The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.
Linebacker is the strongest position group overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - I have to go with edge here followed by wide receiver. Receiver might even be a tad deeper, but the combination of Reese, Bailey and Bain at the top of the class, all of whom could be graded higher than any of the receivers depending on who you talk to, gives the edge group the advantage. Linebacker and tight end are also deep. You should be able to find a good off-ball linebacker in the third round and the fourth round should be littered with tight ends that can help teams in a multitude of roles.
Matt Citak: Fact – It's very close between the linebackers and the edge defenders, but I'm going to give the slight edge to the former. Sonny Styles is likely going to be the highest drafted linebacker since Devin White was taken fifth in the 2019 draft, but the strength of the position goes beyond that. Guys like CJ Allen, Anthony Hill Jr., and Jacob Rodriguez are going to be early second round picks, and one or two might even find their way into the end of the first. Other players that have a good chance of developing into solid-to-good starters will go later on Day 2 and even stretch into Day 3. Edge is the flashier position, and will certainly have more guys taken at the top of the draft, but this year's group of linebackers could end up producing more contributors.
In honor of Dan, three Ohio State players will be selected in the first five picks of the draft.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - Shout out to Dan Salomone poolside in Florida drinking out of an Ohio State coffee mug. I think three Ohio State players SHOULD go in the top five picks, but I don't think they will. Reese, Downs and Styles are all top five players for me, but if I had to guess, Caleb Downs will slide into the back half of the top ten because of non-elite traits in terms of size and athleticism. Whatever team drafts him will get perhaps the smartest player in the draft.
Matt Citak: Fact – It's crazy to think there's even a chance of this happening. Fernando Mendoza is locked into the No. 1 spot, which means three of the next four picks would have to be Buckeyes. Between Arvel Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate, I think it could happen. There are a few edge defenders that could go in the top five, such as David Bailey and Rueben Bain, along with running back Jeremiyah Love, who could easily end up being a top five pick. It's far from guaranteed, and we may have to extend to the Browns at No. 6 in order to get the third Ohio State player. Any way you look at it, Dan is going to be pretty excited about his Buckeyes in the top 10.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his fourth ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.


No. 50 Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

No. 49 R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma

No. 48 Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson

No. 47 Keylan Rutledge, IOL, Georgia Tech

No. 46 Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF

No. 45 Zion Young, Edge, Missouri

No. 44 Keionte Scott, CB, Miami

No. 43 Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

No. 42 Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

No. 41 Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

No. 40 Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

No. 39 Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

No. 38 Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

No. 37 Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

No. 36 Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

No. 35 Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

No. 34 Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

No. 33 Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

No. 32 Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

No. 31 Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

No. 30 CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

No. 29 KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

No. 28 Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

No. 27 Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

No. 26 Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

No. 25 Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

No. 24 T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

No. 23 Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

No. 22 Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

No. 21 Jordan Tyson, WR, Arizona State

No. 20 Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

No. 19 Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

No. 18 Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

No. 17 Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

No. 16 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

No. 15 Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

No. 14 Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

No. 13 Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

No. 12 Makai Lemon, WR, USC

No. 11 Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State

No. 10 Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

No. 9 Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

No. 8 Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

No. 7 Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami

No. 6 Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

No. 5 Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State

No. 4 David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

No. 3 Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

No. 2 Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

No. 1 Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The Giants will pick one offensive player and one defensive player with their first two picks.
John Schmeelk: Fact - I don't think this will be an overt goal, but I do think this is how it will work out. It is always important to continue to build around a young quarterback either with weapons to help as playmakers or offensive linemen to block up front. The Giants have short and long-term needs on the interior offensive line and wide receiver, where not many players are under contract beyond 2026. If two great defensive players are the best available players and those are the selections, I would not be shocked, But I don't think that's how it will go.
Matt Citak: Fact – This one was tough. I think the Giants will take the best player available at both 5 and 37, which could very likely be defense at both spots. But I'm going to say the pick at No. 5 is a defensive player, and then the second-round pick is an offensive player. John Harbaugh has been very clear about his emphasis on wanting to run the ball and stop the run. Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs would help with the latter, while an interior offensive lineman at No. 37 would go a long way in assisting with the former. I believe there is also a decent chance that at 37, the highest player on the Giants' board could be an O-lineman or wide receiver.
The Giants, who currently have seven total draft picks, will leave the draft with seven players.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - John Harbaugh stated at the owners meeting that the Giants roster is a "work in progress" and if you look ahead, there are some obvious holes that are popping up that will need to be filled in future years. In order to find long-term solutions to those problems, the Giants would be wise to draft as many players as possible. I think the Giants would be open to trading down at pick five, and more realistically pick 37, if the right offer comes along. They do not own a third-round pick due to the Jaxson Dart trade last year (that no one regrets) and it will be a LONG wait between picks 37 and 105, as a lot of good starting caliber prospects fall off the board. I'm sure the Giants would love to land a pick somewhere in that range if they can.
Matt Citak: Fiction – As it stands right now, the Giants don't currently hold a pick in the third round. On top of that, after a couple of trades in the past few years, the Giants are set to pick three times in the sixth round, all between picks 186 and 193. I don't know if it will be at No. 5, No. 37, or sometime on Day 3, but I do believe the Giants will make some sort of trade on draft day. The Ravens have been notorious for their draft day deals, and with John Harbaugh now here, it would not surprise me to see the Giants more active than they've been in recent years. While trading down from No. 5 may prove to be difficult due to the lack of high end quarterbacks in this draft after Mendoza, I could see a deal materializing at the start of the second round.
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks revealed his updated position rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft.


QUARTERBACKS | 1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana | 2. Ty Simpson, Alabama | 3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU | 4. Carson Beck, Miami | 5. Drew Allar, Penn State

RUNNING BACKS | 1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame | 2. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame | 3. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska | 4. Jonah Coleman, Washington | 5. Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

WIDE RECEIVERS | 1. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State | 2. Carnell Tate, Ohio State | 3. Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee | 4. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame | 5. Denzel Boston, Washington

SLOT RECEIVERS | 1. Makai Lemon, USC | 2. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana | 3. Zachariah Branch, Georgia | 4. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M | 5. Antonio Williams, Clemson

TIGHT ENDS | 1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon | 2. Max Klare, Ohio State | 3. Dallen Bentley, Utah State | 4. Joe Royer, Cincinnati | 5. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

OFFENSIVE TACKLES | 1. Spencer Fano, Utah | 2. Francis Mauigoa, Miami | 3. Caleb Lomu, Utah | 4. Kadyn Proctor, Alabama | 5. Monroe Freeling, Georgia

OFFENSIVE GUARDS | 1. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State | 2. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M | 3. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon | 4. Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech | 5. Ar'maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M

CENTERS | 1. Connor Lew, Auburn | 2. Logan Jones, Iowa | 3. Jake Slaughter, Florida | 4. Sam Hecht, Kansas State | 5. Brian Parker II, Duke

DEFENSIVE TACKLES | 1. Peter Woods, Clemson | 2. Caleb Banks, Florida | 3. Lee Hunter, Texas Tech | 4. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State | 5. Christen Miller, Georgia

DEFENSIVE ENDS | 1. Rueben Bain Jr., Miami | 2. Akheem Mesidor, Miami | 3. Keldric Faulk, Auburn | 4. Zion Young, Missouri | 5. Derrick Moore, Michigan

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS | 1. David Bailey, Texas Tech | 2. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M | 3. T.J. Parker, Clemson | 4. Gabe Jacas, Illinois | 5. R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

LINEBACKERS | 1. Arvell Reese, Ohio State | 2. Sonny Styles, Ohio State | 3. CJ Allen, Georgia | 4. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas | 5. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

CORNERBACKS | 1. Mansoor Delane, LSU | 2. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee | 3. Colton Hood, Tennessee | 4. Brandon Cisse, South Carolina | Chris Johnson, San Diego State

NICKELBACKS | 1. Avieon Terrell, Clemson | 2. Keionte Scott, Miami | 3. D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana | 4. Keith Abney II, Arizona State | 5. Bud Clark, TCU

SAFETIES | 1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State | 2. Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh | 3. Dillon Thieneman, Oregon | 4. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo | 5. A.J. Haulcy, LSU

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