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[New York Giants]

7-round NY Giants mock draft: A controversial choice at No. 5

Caleb Downs | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Could the New York Giants really take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft? I don’t know the answer to that. I am not sure head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen do at this point, either.

What I do know is in a seven-round Giants only mock draft for The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler did just that with his first selection.

Brugler said:

Not everyone will be on board with drafting a safety this early, but Downs isn’t a typical safety. He sees the field like a chessboard and plays with the instincts and competitive toughness that impact the game in substantial ways.

Only two safeties have ever been selected at No. 5 in the draft: Sean Taylor by the Washington Redskins in 2004 and Eric Berry by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.

I have said in other places, and will continue to say, that Downs to the Giants at No. 5 is a pick that would not shock me.

Harbaugh coached Hall of Famer Ed Reed early in his career with the Baltimore Ravens, and had two-time All-Pro Kyle Hamilton the last four years. He understands the difference a top-tier safety can make.

Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was a safety, and has spent much of his coaching career teaching defensive backs.

The Giants have a highly-paid free agent in Jevon Holland and a highly-drafted player in Tyler Nubin at safety, but did not get the desired production from either player.

Right now, drafting Downs has to be on the table. Even if BBV’s Chris Pflum warned in a conversation we had that picking Downs at No. 5 might be a “trap” because “the production probably won’t match the pick.”

The Ringer ranks Downs as the No. 2 player in the draft behind quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Here is their scouting report:

Downs is just a football player, man; a safety/nickelback/de facto linebacker, he plays with incredible anticipation in coverage and has a knack for always being around the ball in run support. The brother of Colts receiver Josh Downs and a former five-star prospect, he started his career under Nick Saban at Alabama and then transferred to Ohio State in 2024. He quickly established himself as a leader and impact player for the Buckeyes, proving to be a tackling machine with top-tier ball skills. Downs racked up 257 combined tackles, 16.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, six picks, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and a pair of punt return touchdowns in his three seasons in college—and gave up exactly zero touchdowns in coverage in his time at Ohio State, per PFF.

His versatility is one of the first things that stands out: He split his time at deep safety, over the slot, in the box, and on the line, and he even took a handful of snaps outside at corner. He is adept at reading the quarterback’s eyes to react quickly and jump into throwing lanes. He keeps his head on a swivel and shows awareness for developing routes, working himself into position to undercut the receiver and get to a spot where he can make a play on the ball. He’s sticky in coverage when playing in man, and he understands spacing in zone, showing a feel for splitting the difference between two different receivers so he can still make a play on either. Downs is lightning quick as a blitzer, exploding through gaps in the line to arrive at the quarterback or ballcarrier. He takes good angles to the ball and chops his feet to gather himself and make the tackle. He’s a good form tackler, staying low and wrapping up. He communicates with teammates and gets them lined up in the right spot. As a bonus, he offers punt return value.

Downs has room to improve his consistency in finishing his tackles; he’ll go for the big hit and occasionally whiff or end up diving at ankles instead of wrapping up. He works to get off blocks but can be sealed away from the play by linemen and tight ends. He doesn’t have a ton of experience in single-high looks, so his ability to play that role could be a question for teams.

Round 2 (No. 37) — Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M​

Brugler says:

Bisontis is an athletic mover with the physicality and competitive toughness that fit what the Giants want on the offensive line.

I love prioritizing interior offensive line over tackle. I am a proponent of re-signing Jermaine Eluemunor, and Marcus Mbow is also on the roster. I think the interior is the bigger priority, unless Eluemunor leaves.

Here is Chris’s scouting report on Bisontis:

Bisontis is a likely Day 2 pick with starting upside.

He isn’t yet a finished product and will need to concentrate on improving his hand usage in order to unlock his full potential at the NFL level. Bisontis would do best in a blocking scheme that leans more toward zone principles – either inside or outside zone – than man-gap principles. He should be able to execute both, however his natural athleticism and relatively average play strength lend themselves more to zone schemes.

Round 4 (No. 105) — Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon​

Brugler says:

Fast and physical on every snap, Boettcher plays linebacker with the range and awareness that made him a gold-glove center fielder on the Oregon baseball team.

Round 5 (No. 143) — Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan​

Brugler says:

Benny isn’t proven as a pass rusher, but his physicality and quickness as a run defender will make him a valuable part of a defensive-line rotation.

I have not studied either Boettcher or Benny, but, again, I like Brugler’s priorities here for the Giants.

Round 6 (No. 184) — Colbie Young, WR, Georgia​

Brugler says:

A big-framed wideout with fluid strides, Young has a basketball background with the graceful body control to win in contested situations.

Round 6 (No. 190) — T.J. Hall, CB, Iowa​

Brugler says:

Hall is still raw in areas, but he is ascending in the right direction in terms of feeling routes and using his size to position himself in coverage.

Round 6 (No. 191) — Jager Burton, G-C, Kentucky​

Brugler says:

With experience at both guard spots and center, Burton is big (nicknamed “Moose”) and athletic; he has yet to play his best ball.

Once again, I think Brugler nailed priority areas with these sixth-round picks.

Your thoughts on this draft haul, Giants fans? Particularly, the selection of Downs at No. 5.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...e-chase-bisontis-john-harbaugh-dennard-wilson

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Chris McClellan, iDL, Missouri

Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan pressures Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Every year there are players who were solidly under the radar during the college season only to rise up draft boards through the draft process.

Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan falls solidly under that category. He was typically considered a late-round pick at best, or even a priority free agent, on most big boards at the end of the season. Missouri’s disappointing end to the season obscured what was a good season for a player who improved every year of his college career. McClellan finished with 8.0 tackles for a loss, 6.0 sacks, and 48 tackles, and a pair of passes defensed, but was largely unremarked at the national level.

That began to change with the Panini Senior Bowl and McClellan forced scouts back to his tape with a strong week of practice. We don’t know how his draft stock will respond as the process continues, but he could mount a real climb up draft boards.

Prospect: Chris McClellan (7)
Games Watched: vs. Alabama (2025), vs. Texas A&M (2025), vs. Virginia (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot 3 ⅜ inches
Weight: 315 pounds
Arm length: 34 inches
Hand size: 10 ⅞ inches

Strengths​

Best traits

• Size and length
• Play strength
• First step
• Disruptiveness
• Run defense
• Competitive toughness

McClellan is a big, powerful, competitive, and surprisingly explosive defensive tackle prospect.

McClellan has a thick, versatile frame at 6-foot 3 ⅜ inches with 34-inch arms and nearly 11-inch hands. He has obvious power in his upper and lower halves, which allows him to routinely function as a 0 or 1-technique and control guard-center double teams, as well as guard-tackle double teams as a 3-technique. He’s able to create piles and shut down interior gaps when playing with leverage, while his long arms and powerful hands allow him to make plays off of blockers when runners challenge his gaps.

He’s more than just a short-yardage run stuffer, however, and McClellan has an impressive first step as a pass rusher. He is capable of exploding off the line of scrimmage and not only driving blockers back but also penetrating individual gaps and attacking into the backfield. He can be a legitimately disruptive defender and totaled 21 total pressures in 2025, including 5.0 sacks and five QB hits. McClellan flashes a solid toolbox of moves, using club, rip, and arm-over moves as counters to his go-to bull rush and long-arm moves. He also has enough agility to act as a looper on stunts and twists along the line of scrimmage.

Finally, McClellan plays with great competitive toughness as well as good processing. He anticipates and keys the snap very well and is among the first players moving. Likewise, he is very quick to recognize screens or swing passes, as well as disengage and pursue. He gives great effort in pursuit and is willing to run down ball carries across the field.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Leverage consistency
• Technique consistency

The single most notable issue in McClellan’s game is his inconsistent leverage and pad level. He’s capable of being a force when he fires out of his stance with good pad level and maintains it through the play. However, he has a pronounced tendency to pop upright at the snap or let his pads rise over the course of the play and compromise his leverage.

Losing his leverage frequently compromises McClellan’s play strength and ability to take on blocks. He’s almost impossible to move when playing with good leverage and is highly disruptive when attacking into the backfield. However, he can be put on skates or struggle to get off blocks when he pops up or lets his pads rise. It could be related to his conditioning and he may need to be in an active defensive line rotation. He did appear to gain weight over the course of the season, which is something teams may have to manage going forward.

McClellan could also use development in his hand usage and plan over the course of a game. His hands are generally a strength, however he needs to get better at understanding when to use countermoves, as well as which moves fit his game and the situation the best.

Game Tape​

(McClellan is the Missouri defensive tackle wearing number 7.)

Projection​

McClellan projects as a rotational defensive tackle with scheme diversity and three-down upside at the NFL level. He can play in a 2, 3, or 4 man front, as well as be a 2-gapping run stuffer or a disruptive penetrator.

He may not take over games at his best, however he can be a complete handful for individual blockers, control multiple gaps, and blow up plays in the backfield. McClellan has the potential to become a starting defensive tackle and an every-down, or perhaps “any-down” contributor, however he’ll need to improve his leverage consistency to reach his ceiling.

If he can improve his consistency in pad level, as well as hand usage, he has the potential to be a good starting tackle who can make an impact for just about any defense commonly called in the NFL.

Does he fit the Giants? Yes

Final Word: A Day 2 value

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...-scouting-report-chris-mcclellan-idl-missouri

 

[New York Giants]

What does ‘highly-motivated’ OC Matt Nagy bring to the NY Giants?

Matt Nagy | Getty Images

The hire of Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator doesn’t have New York Giants fans jumping for joy. The middling grades for the hire in our poll and some of the views expressed in the comments tell you that.

Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star, though, believes Giants fans will ultimately be happy with John Harbaugh’s choice.

“I’m a believer in Matt Nagy,” Sweeney told the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast. “I do think based upon everything in place that Giants fans will be happy. Based upon Harbaugh, and I think Nagy will bring Jaxson Dart up at least to an extent.

“I think this team should be in playoff contention sooner rather than later.”

Sweeney later added that “ I think he’ll [Nagy] get Jaxson Dart to a place where he can maximize his talents.”

Nagy went 34-31 (.523 winning percentage) in four seasons as head coach of the Chicago Bears. He never had a losing season in three years with Mitchell Trubisky as his starting quarterback. That should be considered an accomplishment looking at how the rest of Trubisky’s career has gone.

“The fact that he was able to coach Mitch Trubisky, granted it was the first year, to all those wins and get to the playoffs. Again, with Mitch Trubisky. There have been injuries where Trubisky has had to play again. You’re seeing what he is,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney mentioned that Nagy, who was a candidate for the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching job, is “highly motivated” to earn another chance to run his own team.

“Nagy’s gotta be hoping that it’s a one or two-year stint [as Giants’ offensive coordinator].” Sweeney said. “Regardless of where his motivation is coming from, that’s motivation.

“I’m excited to see what Nagy does in this position.”

Aside from his four seasons with the Bears, Nagy has been on staff with head coach Andy Reid since 2008, first with the Philadelphia Eagles and then with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Harbaugh, of course, coached under Reid for several years before becoming Baltimore Ravens’ head coach.

“He [Reid] probably gave John a call and said ‘this guy isn’t getting looked at hard enough’. Are you believing what Andy Reid, one of the greatest play callers ever, if not the best ever, is saying? … I feel like Andy Reid, who who is often considered the ultimate quarterback guru, signing off on guys usually works out at least in some capacity,” Sweeney said.

“Of course he’s going to vouch for his guy, but I do think having the Bears relevant with Mitch Trubisky — Jaxson Dart is 10 times the talent. So, now the question is what Nagy do with actual talent at the quarterback position?”

— Use the player above to listen to the full interview

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...harbaugh-andy-reid-jaxson-dart-mitch-trubisky

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Stanford tight end Sam Roush runs with the ball after making a catch against Cal. | Getty Images

The New York Giants are undergoing an overhaul on both sides of the ball in 2026 and beyond. And while we can guess at what it will look like, we don’t know for sure what the new regime has planned.

One of the constants for both new head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has been good tight end play. The Giants have talented tight ends, however the play from them has been uneven.

Staford tight end Sam Roush has been very consistent in the face of poor quarterback play and is also a Pro Ready blocker. Could he be an option if the value is right and the Giants decide to move on from Daniel Bellinger?

Prospect: Sam Roush (86)
Games Watched: vs. Pitt (2025), vs. Miami (2025), vs. Cal (2025)
Red Flags: none

Measurables​

Height: 6-foot 5⅝
Weight: 259
Arm length: 31
Hand size: 9 ¾ inches

Strengths​

Best traits

• Blocking
• Play strength
• Competitive toughness
• Pass catching
• Football IQ

Roush is a big, powerful, athletic, and well-rounded tight end with a near prototypical blend of size, speed, and play strength.

Roush is a classic “Y” tight end who’s almost tailor built to be an in-line tight end is already an excellent blocker. He plays with great leverage and technique, allowing him to drive defensive backs and most off-ball linebackers off the line of scrimmage. He also has the play strength to “lose with dignity” or even stalemate edge defenders as a run blocker or pass protector.

He’s a relatively capable route runner and executes a fairly diverse route tree in Stanford’s offense. Roush is a dependable catcher of the ball who does an excellent job of locating and tracking the ball, framing the catch, and securing the pass before turning upfield. He has enough long speed to threaten defenses vertically up the seam and is typically efficient in his releases and route stems.

Roush is a smart pass catcher who understands route concepts and how to play without the ball, as well as how to find voids in zone coverage and make himself available in scramble drills. Those traits combine to make him an effective weapon as well as a reliable checkdown option.

Weaknesses​

Worst traits

• Agility
• Change of direction
• Arm length

Roush is a well-rounded tight end prospect, though he has a couple issues in his profile.

First and foremost, he has limited agility and change of direction skills. Roush has a tendency to round off his breaks which can make it easier for defenders to stay in phase, particularly on short and sharply breaking routes. Likewise, it can make it a bit difficult for him to turn upfield after working back to the ball, or foul his accuracy when blocking smaller defenders in space. He simply won’t be confused with more athletic “hybrid” tight ends who can move more like receivers.

Roush also has short (31-inch) arms which impact him as a receiver and as (potentially) as a blocker. He has a relatively big catch radius by virtue of his height, however it isn’t nearly as big as it would be if he had long arms with which to extend and pluck the ball out of the air. Likewise, Roush may not be quite as effective a blocker against longer-limbed defenders at the NFL level. He’ll have a more difficult time establishing inside leverage and controlling defenders if he isn’t able to get his hands on them first.

Game Tape​

(Roush is the Stanford tight end wearing number 86)

Projection​

Sam Roush projects as a classic “Y” tight end at the NFL level. Whether or not he has starting upside or is regarded as a very good blocking TE2 with pass catching upside will likely depend on the needs of the team evaluating him, as well as his athletic testing.

Teams looking for a hybrid tight end will want to look elsewhere. Likewise, 11-personnel teams that want a big, athletic “matchup nightmare” might move down their boards as well. That said, Roush should become a good, reliable option, with the upside to start for whichever team selects him.

Does he fit the Giants? Yes

Final Word: A Day 2 value who could slip to Day 3

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...l-draft-scouting-report-sam-roush-te-stanford

 

[New York Giants]

NFL mock draft 2026: Cynthia Frelund gives NY Giants surprise selection

Jermod McCoy | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

NFL mock drafts become boring and repetitive after a while, especially for a team like the New York Giants that is selecting early in the first round. Again and again, the group-think focuses on the same players.

That is why mock drafts from NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund can be refreshing. She uses a data-driven model to project picks based on which players will help teams win the most games in the upcoming season. Her results are often outside the mainstream of traditional mock drafts.

Frelund’s pick for the Giants in her first mock draft of 2026 is such an example.

Wide receiver? No. Offensive line? No? Safety Caleb Downs? No. Edge defender or linebacker? No.

Frelund selected a cornerback. And, she did not select the cornerback most analysts have rated as the No. 1 cornerback in the 2026 draft class, Mansoor Delane of LSU.

Frelund’s choice for John Harbaugh and Dennard Wilson’s defense? Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.

Frelund writes:

McCoy tore his ACL in January 2025 (he missed all of last season), so we’ll have to see how his medical evaluations turn out during the draft process (including at the NFL Scouting Combine). But my model loves his potential and upside: He has the highest rating for a true press corner in this year’s class. Also, at just 20 years old, he’s two years younger than my No. 2 rated corner, Mansoor Delane.

Valentine’s View​

I LOVE this pick. I fully understand why Delane will likely be selected before McCoy — it’s tough to sell selecting a player who did not play in 2025 due to an ACL injury at No. 5.

Watch the 2024 tape of McCoy. He is an aggressive press-man cornerback with ball skills, the ability to run and mirror, and some attitude.

Here is a video scouting report:

Everything with McCoy, of course, depends upon his recovery from the ACL injury.

Here is a scouting report on McCoy including some thoughts from former Big Blue View contributor Joe DeLeone, now a college football analyst:

The It-Factor: “If my grading ended today on him I would have a blue chip grade on Jermod McCoy… this is a top 10 pick all day in my opinion if healthy… He’s a turnover creator.” ~ Joe DeLeone

McCoy’s Versatility: “Defenses with varying schemes, particularly those emphasizing zone patterns, highlight his football IQ and spatial awareness, he can process information quickly and anticipate plays.” ~ NFL Scout

Coaching Staff View On Rehab: “He’s handled it really well from the very beginning. Just his mindset and how he’s approached every single day… He’s done an elite job throughout his rehab.” ~ HC Josh Heupel

“The most competitive in the room, I can honestly say, he’s itching to do whatever it takes.” ~ DB Coach Willie Martinez

Pro Comp: “Jermod McCoy is magnetic in coverage… My pro comparison for Jermod McCoy is Pittsburgh Steelers [former Detroit Lions] cornerback Darius Slay… Slay earlier in his career was a guy who played more press coverage, had the high-end ball skills and athletic traits.” ~ Joe DeLeone

I absolutely get why this would be an unlikely selection. Still, I think McCoy is a potentially electric player who has the right skill set to play in the aggressive defense the Giants seem likely to deploy.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...raft-jermod-mccoy-tennesseee-cb-no-5-torn-acl