Giants Target Crucial Needs on Offense and Defense in New Mock Draft

The NFL free agency frenzy is off and running, and the New York Giants have been fairly busy making moves that they hope will improve the roster and make it good enough to be competitive and win more games in the 2026 season.

Some of the organization's first moves have filled in serious holes left by departing free agents, while others have helped shore up depth in positions that never really had it last season or have gotten worse as the franchise has cut ties with certain players for cap savings.

The reality of the Giants' situation, especially this year as they seriously reshape the roster that new head coach John Harbaugh has inherited, is that they won't accomplish it all via the spending portal. Additional pieces will have to be sought out next month, when the league turns its attention to the draft in Pittsburgh.

So, which key areas could the Giants save until they go on the clock to address? Pro Football Focus analyst Max Chadwick just unveiled a new three-round mock draft at the onset of free agency, and his selections for New York cover both sides of the ball.

More importantly, he has the organization taking two players in critical positions that aren't in the best shape for the long haul.

The Right Pair of Picks for the NY Giants

In Chadwick's mock, the Giants kicked off the first round by selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at the No. 5 pick before shifting to the second round and addressing the interior offensive line with Emmanuel Pregnon out of Oregon at No. 37.

Styles, the second-ranked linebacker prospect on PFF's big board, has become a common player mocked to the Giants after he impressed at the NFL combine, and the team was staring down a real lack of depth in the middle of its defense following the release of veteran Bobby Okereke for cap savings.

In the past couple of days, the Giants have responded with a pair of moves at linebacker, first signing Chicago Bears free agent Tremaine Edmunds, who figures to replace Okereke at a cheaper cost, and then re-signing 2022 fifth-round pick Micah McFadden, who will reclaim his starting job beside him.

The key with those pair of moves is that neither offers the Giants long-term value. Edmunds, who had been a main piece for the Bears' defense until he suffered a groin injury in Week 11 last season and saw his numbers drop, will need to shore up his coverage stats if he wants to rebound in New York.

McFadden is also coming off a foot injury that limited him to one regular-season appearance. Despite being a 100+ tackler in consecutive seasons before the ailment, the 26-year-old has had his issues playing against the run and will need to prove himself before the Giants hand him a long-term commitment.

It wouldn't be a surprise if Styles, who can play at different spots along the front seven and add some extra juice to the Giants' pass rush, remains the priority prospect as they seek a future centerpiece who will be around for a few years on a cheap rookie contract.

The Giants were finally able to lock down one of their own free agents by re-signing right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to keep the veteran in that role after he had posted two incredible pass-blocking seasons with teammate Andrew Thomas.

Guard is one of the few important areas that has not been touched, including with the Giants' attempt to reel in former Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, who ultimately signed with the New England Patriots. They haven't brought back Greg Van Roten, and Jon Runyan's future is in doubt.

By tagging Pregnon, the Giants would be adding a solid prospect with positional versatility, a movable chip that mirrors their vision for rookie Marcus Mbow, whom they drafted in the third round last offseason in order to develop into a future swing tackle.

Pregnon posted an 88.0 PFF grade in 382 pass blocking snaps for the Ducks in 2025 and allowed zero sacks and just three total pressures for a 99.2 pass blocking efficiency. The Giants could throw him into a backup role to start and mold him into a starter if he transitions well enough.

The Giants are still hoping to sign a veteran option at guard and a backup center, but their options are thinning in the former position, making it likely they'll need to make a solid pick in the draft, as they do in Chadwick's mock, which finally proposed a solution that fans have been waiting to see.

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