While the New York Giants have been thinking about 2026 for a while now, the rest of the league is officially there too -- after the Seattle Seahawks beat the brakes off the New England Patriots, 29–13, in Super Bowl LX to claim their second Lombardi Trophy.
Normally beating the Pats in the Super Bowl is reserved for Big Blue, but I guess Seattle handled the guest appearance just fine. With the season in the rearview, it's all about looking ahead, and there might not be a more exciting time in the offseason than the draft.
For all the excitement Jaxson Dart’s second year brings and the intrigue surrounding John Harbaugh’s first season on the headset, the fifth overall pick still looms as the real tone-setter for what happens next.
In my latest mock, general manager Joe Schoen sets the team up for instant and future success across multiple positions, even swinging a massive Day-2 trade to bring in more reinforcements.
Giants’ updated 7-round mock draft with a big Day-2 swing
Round 1 | Pick 5: Makai Lemon - WR, USC
The more I sit here and rack my brain around about who the G-Men should take fifth overall, the more I start to like USC's Makai Lemon. Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson makes a compelling argument, but his injury history makes me a bit standoffish. So, we're making lemonade.
Lemon is the best slot receiver in the class, but he's not only a slot guy. This selection all but insinuates that Wan'Dale Robinson won't be coming back, which is a tough loss, but not one New York can't overcome by selecting a player of Lemon's talent.
The 21-year-old gives Amon-Ra St. Brown vibes. Yes, they both went to USC, but the comp doesn't stop there. The route running, hands, and separation should make him an instant Day-1 slot target for Dart, allowing Malik Nabers to dominate the rest of the field.
I’ve got a big trade to announce. The Giants send pick No. 37 to Minnesota in exchange for picks No. 49 and No. 82. Big Blue didn’t have a third-rounder coming into the draft, which was always going to be a problem (no one has time to wait for 68 picks). Now it’s not.
Round 2 | Pick 49: Anthony Hill Jr. - LB, Texas
What? Could it be? A linebacker taken in the first two days of the draft? That never happens. But it does today... in this mock draft, at least. Every good Harbaugh defense needs a leader in the middle.
Hill would instantly bring speed and violence to a defense that’s been missing both. He can move sideline-to-sideline, he can blitz, and he actually finishes plays. His unique blend of size (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) and athleticism makes him the perfect fit for the leader in the middle moving forward. For a Giants unit desperate for LB help, Hill feels like the right kind of problem-creator to bet on.
Round 3 | Pick 82: Blake Miller - OT, Clemson
Dart gets his WR2 on Day 1, and now he gets his offensive lineman on Day 2. If you adhere to the saying "availability is the best ability," then the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder might just be the best in the class. He earned the starting spot as a freshman and started every single game for the next four years without missing a single one.
He's projected to be a right tackle in the NFL, but he does have experience playing on the left, which is a huge added bonus, considering Andrew Thomas' always shaky health. Overall, he's a strong pass-protector who could shore up the could-be-depleted right side of the line with Jermaine Eluemunor's upcoming free agency and Evan Neal already on the way out.
You can't undersell how important it was to maximize the 37th pick to land a starting linebacker and offensive tackle.
Round 4 | Pick 105: Malik Muhammad - CB, Texas
Giants' DC Dennard Wilson finally gets his defensive back with their first pick on the third and final day of the draft. Texas' Malik Muhammad is an elite cover corner with a high IQ. Wilson will love his man-coverage abilities. He wouldn't come in to replace Paulson Adebo or Cor'Dale Flott (if he re-signs) as the starters, but he's got great technique and should contribute in some capacity right away.
He's versatile enough to play outside or in the slot, and should give New York an instant upgrade to their thin, because they're underwhelming, cornerback room.
Round 5 | Pick 143: Jude Bowry - OL, Boston College
The Giants are walking into a whole lotta uncertainty this offseason on the right side of their offensive line. Eluemunor could seek a payday elsewhere, and Evan Neal will officially be gone. That opens the door for a versatile lineman, like BC's Jude Bowry, to take advantage.
Bowry can play outside and inside, which makes the 6-foot-5, 311-pound prospect a must-have here on Day 3. The former Eagle comes from a sneaky good offensive line factory and gives the team a versatile chess piece for the long haul.
Round 6 | Pick 185: Logan Jones - IOL, Iowa
Let's load up the O-line. Logan Jones is arguably the best center in the class. The Giants do not have an irreplaceable center currently on the roster... you can see where I'm going here. The John Michael Schmitz experiment just hasn't worked out for either party since Big Blue selected him in the second round of the 2023 Draft. With a new HC, OL coach, and offensive coordinator, it's time to make some sweeping changes.
Jones isn't the biggest lineman (6-foot-3, 303 pounds), but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with his elite athleticism and shocking strength -- he squats over 700 pounds. Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz moved Jones from defensive line to center after Tyler Linderbaum got drafted by Harbaugh and the Ravens back in 2022. It'd only be fitting for Harby to draft Linderbaum's replacement for Big Blue.
Round 6 | Pick 191: Zane Durant, DL - Penn State
Former LA Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald did for smaller interior defenders what fluff did for peanut butter -- suddenly, there was more than one way to make the sandwich work. Donald came into the league undersized, and since then, the position has loosened its traditional size myths to make room for guys who don’t fit the mold. Enter Penn State’s Zane Durant.
Listed at 6-foot-1, 287 pounds, Durant is not going to overwhelm offensive linemen with his size. But he will with his athleticism. The Florida native has an endless motor -- chasing down screens, pursuing backside runs, and lasting a full 60 minutes at full speed when everyone else is gasping. He's a player who can be used all across the line, providing Dexter Lawrence with a little more help.
Round 6 | Pick 192: Zxavian Harris, DL - Ole Miss
After selecting Durant, I'm swinging the pendulum to the opposite side of the size spectrum and doubling down on the defensive interior with Ole Miss' Zxavian Harris. Harris' 6-foot-8, 330-pound frame makes Durant look like a Pee Wee player. Heck, he makes just about everyone look like a Pee-Wee player.
The mammoth of a prospect is a known run defender, which is something Harbaugh's defense is going to need if it wants to be taken seriously. He wouldn’t literally eat rushing lanes, but he’d make life miserable enough inside to let Sexy Dexy cook. And considering Rakeem Nuñez-Roches and Roy Robertson-Harris aren’t it, a late-round double serving of DL beef feels like the right move.
Other versions of my 2026 full 7-round mock drafts: