If the New York Giants are going to get real impact from their 2026 NFL Draft class, head coach John Harbaugh and GM Joe Schoen have to hit on their first two picks, Nos. 5 and 37.
Harbaugh says, of course, that the Giants are not going to the buffet table hungry. At the same time, he acknowledges that they have needs to fill. The players they select at the top of the draft will have to play a high number of snaps early, and will be relied upon to play well.
The importance of those first two picks is increased by the team’s lack of a third-round pick.
So, what would be the ideal haul for the Giants in the first two rounds?
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm has laid out his ideal first two picks for evey NFL team. His choices for the Giants?
Round 1: No. 5 overall: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Round 2: No. 37 overall: Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon
Edholm writes:
If Jeremiyah Love is off the board, I think the Giants’ first pick comes down to Styles vs. Caleb Downs. I went with Styles because he’s the more impressive physical specimen and could be unleashed as a future star behind a good front. Pregnon fits the Giants’ need for more OL help and fits the physical tone John Harbaugh wants to set, as evidenced by the team’s free-agency moves to this point. Two picks, two possible immediate starters — not too shabby.
Valentine’s View
I am a little bit scared. I think Edholm has crawled inside my brain because he sees the first two picks the same way I do, and his reasoning mirrors my own.
I do believe that Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love will be a serious consideration for the Giants if he is available at No. 5, especially with Harbaugh’s stated desire to build a “high-powered offense” around quarterback Jaxson Dart.
If Love is not there, you can make arguments for wide receiver Carnell Tate, offensive lineman Francis Muaigoa, or cornerback Mansoor Delane. I absolutely believe, though, that the choice in this scenario centers around Styles and Downs.
It is true that Styles, an off-ball linebacker, and Downs, a safety, play positions not generally considered to be of high value in terms of the capital NFL teams use to acquire them. They are, though, valuable to Harbaugh. The quality of players Harbaugh had at those spots in Baltimore — Ed Reed, Kyle Hamilton, Ray Lewis, C.J. Mosley — makes that clear.
Harbaugh’s defenses need run-stuffing linebackers and players who can patrol multiple portions of the field and make plays.
If you have been following our draft coverage here at Big Blue View, you know that when choosing between Styles and Downs in a vacuum, I will ALWAYS take Styles. Downs appears to be a wonderful player, but the athletic traits displayed by Styles at the NFL Scouting Combine give him an upside I can’t pass on.
As for Pregnon, I recently admitted that as long as the Giants have not filled the starting guard spot I find myself almost always defaulting to selecting a guard in Round 2 of my weekly mock drafts. I wouldn’t argue much with the selections of Chase Bisontis, Keylan Rutledge, or Gennings Dunker. Pregnon, though, remains my favorite.
Ultra-durable and experienced, Pregnon has the prototypical frame of a downhill blocker. He’ll get beat to first contact but usually reclaims the rep using well-placed hands, a broad base and upper-body power to displace and finish with authority. Range and foot quickness are average as a move blocker and lead to block leakage against slants. In pass pro, he leverages his length well and is quick to detect twists/blitz development. Long pass slides and forward lunges invite counters from skilled, sub-package rushers but protection isn’t a major concern. He’ll be an older rookie who projects as a good plug-and-play starter and immediate run-blocking upgrade.
What do you think, Giants fans? Is this the idea first two rounds for the Giants?
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