Dynamic Defensive Prospect Projected to Giants at No. 5 in Fresh Mock Draft

Since the 2025 NFL season concluded with the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl LX last month, the focus has shifted to the other 31 teams' plans to return to the gridiron with improved rosters next fall.

Fans and analysts are speculating about each organization's draft plans ahead of the draft opening in Pittsburgh on April 23. The New York Giants' intentions have been especially difficult to predict.

That is because they have several major roster needs. Many expect general manager Joe Schoen and new head coach John Harbaugh to heavily overhaul the Giants in the coming weeks. One of those needs may have just jumped to the forefront of their list with the combine over.

The linebacker position hangs in the balance, as both of the Giants' initial starters from this past season—Micah McFadden (a free agent) and Bobby Okereke (a potential cap casualty)—face uncertain futures, and the rest of the group currently lacks depth.

Alas, a key prospect has just emerged from the fold of this year's class, thanks to a stellar performance at the combine, and has sharply changed the potential outlook for the first-round order.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is that guy, and in a fresh mock draft by NFL Draft On SI, publisher Justin Melo has the rising defender falling right into the Giants' lap at No. 5, where they pounce on the opportunity to add him to their loaded defensive front.

"Nobody won the NFL Combine quite like linebacker Sonny Styles did," Melo wrote.

"Styles made history by leaping a 43.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-2 broad jump. He also ran the fastest 40 among linebackers at 4.46. The Ohio State standout confirmed he's a top-five prospect and a rare athletic specimen.

John Harbaugh and the New York Giants should draft him to play behind Abdul Carter, Dexter Lawrence, and Brian Burns. What an impactful front seven that would be."

Is Sonny Styles at No. 5 the right choice?

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After one of the most impressive NFL Combine showings last week, Sonny Styles has quickly become the apple of many franchises' eyes. Reports claim that the Giants are also very intrigued by the Ohio State prospect.

Of course, the months leading up to the draft are known for front offices throwing smoke screens at one another to possibly influence movement throughout the first round.

With Styles, it just feels like a different type of reaction for the type of versatile player he could be for any defense in the league.

Not only does he bring the freakish athletic ability that caught a lot of people's attention at the combine, but he also can serve numerous roles within Dennard Wilson's impending scheme.

While primarily serving as an inside linebacker after his conversion from safety for the Buckeyes, Styles built his skill set as an aggressive edge pass rusher, a stout run defender in the middle, and a serviceable coverage man in the slot against bigger receivers.

All of those facets would be a humongous addition to the Giants' defense, which had some semblance of strength in its front seven in 2025 but still showed glaring weaknesses in stopping the run and handling the best and most athletic pass catchers in the league.

It's become one of the cliché mindsets in the sport that a team can't have enough weapons to get after the quarterback, and Styles would be the perfect choice to provide Wilson with another threat to his rotation, especially as the future of Kayvon Thibodeaux waits to be determined as well.

Still, he would instantly form a cheap replacement and surefire starter for the linebacker room that is destined for change this offseason.

There have been murmurs of Bobby Okereke getting nixed from the roster to help New York find some extra cap space, and Micah McFadden's injury woes leave doubts as to whether he gets another shot to lead the group.

The biggest question is whether Harbaugh—the person some believe will make the final draft decisions—thinks Styles is the player he needs to run the kind of competitive defense he wants in 2026.

If Harbaugh supports this move, I would agree with many. The Giants would be getting one of the three best options for their first draft pick.

A close second would be Caleb Downs, who has impressive football intelligence and leadership, and Carnell Tate, who would help give Jaxson Dart an extra weapon for his offensive arsenal, which lacked talent last season after Malik Nabers lost the season to an ACL tear.

It's hard not to say that Styles becomes the dream scenario for the Giants when the clock turns towards them. They'll also need some luck, though, as there is a good chance he comes off the board before the vision can really become a reality.

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