The New York Giants don't make life easy on anyone -- especially themselves.
Just two weeks ago, the Giants were in the driver's seat for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft. For better or worse, there was genuine intrigue around what they'd do with the slot, with many fans hoping they'd trade back to a quarterback-needy team and acquire all sorts of draft capital in return.
Instead, the G-Men doubled their win total in the last two games, going from two to four wins and blowing their chances at the first pick, the second pick, and even the third and fourth picks. When the chips fell, they settled for fifth, which was a less-than-ideal outcome.
While the team might not have been playing or rooting for draft positioning, Big Blue Nation sure was. And all hopes of the G-Men fleecing a QB-needy team on draft night went up in smoke. Or so we thought. If ESPN's latest intel is any indication, draft night could still have some major fireworks in play, with the Giants in the middle of the action.
Giants trade down prediction from ESPN would be huge for Big Blue
You might've heard about the QB-needy teams, but might I interest you in the pass-rusher-needy teams? In ESPN's latest 2026 offseason predictions piece, prominent NFL analyst Aaron Schatz projected the G-Men will still trade out of their pick, which would be the absolute best-case scenario for Big Blue and has to happen:
"The Giants will trade down in the first round of the draft. They're already set at quarterback and edge rusher, where many mock drafts have Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr. as the first non-quarterbacks off the board."
Reese and Bain Jr. are sure to draw heavy interest on draft night. Elite pass-rushers are arguably the second-most coveted assets in the league -- because, well, quarterbacks are the most coveted, and someone’s gotta chase them down. That means the G-Men could be all the way back into fleecing an edge-needy team for more draft assets.
More draft capital means more chances for general manager Joe Schoen and Co. to build around Jaxson Dart. The second-year quarterback needs more help, both up front on the line and out wide. If the Giants can flip the No. 5 pick into enough ammo to attack both spots, this rebuild might move a whole lot faster than anyone expected.
Related: Giants undo two costly Joe Schoen mistakes with game-changing 2026 mock draft
Miami's Francis Mauigoa, Utah's Spencer Fano, and Alabama's Kadyn Proctor are linemen they could target. And Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State's Carnell Tate, and USC's Makai Lemon are potential receivers to keep an eye out for.
The Giants need ESPN to be right in the worst way. It’s the cleanest path they’ve got to turning a blown tank job into a draft-night win.