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Giants draft picks 2026: Here's a look at New York's stockpile after Dexter Lawrence trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With only five days until the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants traded DT Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals. In exchange, New York received the Bengals' No. 10 pick to gain their second top-10 pick.
Giants fans were already excited for the possibility to aid either the offense or defense in landing a top-five talent from the draft pool; now, the team can do both. Jim Harbaugh and Co. have established a new regime in New York and are starting with some new firepower at the expense of a defensive lineman demanding more money or a trade.
Many draft experts believe the Giants are targeting a wide receiver and a defensive player, whether that's a safety, linebacker, or edge rusher. It largely depends on who is still on the board at No. 5, but they are guaranteed two stars from this year's draft pool.
New York is set for the future, combining their recent draftees in Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. Now, here's what they can do during this year's draft.
MORE: What was the complete package in the Dexter Lawrence trade?
New York Giants 2026 draft picks
Prior to Saturday night's trade with the Bengals, New York was slotted to take an elite defender or wide receiver with the fifth pick. Names like Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, or Sonny Styles have all been mentioned by draft insiders. Now, the Giants have a lot more versatility and can land both a WR and a defensive star. Here is their current pick capital with just over a week till draft night.
| Round | Pick |
| 1 | 5 |
| 1 | 10 (from CIN) |
| 2 | 37 |
| 4 | 105 |
| 5 | 145 |
| 6 | 186 |
| 6 | 192 (from MIA) |
| 6 | 193 (from DAL) |
New York now has two top-10 picks in next week's draft. This is a beautiful sight for Giant fans to take in ahead of the upcoming season. The team is set up to give second-year QB Jaxson Dart some help on the offensive side of the ball, while still improving their defensive front.
MORE: Who are the Giants projected to land in this year's draft?
Giants first round mock
After Fernando Mendoza is inevitably taken No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, the draft order begins to have some questions. The New York Jets will most likely take either edge rusher in David Bailey or Arvell Reese. A few teams near the top of the draft may also have interest in Notre Dame standout RB Jeremiyah Love. The Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans both need help in their running back room, and Love may be enough to take that first step forward.
That leaves the Giants with pick No. 5. Many names have been linked to join the Jim Harbaugh era in the Big Apple. A combination of Tate, Downs, Styles and WR Jordyn Tyson may be there for their first pick. Now with the Bengals' pick in the tenth slot, the Giants could reload at one of their other necessities. What looks to be on the horizon is New York picking a defensive star at No. 5, whether that be Downs, or if Bain or Styles fall. According to Mike Garafolo, the Giants have already met with Tyson, who is projected to still be on the board at No. 10.
With it being impossible to mock No. 5 and 10 in an isolated capacity, here is how the first 10 picks of the draft could play out with the draft order being what it is (drawn from Vinnie Iyer's most recent mock). This was how Iyer's first 10 picks were predicted prior to Saturday's trade.
| Pick | Team | Player |
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana |
| 2 | New York Jets | Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami |
| 5 | New York Giants | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Peter Woods, DT, Clemson |
The Giants need help on both sides of the ball to push them in a top-heavy NFC East division. While they are most likely still not better on paper than the Philadelphia Eagles, they could be in a prime position for a wild-card spot with the guarantee of two top-10 talents in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Fans were already excited, landing one standout player in the top five, and now they can double up through ten picks, as things stand now.
MORE: Who are the 10 best WRs in the 2026 NFL Draft?
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