Giants Execute Bold Trade With Close Rivals in New Mock Draft

With the New York Giants keeping control of the No. 1 overall pick in the unofficial 2026 NFL Draft order until at least the conclusion of the league’s Week 15 slate, it’s been a fun time for fans and draft analysts alike to play around with different scenarios for the franchise’s big night one decision.

Given the Giants had two first-round picks last April and used the second one, acquired in a trade that pushed them back to No. 25, on their hopeful franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart, it seems unlikely to many that they will elect to keep that top pick should it remain theirs at the conclusion of the regular season.

That means the possibility of receiving trade offers to move down could come into play for New York, who could have a bevy of teams jamming their phones at 1925 Giants Drive in an attempt to make a deal to secure a top quarterback prospect.

While we already touched upon one mock draft in the past week that included a nice haul for the Giants, Field Yates over at ESPN has his own mock draft that might have just topped that with arguably the best trade offer the organization could receive if they stay at No. 1 over the next couple months.

Moreover, Yates’ potential trade partner with the Giants is interestingly a close rival who resides in their same market.

Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyso — Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In the exercise, the Giants strike on a massive trade proposal from their MetLife Stadium neighbors in the New York Jets, who come calling for that coveted first selection in order to pursue their own franchise gunslinger in Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

On the back end of the exchange, the Jets send the Giants their No. 7 pick, No.18 pick, which they acquired in some deadline deals earlier this season, and a Day 2 selection which isn’t specified in the mock draft.

The return package still marks arguably the most intriguing as it gives the Giants a pair of turns in the first 20 selections to tackle their needs with elite prospects.

The first player they go after is Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the No. 7 pick and the second prospect at that position to come off the board, who Yates describes as “bringing a package of size, versatility and explosiveness that would pair great next to Nabers”.

Outside of fortifying the back end of their defense which has been a major disappointment this season, the next biggest priority for the Giants roster has to be finding another playmaker who can help Dart and the offense open up to become even more explosive.

Nabers’ season-ending ACL injury in Week 4 has taken much of that element away from the team’s passing attack, as none of the other receivers have mirrored his unique abilities and it has shrunk the offense into more of a conservative unit that doesn’t let Dart test his strong arm.

Through 13 games, Dart is just the 27th ranked quarterback in deep passing production with 12 completions on 37 attempts for 357 yards and two touchdowns. He has been able to play behind a pretty stout offensive line for most of that span with an average of 3.68 seconds to throw, but still is missing that second guy who can create in space and gain the respect of opposing defenses.

Wan’Dale Robinson has done the best job of any Giants skilled player at attempting to fill the void with his team-leading 110 receptions for 828 yards and three touchdowns and will command a decent market value as a free agent this spring. The Giants have received dismal performances from the rest of their position group, leaving it in dire need of a backup plan.

After locking down the largest hole in their offense, the Giants flip back to the defensive secondary and take Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, one of the class’s best prospects who had been mocked to the Giants in previous mock drafts that we’ve covered.

The Giants have had some issues landing the right prospects for their secondary in recent drafts, with maybe the lone exception being Andru Phillips, who came into his own amid a successful rookie season in 2024.

Besides him, former 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks lost his starting role this summer to Cor’Dale Flott and has been picked apart in extended snaps while Paulson Adebo has dealt with injuries later in the schedule.

Banks has allowed catches on a whopping 87.0% of his targets and given up three touchdowns with only three forced incompletions and Flott will be a free agent as well, potentially leaving the Giants with a gaping hole to fill if they elect to part ways with Banks as a roster cut.

Terrell would be a solid addition to their depth as he might be small in size but carries that speed and sharp instincts to find his way back to the football and disrupt the pass before it can become a huge play.

His presence could help the Giants slow down the number of big gains that opponents have earned against their lousy coverage and perhaps be a catalyst for more turnovers for a unit that has just seven on the season.

Even if the Giants elected to go for different names than the ones Yates has projected, the possibility of landing two picks inside of the top 20 in the first round should have fans licking their chops should New York maintain their current standing at No. 1.

It’s not easy to get level of return in today’s NFL bargaining, but it’s those deals that can jumpstart a team’s rebuild by infusing the best young talent into their ranks who can make an immediate difference and not just be a risky wager like some of the Giants’ previous draft decisions that have gone sideways in the current regime.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.

More New York Giants Coverage