The last time Joe Schoen had two top-10 picks in the same draft, the New York Giants came away with pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive lineman Evan Neal. That was in 2022, when Thibs went five, and Neal went seven.
Somehow, Schoen’s getting a pseudo-do-over, and this next time might be the first and last time any GM has ever had two top-10 picks in the same draft more than once.
CBS Sports’ Mike Renner believes Schoen is about to make history -- if he keeps the picks -- as the first and only GM in NFL history to have two separate drafts with multiple picks in the top 10:
I believe Joe Schoen is set to become the first GM in NFL history to have 2 separate drafts w/ multiple top-10 picks for the same franchise
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) April 19, 2026
He took Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) & Evan Neal (7) in the top-10 back in 2022
While the feat is impressive, there’s an underlying truth that follows along like a shadow. Teams usually have to be bad to receive top-10 picks, and GMs don’t usually stick around when their teams consistently pick in the top 10, which makes Schoen remarkably lucky to still be around to earn the privilege.
It’s a backhanded compliment wrapped in an exciting opportunity. Let’s hope he doesn’t screw it up this time.
Joe Schoen staring at rare NFL history with two top-10 picks
Neal's story is well known and will live in infamy. The 6-foot-7, 340-pound offensive tackle was taken seventh overall out of Alabama to become Big Blue's lockdown right tackle opposite Andrew Thomas. But injuries and an inability to adapt to NFL speed and power crushed those dreams.
Last offseason, New York moved him to guard as a career-saving throw, but he never saw a snap, ending the season, once again, on injured reserve. He's surprisingly back with the team after they declined his fifth-year option, and John Harbaugh's giving him one last chance to earn a role.
Thibs' story is a little different.
It doesn't get talked about nearly enough, but the 2022 fifth overall pick is tightroping the bust line like he's auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. Yet, somehow, he's managed to duck the public spotlight. That's surprising, seeing as he only has 23.5 sacks in four seasons. If you remove his lone double-digit sack season (Year 2), he has 12 in three years. Woof.
Neither became a franchise cornerstone, and that needs to change this time around. With the fifth and 10th picks in the 2026 Draft, Schoen gets a do-over no other GM has ever gotten before.
With the fifth pick, the Giants have some interesting options. The Ohio State trio of Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Carnell Tate is in play, and so is Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love and Miami's Francis Mauigoa. The 10th pick is a bit tougher to predict, but Penn State's Vega Ioane, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, and LSU's Mansoor Delane could all hear their names called.
Whoever they choose, Schoen's gotta get it right. Otherwise, it could be his last draft in North Jersey.
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