Matt Citak
"Make the Case" is officially back on Giants.com for the 2026 NFL Draft.
In this series, we look atprojections provided by analystsand then ask you, the fans, to weigh in on what the Giants should do in the draft.
With three weeks to go, let's take a look at the first-round predictions from ESPN's Jordan Reid and The Ringer's Danny Kelly.
Reid's Pick
Pick:Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Height:6-foot-5 |Weight:244 pounds
2025 Stats:14 games, 82 total tackles (46 solo), one sack, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception, three passes defensed
Accolades:First-Team All-American (2025), First-Team All-Big Ten (2025), Second-Team All-Big Ten (2024), CFP National Champion (2024)
"The last time an off-ball linebacker was picked in the top five was 2019, when the Buccaneers took Devin White. So while it's rare, Styles' skill set pairs really well with the defense coach John Harbaugh will likely bring to the Giants. Styles dazzled at the combine and can be the boisterous presence that Harbaugh's Ravens teams often had at middle linebacker. The 6-foot-5, 243-pound defender is a converted safety who has the intangibles and potential to wear the green dot right away as a rookie."
Kelly's Pick
Pick:Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
Height:6-foot-5|Weight:329 pounds
2025 Stats:16 games, 825 total offensive snaps, 439 pass block snaps, 2 sacks and 10 total pressures allowed
Accolades:Consensus All-American (2025), ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy (2025), First-Team All-ACC (2025), Second-Team All-ACC (2024), All-ACC Honorable Mention (2023)
"The Giants could go in any number of directions at this spot, but it'd be tough to argue with a decision to bolster the trenches."
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