Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Giants now hold two top-10 selections after a significant trade with the Cincinnati Bengals, giving them extraordinary flexibility in the upcoming draft.
- General Manager Joe Schoen is poised to either address critical positional needs or accumulate additional assets with these high-value picks, shaping the team's future in multiple directions.
- This scenario presents John Harbaugh with the rare opportunity to build his defense around transformative talent while also securing protection for his quarterback in the same draft class.
The New York Giants aren't just rich in NFL Draft picks. After trading Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, they're loaded. Now in possession of the No. 5 and No. 10 selections, the G-Men can begin the John Harbaugh in a million different ways.
GM Joe Schoen could listen to calls on either of those picks and stockpile a whole arsenal of assets for this and next year's draft. He could give Harbaugh not one but two high-level talents at the positions of his choice. He can draft on positional need at No. 5 and enjoy the luxury of picking the best available at No. 10. Or vice versa.
To keep it as simple as possible, we're running a mock draft without trades that satisfies just about every need in New York.
Round 1, pick 5: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
This should be no surprise at all. The Giants have been heavily linked to Sonny Styles, the unicorn linebacker out of Ohio State. At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, he's the all-around defender Harbaugh will want to build his defense around.
Styles was a five-star safety but the Buckeyes converted him to linebacker. There he absolutely thrived, racking up 100 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, five pass defenses and a forced fumble during his junior season. He was all over the field as Ohio State stormed to a national title. In 2025, he refined his game, earning All-American honors while improving his tackling and reliability in coverage.
Caleb Downs, his teammate, will also be an option here and I wouldn't blame the Giants for taking him. They need help in the secondary badly and Downs is a pure football player with instincts that outway his physical testing and measurements.
Round 1, pick 10: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
The Giants have their quarterback. Now they need to do whatever it takes to protect him. That means snagging Francis Mauigoa at No. 10 before the Dolphins can get him at No. 11.
The Miami offensive lineman is massive at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds. He's powerful enough to move the stoutest defenders while quick enough to handle even the speediest pass rushers. He was a day one starter for the Hurricanes and he could be the same for the Giants with three seasons of full-time work under his belt.
Mauigoa can do more than just protect Dart opposite Andrew Thomas. He can set the tone for New York on the ground. Cam Skattebo would love running behind Mauigoa.
There's a world where Caleb Downs is available (or Mauigoa isn't). If that's the case, again, Downs would be a no-brainer pick. A first round of Styles and Downs would make up for having to work on the offensive line later.
Round 2, pick 37: D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
The secondary was not a strength for the Giants in 2025. Far from it. So they may be tempted to take a more traditional or prototypical cornerback prospect here. I get it. Taking a risk on a 5-foot-9 nickel in the second round could backfire spectacularly...But I don't think it will.
Ponds is proof that size isn't everything. Being a bonafide baller is what matters. That's what D'Angelo Ponds is. He's a high-IQ defender with off-the-charts instincts who can press and stick to his man. Is he undersized? Absolutely. Even so, there's something to be said for identifying true football players regardless of their stature and letting them rip.
Treydan Stukes from Arizona is another option here. The 6-foot defensive back ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Better size than Ponds gives him more versatility with a potential future at safety or nickel. And he's got a great story as a former walk-on with unimpeachable work ethic.
Round 4, pick 105: Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, USC
Jaxson Dart has Malik Nabers to lead his passing attack, but the depth options in New York leave something to be desired. Since the Giants won't be in on the elite wide receiver talent available earlier in the draft, the fourth round seems like a perfect time to take a chance on a guy with real potential.
Ja'Kobi Lane played second fiddle to Makai Lemon at USC but he was still a key force for an explosive Trojans offense. He caught 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and upped his yardage as a junior in 2025 to 745 despite missing two games. He's 6-foot-4 and uses every inch of his frame to beat cornerbacks for the football. A true red zone threat, he'd give Jaxson Dart an ideal fade target while bringing plenty to the table in between the end zones. He never quite found the consistency to star equally alongside Lemon, but he had his moments as the guy in that attack.
If the Giants wanted an entirely different kind of receiver, Oklahoma's Deion Burks could also be on the board here. The 5-foot-9 speedster ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He adds value as a potential gadget weapon.
Round 5, pick 145: Bud Clark, S, TCU
Bud Clark might be off the board by the time the Giants pick in the fifth round. Assuming he's not (and Caleb Downs isn't already wearing a Giants hat), the TCU ball-hawk would be a nice addition to the NY secondary. Clark had three or more interceptions in four years featuring for the Horned Frogs, totaling 15 across his career. His ability to generate takeaways is clearly no fluke.
Clark is a super senior. His freshman season was in 2020, so he's not exactly a spring chicken. He's still a centerfield defender who can help address one of New York's more pressing concerns.
The Giants could also look to fill at least some of the gap left by Lawrence with a defensive tackle like Zxavian Harris from Ole Miss. The 6-foot-7, 320-pounder is a load in the middle of the defense.
Round 6, pick 186: Thaddeus Dixon, CB, North Carolina
The Giants are going to have an extremely busy sixth round with three picks in the span of eight slots. Here's where they should look to build some depth and find some special teams value. It's that mold that Thaddeus Dixon from North Carolina fills.
Dixon racked up 22 pass defenses in three years at FBS level and even got a Big Ten honorable mention nod in 2024 at Washington. He's an athlete who could lend a hand at corner in the pros but may very well stick as a special teams contributor, which is all you can ask of a sixth-round selection.
Round 6, pick 192: Anez Cooper, G, Miami
The order of these picks is irrelevant since they're all so close together. The important thing is what the Giants look to address; the trenches are always a good idea. Anez Cooper was a three-year starter at guard for Miami using his 330-pound frame to create a wall in front of the QB and slam that wall through the opposing defensive line. He was an All-ACC honoree in each of his seasons as a starter, earning back-to-back honorable mentions and then a second-team nod in 2025.
The Giants can afford to take a flier here. At best, they bring in a right guard with eventual starting potential. At worst they add some back up depth.
Round 6, pick 193: Nick Barrett, DT, South Carolina
Nick Barrett isn't going to wow you as a prospect with his measurables or production, but that's because he exceled at all the things that don't translate well to paper. He's a defensive anchor who stands his ground in the trenches with his 312 pounds and doesn't budge. There isn't much Barrett brings to the table in the pass rush. That's no surprise. Prospects who can hold their ground against the rush and get into the backfield to attack the quarterback reliably aren't usually available this late in the draft.
Barrett has a specific skill and it's one the Giants can utilize in early downs. That's good enough reason to give him a chance.
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