left everyone grasping at straws as to who they think the picks will be.
Let's take a quick look at a potential dream-case trade-back scenario that could net the G-Men some young players who can really help turn this team around quickly.
Giants trade back from No. 5 and load up with four top-50 picks
If Big Blue is serious about adding more talent via the draft, trading out of five makes the most sense:
Round 1 Pick 8 - Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St
The Giants were on the clock at 5 until the New Orleans Saints came knocking with picks 8 and 42, so I jumped on the chance to add a second 2nd-round pick. The Giants select Caleb Downs, the safety from Ohio St! Downs can be a game-changer for this team. He isn’t the greatest athlete, but what he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in everything else.
He's good in coverage, and he's a great tackler, including in space. Downs has great leadership qualities, is a culture-setting piece, and has a tremendous IQ for the game. New Giants DC Dennard Wilson runs a three-safety look, so Downs will slot right in next to Jevón Holland and Tyler Nubin and bring a lot of physicality to a secondary that is sorely lacking it.
Round 1 Pick 10 - Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona St
New York gets its wide receiver at 10. The Giants bring in Sun Devils stud receiver Jordyn Tyson, who is a fast, twitchy, athletic freak with good size, speed, and hands. Tyson comes with a decent injury history, though, but is very productive when healthy, but that’s the key, when he’s healthy. In 2022, he tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL while at Colorado. In 2024, he broke his collarbone, and this past season, he had hamstring issues that plagued him throughout the year.
If they can keep him healthy, they will have a very interesting receiver room next season. The Giants may be excited to draft a player of the caliber of Tyson and add him to a room that includes Malik Nabers, Calvin Austin, Darnell Mooney, and potentially Odell Beckham Jr. Between that receiver room and Isaiah Likely and Theo Johnson at tight end, Jaxson Dart would be smiling ear to ear.
Round 2 Pick 37 - Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio St
This one may be a bit of a reach, but if he’s there, the Giants should sprint to the podium faster than I'd hit the “draft” button on the Mock Draft Simulator. At 37, the Giants take the best defensive tackle in the draft in Kayden McDonald. The former Buckeye stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 326 pounds. McDonald is a run-stuffing machine, something the Giants desperately need on the line. They were bad enough at stopping the run with Dexter Lawrence last season.
Reports have come out that the Giants have interest in DJ Reader after the draft, but why not draft someone who, funnily enough, is compared to him?
McDonald was very productive against both the run and the pass. He started all 14 games for OSU last season, racking up 65 tackles, with 9 for loss, adding 3 sacks. If the G-Men can add him in the draft and sign another veteran or two, they could have a good interior unit. Reader, Shelby Harris, McDonald, and last year’s 3rd-round pick, Darius Alexander, could be a very promising unit.
Round 2 Pick 42 - Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
With our second pick in the 2nd round, Big Blue takes Jacob Rodriguez, a fast-rising prospect to play next to new starting linebacker Terrell Edmunds. The linebacker group hasn’t been good for a while and is in desperate need of some upgrades. Rodriguez will likely come in and challenge veteran linebacker Micah McFadden for a starting role opposite Edmunds.
Rodriguez has a very unique path to the draft. He started off his career at the University of Virginia as just a “football player.” He played QB, ran the ball, and played out wide, too. After a year at UVA, he transferred to Texas Tech and had some monster years on defense. Rodriguez had 117 tackles, six passes defended, four interceptions, and, as if all those numbers weren’t good enough, he also posted an astounding seven forced fumbles!
Rodriguez has a natural nose for the ball, and the Giants would love to have production like that infused into their defense.
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