If your blood isn’t pumping right now after the absolute clinic the New York Giants put on in Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, I have genuine concerns regarding your well-being.
I'm talking belt to a—buns.
The Giants had two top-10 picks (courtesy of stinking in 2025 -- fifth pick -- and sending Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati -- 10th pick) and desperately needed to make the most of both of them. They brought in John Harbaugh to turn this thing around in Year 1, and staying true to the best-player-available approach paid off for them and then some, securing a defensive demon in Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and an offensive tone-setter in Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
It's hard to envision a scenario where things could have gone better for Big Blue, a sentiment echoed by FanSided's Justin Carter, who labeled the G-Men clear winners of Round 1:
"Getting Arvell Reese at Pick No. 5 and Francis Mauigoa at Pick No. 10 makes the Giants the clear winners of this first round, and it has a chance to kickstart this new era of Giants football."
Giants didn’t overthink it and nailed both top-10 picks
Like most fans, I was pleasantly surprised by the Reese pick. So much so that Carter felt the need to call me out:
"He wasn't even listed among the Giants' top-five targets by GMEN HQ's Matt Sidney, likely because there seemed to be no chance he'd even be there."
Alright. Trust tree time -- hand up, he’s not wrong. I definitely thought he’d be long gone by the time the Giants were on the clock. I would have guessed he’d be on the complete opposite side of... North Jersey with Gang Green, but I digress.
I’m stoked the Giants got him. He’s arguably the best defensive prospect in the class, and in a room already filled with Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the 20-year-old could feast in one-on-one opportunities. Carter sees greatness in him from the jump, with the potential to be something special immediately:
"Reese could be an All-Pro as a rookie, really."
Well, that’s why they took him over Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Jordyn Tyson, right? Who knows if those other jabronies will become rookie All-Pros? All joking aside, Reese should come with his own personal 6-foot-4-sized Ziploc bag with all the potential oozing out of him.
But Reese's wasn't the only pieces (I'm too excited) taken in the first round. Sisi Mauigoa -- the best offensive lineman in the class -- also joins in on the fun. I've been high on the 6-foot-6, 330-pound steamroller for a while now, and funny enough, Carter's right there with me, step-by-step, saying:
"Personally, I had him [Mauigoa] as my top offensive lineman and probably down as the second-best offensive player from a talent standpoint after Jeremiyah Love, but the positional value difference between an offensive tackle and a running back made me strongly prefer Mauigoa when comparing who I'd draft."
I mean, great minds think alike.
I can’t remember the last time I was this gassed up after Draft Night 1. And while I know horses need to be slowed -- seasons aren’t won in the offseason -- I can’t help but be excited. And as a fan, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’ve never been more in than I am right now, and with two days and six picks left, the fun is literally only just starting.
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