The New York Giants now hold the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after their 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. It’s a depressingly familiar position for the Giants, who started 2-8 for the third straight year, and are 2-9 for the second consecutive season.
If there’s a silver lining to the Giants’ five-game losing streak, it’s that their next head coach will be getting an infusion of talent when they get their new job. Not only will the Giants be getting Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo back from injury, Jaxson Dart will have a full offseason. And it’s looking increasingly likely that the Giants will have a Top 5, or perhaps Top 3, pick in the upcoming draft.
The Athletic gave the Giants a 12% chance chance of getting the No.1 overall pick coming into Week 11, which was third-highest.
Their odds of getting the top pick likely increased with their latest loss, and are probably only second to the Titans. As things stand now, the Giants are just a half-game back from Tennessee in the race to the top of the bottom (per Tankathon).
The Giants being ahead of the Browns, Saints, Jets, and Raiders is ideal for a trade scenario. Those four teams are desperate for good quarterback play, and right now it appears as though there will be two or three top quarterbacks available. Fernando Mendoza of Indiana is (currently) at the top of the QB draft chart, followed by Ty Simpson of Alabama and Dante Moore from Oregon.
And as we wrote last week, trading down is likely the best outcome for the Giants.
As things stand now, the Giants’ biggest need is at wide receiver, followed by linebacker and offensive line. The Giants need to give Jaxson Dart weapons with which to attack defenses, as well as build their offensive depth. There’s also no guarantee that Jermaine Eluemunor will return in 2026 or play as well as he has in 2024 and 2025.
The top players in the draft — edge defenders Rueben Bane Jr. and Arvell Reese — are not at positions of need for the Giants. Likewise, it’s tough to argue for safety Caleb Downs in the Top 5, even if he’s the single best player in the draft. Only two safeties have been drafted in the Top 5, Sean Taylor and Eric Berry, and expecting Downs to be among the very best to ever play his position to avoid being labeled a “bust” is a lot to put on a young man.
Trading down would allow the Giants to gain draft capital while also getting access to the best players available at positions of need at more acceptable values.
Losing is tough, and fans are frustrated. But if competitive losses make the Giants’ head coaching job that much more attractive and sets them up for future success, some good can come out of the losses.
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