Giants' most slept-on 2026 NFL Draft target is actually their perfect fit

The New York Giants don't feel too far away from a rapid ascent to NFC playoff contention. Losing as many nail-biters as they did during the 2025 season was more of a blessing in disguise than anything else, as that suffering netted them the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

All those close, frustrating losses triggered the firing of head coach Brian Daboll, too. New York couldn't have found a better successor than John Harbaugh, whose impact transcends coaching and extends to a Giants football operation that was in dire need of a modern revamp.

Optimism springs eternal this time of year for any NFL fanbase, though. Harbaugh knows talk is cheap, and that he's only as good as the players on the field.

So how will the G-Men kick off Harbaugh's first draft? There seems to be a no-brainer target at No. 5 who fills a major roster hole that many are sleeping on.

LSU star Mansoor Delane is the ideal anchor for Giants' suspect cornerback corps

Scouring the Internet for mock drafts, or even looking around here at GMEN HQ, can be valuable to get a read on where experts and fans alike are leaning for New York's top-five pick. However, one particular place that offers a massive survey/sample size is the PFF mock draft simulator.

Those of us who are draft junkies are spamming this thing for all it's worth in the weeks leading up to the big event. PFF actually has a feature that breaks down the probable-thousands of simulations, and who the most popular picks are for each team.

Here's the breakdown of where Giants mock drafts are trending with the fifth overall selection:

1. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (30.3%)
2. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (20%)
3. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (16.1%)
4. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (7.7%)
5. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah (6.6%)

Beyond those five prospects, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is generating a lot of buzz as a popular option.

What about LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane? Where is the love for him!? Forgive the bad pun.

But for real, Delane is considered by most to be the best prospect at his position in this class. Cornerbacks are as valuable as ever in the modern NFL. Having a stud on the boundary who can lock down an entire half of the field changes the math for an entire defense.

The G-Men are absolutely loaded in the trenches with Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. They solidified the second level of their defense in free agency by acquiring Tremaine Edmunds as well.

One could argue that New York addressed cornerback well enough on the open market with a one-year, prove-it deal for Greg Newsome II. One would be wrong about that in my humble opinion.

Take a gander at Newsome's PFF data over the last two years. Never mind. I'll tell you.

Twenty-two missed tackles on 100 attempts. Nine TDs allowed against two interceptions for an opponent passer rating of 112.5. Doesn't exactly scream, "lockdown cornerback!" to me.

Who else are the G-Men counting on as a boundary corner beyond Paulson Adebo? Nobody good by NFL standards.

Delane gave up a 31.3 passer rating last year. An incompletion on every pass attempt would yield a 39.6 passer rating. Might I interest you, collective Big Blue faithful, in a selected production profile reminiscent of Trent McDuffie, Devon Witherspoon, and DJ Turner?

Adding a wide receiver near the top of the draft wouldn't be a bad move by the G-Men. It's just that they signed two free agents to fill out their depth chart in Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III.

Harbaugh also pounded the table to reunite with his former Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely. Young quarterback Jaxson Dart has plenty of pass-catching weaponry to work with.

Why draft Ohio State's Caleb Downs when Dru Phillips is entrenched as the nickel, and two starting safeties are in place with Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin? The Giants signed versatile defensive back Ar'Darius Washington away from Baltimore, too.

I could see an argument for Mauigoa if he kicks inside to right guard, but No. 5 overall is rather right for an interior offensive lineman. Fano is more of a pure right tackle. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to play him over re-signed free agent Jermaine Eluemunor.

And Jeremiyah Love? Really? With Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary giving the Giants a strong three-deep backfield?

The more you break it down, the more of a no-brainer choice Mansoor Delane is for the G-Men with the fifth overall pick. He's the missing piece who could transform New York's secondary into a top-flight unit, and that vicious pass rush would only help Delane flourish as an NFL rookie.