General manager Joe Schoen doesn’t have the luxury of playing it safe this year. Picking fifth overall sounds nice until you realize this roster still has holes everywhere, and one blue-chip prospect isn’t going to fix all of them.
If the New York Giants want to stop being polite and start being real around franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart and new head coach John Harbaugh, they need quality... and quantity. I'm talking picks on picks on picks.
So instead of sitting tight at No. 5 and hoping the board falls perfectly, it was time to get aggressive. Schoen has to find ways to add more talent to this roster. That’s how you start turning this thing around and becoming competitive in 2026. Here’s my latest three-round mock draft, featuring two major trades that get the ball rolling.
Giants three-round mock draft features two blockbuster trades
We have a trade to announce: The Giants are sending the 5th overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams for the 13th and 29th picks:
Round 1 | Pick 13: Makai Lemon, WR - USC
Dart needs more help. Star receiver Malik Nabers needs a sidekick. And with Leek’s advanced route tree and elite playmaking ability, grabbing super-slot wideout Makai Lemon at No. 5 after trading back with the Rams feels like the perfect move.
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate will likely be off the board at five, but I prefer Lemon’s fit in this offense anyway. Think of him as Dart’s new best friend. He might have the best hands in the draft, which makes him a dependable chain-mover from Day 1. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he’s scrappier than people give him credit for, with just enough edge to handle the dirty work that winning football on Sundays requires.
Round 1 | Pick 29: Monroe Freeling, OT - Georgia
There's a strong chance the G-Men leave free agency with a gaping hole still remaining on the right side of their offensive line. Jermaine Eluemunor is an upcoming free agent, and Evan Neal is already out the door. That means a fast-rising prospect like Monroe Freeling makes a ton of sense later in the first round.
Talk about keeping the franchise quarterback happy. First, you get him a shiny new receiver. Then you shore up the offensive line to keep him upright. Freeling is a mountain at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, and he pairs that size with impressive footwork and lateral quickness. Most analysts view him as a “win-with” starter who might have some early technical bumps but still offers the ceiling of a top-tier pass protector.
We have another trade to announce: The Giants are sending the 37th and 143rd picks to the Atlanta Falcons for the 48th and 79th picks. Atlanta jumps into the early second round after sitting out the first entirely, thanks to last year’s draft-day deal, ironically enough, with the Rams:
Round 2 | Pick 48: Colton Hood, CB - Tennessee
After handling the offense’s biggest weaknesses, it’s time to flip to the defensive side. The secondary has been a mess, and the cornerback room is the biggest weight dragging it down. Trading back with the Falcons still gives the G-Men a shot to address that need while picking up a much-needed third-rounder. At No. 48, landing Colton Hood would feel like stealing.
With Cor’Dale Flott headed for free agency and Deonte Banks borderline unplayable at this point, Hood could step in opposite Paulson Adebo right away. At 6-foot and 190 pounds, he has enough size and length to deal with bigger receivers, and his man coverage skills paired with elite press technique fit exactly what defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson wants from his corners.
Round 3 | Pick 79: Deontae Lawson, LB - Alabama
Big Blue needs a linebacker room overhaul this offseason. Whatever they’ve been doing hasn’t been working, and with Harby now leading the charge, that can’t stay the same. Alabama has churned out some of the league’s best middle linebackers -- Derrick Thomas, C.J. Mosley, Dont’a Hightower -- and Lawson could be next in that line.
The 23-year-old is one of the best off-ball linebackers in the class. He pairs prototypical size at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds with legit leadership and athleticism. He’d be an ideal candidate to wear the green dot for this next iteration of the Giants if they’re serious about fixing the middle of the defense.