The 2026 NFL draft is roughly a month away. The NFL Combine has concluded, teams are bringing players in for visits, and Pro Days for prospective draftees began on Monday. All of this means we are inundated with mock drafts, but as we get closer to the actual draft, the selection process becomes clearer.
ESPN’s Field Yates recently released a two-round mock draft. The New York Giants have the No. 5 overall pick, and in the second round, it’s the fifth pick again, No. 37 overall.
In the first round, Yates predicts the Giants will address their secondary.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Downs has been a dominant force longer than any other defender in this class. The former Alabama and Ohio State All-American is a shapeshifter, deploying down in the box against the run or patrolling the back end with excellent coverage range.
The Giants made strides in their safety room over free agency, adding Jason Pinnock and Ar’Darius Washington as help alongside Jevon Holland. But in a league where successful defenses deploy three safeties with greater frequency, what doesn’t appear as a major need for the Giants should not be dismissed. This would make Downs the highest safety drafted since Eric Berry in 2010.
Downs is going to make any team that drafts him instantly better, and NFL teams already know this. He would be a welcome addition to any safety room in the league. He played for two powerhouse college football programs and was a standout performer on both teams, helping the Ohio State Buckeyes win a National Championship in 2024.
In the second round, Yates has the Giants addressing a need on the other side of the ball.
Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M
The Giants have a strong offensive tackle duo, but they must stockpile on interior offensive linemen to keep quarterback Jaxson Dart upright. Bisontis has excellent hands, is an athletic redirector in pass protection and brings position versatility. He would really boost the Giants’ guard position, and he has prior starting experience at right tackle, too.
This would be solid back-to-back choices for the Giants, addressing multiple areas of need, potentially adding two Day 1 starters over their first two picks. And that will be necessary because, barring a trade, the Giants will not pick again until Round 4.
We’ll see what they ultimately decide on April 23.
