Why the NY Giants Should Go Double-Defense with Two Top-10 Picks

With the Dexter Lawrence trade changing the math, Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh face a massive dilemma: Grab a playmaker for Jaxson Dart or build a defensive juggernaut?

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane (DB06) speaks to media members during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

In the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, most folks were already expecting a ton of uncertainty within the event's first 10 selections on night one. The New York Giants garnered a second pick in that range, and now they're being looked at as the team that could turn the board on its head early.

Some conversations surrounding the first round questioned whether the Giants, who had just the No. 5 pick and then two more picks in the top 100 before dealing defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th overall pick, would move down from their perch in order to gain more assets that would help them build out their roster.

With Cincinnati's turn now in their possession, the need to do so is less prudent than before, as the Giants have the golden opportunity, if they play their cards right, to snag two premier prospects off the board who are highly talented and fill areas of need in their locker room.

Thus, as the first round is under 48 hours away, the great debate amongst Giants fans is what they will do with the potential options available at the No. 10 spot. They could very well use their two picks on both sides of the ball, or perhaps make the latter pick the asset they trade to acquire the extra capital they are lacking in rounds 2 and 3.

CBS Sports writer Jordan Dajani released his own shortlist of options for the No. 10 pick, which also accounted for a number of players that could be slotted into their first pick five spots earlier.

Based on the prospects he listed and our own growing intuition about where the No. 5 pick might go in a couple of nights, here's out pick for the best option at No. 10.

Two Doses of Defense Just What the Doctor Ordered?

Nov 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) reacts to a stop on fourth down against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Just to reiterate, the choice we made here is made purely based on the options that Dajani has listed in his analysis for the No. 10 pick, and not who we necessarily think should be taken at that slot.

As we've written before, it's started to feel more like the best route for the Giants now that they've acquired an extra first-round choice and created a massive hole in the heart of their defense by trading Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals to do a double-dip on that side of the ball.

In our own scenario, we listed a pairing of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and one of the top defensive tackle prospects in this class (i.e., Clemson's Peter Woods) as the ideal duo for the Giants, but it doesn't appear as if the latter position was an option in Dajani's list.

In fact, he had Downs, who could be argued to be the most gifted defensive prospect in this year's class, alongside his Buckeyes teammate, linebacker Sonny Styles, who was one of the players he mentioned as an option at No. 10.

A lot has been said about both Styles and Downs and how either prospect would be an absolute stud in John Harbaugh's system, which has prioritized smart, well-versed, and versatile linchpins in the center of the defense. Styles would strengthen the second level, which was lacking coverage, while Downs would become a key voice in setting up looks and keeping the defense ready for anything.

There is a strong chance one of those players makes it through the first four picks and will be sitting pretty for the Giants to take at No. 5. A case could be made for Styles or Downs, but New York should start by snagging whichever they deem the better piece for their unit and not taste their fates.

Following that, it would be a hard dilemma between taking another prospect for the secondary in LSU's Mansoor Delane or a top pass catcher in Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, but the tie could very much go in favor of Delane in our minds.

The Giants have been widely linked to Tyson over the past week after attending his private workout in Tempe on Friday and offering optimistic yet cautious remarks about how early we could see a fully healthy Malik Nabers back in action ahead of the 2026 season.

As the Giants, who've been the most injury-riddled organization in the league in recent history, know far too well, it's a big risk to dance with prospects who have an injury history, and Tyson meets that description after dealing with three separate ailments over the past three seasons.

The defensive secondary is still an underrated need for Joe Schoen to address. There are concerns about last year's big free-agent haul, Paulson Adebo, whose production has dipped after he led the league in pass deflections in 2023-24 while with the New Orleans Saints.

Deonte Banks, who is entering a prove-it year for his own future, also hasn't proven capable of handling a full-time role on the perimeter due to both immaturity and development as a strong man coverage guy against the NFL's best receivers.

Even with the additions of veterans like Greg Newsome II and Ar'Darius Washington, it would behoove the Giants to strengthen their defensive lineup early, while the best talent is still available.

It's an untraditional approach, especially taking a safety in the top five if they do with Downs there, but this is a different type of team that John Harbaugh is trying to build in East Rutherford.

What matters most is nailing their most valuable selections so that the immediate turnaround the franchise expects in 2026 can become a reality. Finding long-term prospects who excel in their roles and make the plays will trump any version of draft decorum that most who follow the draft believe must be followed for an organization to succeed.

The Giants have already gone against the grain with several of their moves this offseason, and it would be another strong statement if they went to the defense twice and then began tackling their holes across the offense in their later turns.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.