New Mock Draft Really Goes Outside the Box for Giants' Pick

USA Today's latest mock draft outlines a scenario for the Giants we just don't see happening.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although the 2026 draft order isn’t set in stone just yet, it’s virtually certain that the New York Giants will be in the top five, if not the top three, if their season continues to spiral out of control.

If that’s the case, one would assume that the Giants, who have their franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart, would be in a golden position to trade down and acquire more draft picks. 

However, in USA Today’s latest mock draft, not only do the Giants, who as of Week 14 sit second in the draft order, stay put, but they also take a big-time head scratcher of a pick.

Author Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has the Giants selecting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the second overall pick, citing the defense’s need for impact players. 

“The odds of a safety being selected this high are vanishingly small,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. 

“But Downs might test the bounds of his position given how valuable he can be as a do-everything defender, and the Giants don't have many compelling alternatives here. 

“With New York's defense short on leadership and figures who can stand up to repair the league's worst run defense, Downs can come in and lead the charge on both fronts.”

Is a safety really the best direction for the Giants in first round?

Middlehurst-Schwartz is correct in saying that the odds of the Giants or any team selecting a safety with the second overall pick are small. 

Although the Giants do need lots of help on defense, we would put cornerback ahead of safety if we were to have the Giants sit tight in the draft order.

That said, our preference, considering the Giants, despite having seven picks in the 2026 draft, but who currently don’t have a third-round pick and aren’t projected to receive any comp picks, would be for New York to trade down in the order, stockpile some assets for 2026 and 2027, and engage in some smart drafting.

Depending on how far down in the order the Giants were to drop–and we would not drop out of the top 10 if it were up to us–we would go either receiver or cornerback if the value were there, as we view those two positions as the biggest needs at this point.

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.