New 3-Round Mock Draft Skips Over Giants' Biggest Need

The Giants trade down in this new mock draft, but the selections made are headscratchers.

The 2026 mock drafts have begun. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Yet another very early 2026 mock draft has the New York Giants trading down out of the No. 2 spot, where they currently sit with four games left to play, and racking up assets.

In this newly released draft by Pro Football Sports Network, this time around, the Giants aren’t going too far down in the first-round order. 

They trade places with the Las Vegas Raiders, who currently sit at No. 4 in the order entering Week 14 games, the quarterback-needy Raiders grabbing Alabama signal caller Dante Moore in exchange for sending the Giants the fourth overall pick, No. 35 (second round), and a 2027 second-round pick.

The mock then has the Giants, with the fourth overall pick, selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, with analyst Jacob Infante stating that the Giants “already have a dominant defensive line, but adding a superstar linebacker could help further elevate that unit.”

The idea to address the defense is not a bad one. Still, for as good as Reese may be, the Giants have more glaring issues on the back end of their defense, where they are potentially facing moving on from pending UFA and starting cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, and where they also have a first-round bust on their hands in cornerback Deonte Banks.

The lack of consistency in the defensive secondary this season, some of which is a result of injuries, is a big reason why the vaunted pass rush hasn’t really had the kind of impact that the preseason suggested might be possible. 

Linebacker is a need as Micah McFadden is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and there remains a question as to whether the Giants will retain Bobby Okereke, who currently has the eighth-highest cap hit on the team next year ($14.413 million).

There is also a question about the depth behind McFadden and Okereke, but whether the position gets addressed that high in the draft seems to be a reach.  

Round 2 Goes on the Offense

Nov 25, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) gives a hand to Northwestern Wildcats running back Cam Porter (4) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

In the second round of the mock, Infante has the Giants rolling with Northwestern tackle Caleb Tiernan, noting, “Caleb Tiernan is a massive blocker, standing at 6’7" and weighing 329 pounds, with gap-zone run-blocking versatility. He has the size, strength, hand usage, and spatial awareness to become a good starter in the NFL.”

While we are of the mindset that the Giants should add at least one offensive lineman every year for development, we remain amazed that mock drafts like these seem to forget that the Giants have young Marcus Mbow on the roster, a player being groomed to be a future starter. 

Ideally, the Giants find a way to retain Jermaine Eluemunor, who is set to be a UFA after this season, which, if they do keep him, could mean a move inside to guard for Mbow, who played the position some in college. If the team doesn’t retain Eluemunor, then Mbow, as of right now, is the heir apparent to that right tackle position.  

And finally, with the pick that the Giants obtain from the Raiders in the mock draft trade, New York grabs San Diego State Cornerback Chris Johnson, who, per PFSN metrics, has an allowed passer rating of just 15.5 this season. 

What about the receiver?

Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has been mentioned as an early possibility for the Giants in the 2026 NFL draft. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is no question that the Giants need help on the defensive side of the ball, but missing from this three-round mock is a play-making receiver who can potentially complement Malik Nabers in the offense. 

After losing Nabers in Week 4 to a season-ending ACL injury, the Giants have been leaning much more heavily on 12-personnel, which is one running back and two tight ends.

Per SIS, in Weeks 1-4, the Giants used 11 personnel on 75% of their offensive plays (excluding spikes and kneel downs) and 12 personnel on 25% (19th most). 

From Week 5 onward, the Giants have run 11-personnel on 55% of their snaps (again, excluding spikes and kneel-downs), while 12-personnel has increased to 45% (third-most in the league).

With Wan’Dale Robinson set to be a UFA, his spot as the primary slot receiver shouldn’t be ultra difficult to replace if a contract can’t be worked out. 

But finding a solid complementary outside receiver to Nabers would seem to be more of a challenge, and one that the Giants would need to figure out a solution to if the Jaxson Dart-led offense is to soar to new heights.

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