The 2026 offseason is well and truly underway for the New York Giants.
They’ve started their interview process for a new head coach, and have already scheduled interviews with multiple top candidates. How that process plays out will inform the rest of their off-season strategy, and we should probably expect a hire before the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl practices at the end of the month.
Until then, we though it would make a nice start to start the draft process with a “baseline” two-round mock draft.
Round 1 (No. 5) — Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
My stance, since the trade deadline, has been that building the wide receiving corps is as much about protecting Jaxson Dart as it is putting pionts on the board.
Dart is a consumate competitor and he is always trying to attack the defense. But most of his biggest hits haven’t come on designed runs or when protection collapses, but rather when he’s either holding the ball waiting for a receiver to come open or scrambling becaus he ran out of time.
Adding another (potentially) elite receiver will help make sure that Dart feels as though he has to do it himself as infrequently as possible. It also makes it that much harder for defenses to design blitzes or stack the box if they have to double two receivers.
The decision to pick Jordyn Tyson over Carnell Tate was a tough one. Tate is a fantastic route runner with 1b upside as well as incredible hands and ball skills. However, something Trevor Sikkema said recently about the two crystalized the decision for me: You pick Tate if you’re looking for a complement to a number 1, you pick Tyson if you’re looking for a number 1.
I decided I want Odell Beckham Jr. and Hakeem Nicks.
*Note: Tyson’s draft stock will depend heavily on his medical reports. He suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in 2022.
There are going to be a lot of Giants fans who aren’t going to like drafting a wide receiver at fifth overall. I was sorely tempted to take Rueben Bain or Francis Mauigoa here, but the Giants already have three first round edge defenders and the Giants can find a guard in free agency or later in the draft.
I would also absolutely look at a developmental tackle, such as Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor at the top of the fourth round.
Also considered: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State), Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami), Francis Mauigoa (OT/OG, Miami), Spencer Fano (OT, Utah)
Round 2 (No. 37) – A’Mauri Washington (iDL, Oregon)
I knew if I drafted a wide receiver in the first I’d still have good options in the trenches in the second, and here we are.
A’Mauri Washington has prototypical dimensions for a nose tackle (6-foot-3, 330 pounds), though he primarily played in the B-gap for Oregon. He’d make an incredibly intriguing combination with both Dexter Lawrence and Darius Alexander due to his combination of size, strength and completely atypical athleticism.
The big Duck came in fourth on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List” thanks to his 20.89 mph top speed, 36-inch vert, 755-pound squat, and 385-pound power clean.
Washington is as stout a run defender as you’d expect from a player with his frame and strength, with 22 run stops in the regular season. Washington isn’t just a big run stuffer, however, and has true 3-down upside with 22 total pressures and an 8.2% pass rush win rate (higher than Peter Woods’ 8.1% this year).
Also considered: Emmanuel Pregnon (OG, Oregon), Christen Miller (iDL, Georgia), Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State), Chase Bisontis (OG, Texas A&M)
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