Heading into Week 17's game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the New York Giants held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. To keep that pick and have the draft run through Big Blue's front office, the objective was simple: The Giants just needed to do what they had done all season and nine times in a row to that point: lose.
Related: Giants’ updated draft pick is already pulling mock drafts all over the place
So, of course, the G-Men looked great and won the game 34-10, effectively losing the No. 1 pick, and now sit at the No. 2 spot. It's happened a bunch in recent years with the Giants winning these late-season games that cost them draft position, most recently beating the Patriots and losing out on Drake Maye.
To Big Blue's credit, it would have been the most egregious tanking the league has ever seen. As bad as the G-Men have been this year, the Raiders have been that much worse.
Giants could look to their cross-town rivals for a draft day deal
With the first pick no longer an option, the question becomes what the Giants do at No. 2? In Bleacher Report's article, Big Blue remains in good shape to make a deal. With rookie sensation Jaxson Dart looking like the quarterback of the future for the organization, the draft will be a perfect opportunity to take advantage of a QB-needy team.
Looking at the current Top 10, the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals are the most likely candidates to want to move up. Now, the upcoming quarterback class is weaker than we've seen recently, and Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is basically a Raider already. But, if Oregon's Dante Moore declares, New York should make a big move with an unlikely suspect: the Jets.
Big Blue should trade No. 2 for the Jets for nothing less than the No. 3 pick and the pick the Jets got from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade, which is currently pick No. 18. If that were to happen, then the Giants grab Ohio State's Carnell Tate at No. 3 and either a linebacker or corner at No. 18. Some holes immediately filled less than 20 picks into the draft.
Of course, this ideal scenario hinges on the Giants having the No. 2 pick, so they'll need to lose Sunday to the Cowboys. Will they is another question.