The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

The combine changed what you're thinking about the Giants in this draft.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – Not at all. The combine should never dramatically change what you think about the draft. The strengths are still the strengths, and I am still thinking about the same top players in the draft class for the Giants at No. 5 that I was before things kicked off in Indianapolis: Ohio State's Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Carnell Tate, along with LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa, Utah right tackle Caleb Fano, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Likewise, the depth for the Giants in Round 2 should still be at cornerback and wide receiver.

Dan Salomone: Fact – Sonny Styles was certainly a name in the Salomone household before the combine, but now he is in everyone's home. That goes double for the ones with blue carpet in their basement. The linebacker firmly entered the picture at No. 5, at least according to draft experts, and that ramped up the conversation about the real and perceived value of certain positions (see also: running back Jeremiyah Love and safety Caleb Downs).

Matt Citak: Fiction – If anything, the combine helped solidify what I've been thinking about the draft. We saw perhaps the most athletic overall performance ever last week, with just about every position group setting new combine records for average 40 time, along with several other high marks set. While the guys at the top of the draft might have made the biggest headlines, the combine showed that the sweet spot of this class is likely going to be on Day 2.

The Giants are more likely to go defense with their first pick.

John Schmeelk: Fact – This is in no way related to need. It has to do with the fact that three of my top four players in this draft class are defensive players, with Jeremiyah Love rounding out the group. Mansoor Delane is not far behind that group. Depending on how free agency goes, the Giants might still end up having more needs on offense, but the strength of the top of the class is still defense.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – With quarterback figured out, there are fewer sleepless nights for the front office this time around. Now the Giants are charged with building around Jaxson Dart, which can be done on both sides of the ball. Outside draft boards are certainly lining up defensively for the Giants, but what matters is what they think inside. The Giants have the No. 5 pick for a reason; an elite player can't be passed over due to his position.

Matt Citak: Fact – How things play out in free agency over the next few weeks will most likely play a big role in determining which direction the Giants go with their first pick. Without knowing if any of the team's pending free agents will return, though, I think the Giants are more likely to address the defense with the No. 5 pick. When the Giants get on the clock, there is a decent chance that the top player on their board will be from Ohio State between Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Carnell Tate. Since three of those guys are defenders, I'm going with defense here.

There will be a trade ahead of the Giants in the first round.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – When the top players in the draft class – aside from Fernando Mendoza (who will go first to the Raiders) – are a safety, off-ball linebacker, hybrid linebacker, and running back it becomes extremely unlikely a team will trade up using extensive draft capital. If teams decide to move down on the cheap, which I find unlikely, I could be wrong but right now I would expect little movement in the top 10 picks. But then there could be more movement in the bottom half of the first round and early second round.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – What if it turns out to be the Giants? Do we call that fact or fiction? As we all know, quarterbacks drive these decisions. And the Heisman Trophy winner appears to be a lock at the top, followed by a long list of position players.

Matt Citak: Fiction – The Raiders seem pretty locked into Fernando Mendoza with the first pick. Beyond that, I'm not sure there is a player worth trading up into the top four. While Jeremiyah Love could be the next best player in the draft, the chances someone trades to Nos. 2, 3, or 4 for a running back seem slim. I think the earliest a trade could potentially occur would be the Giants' pick at No. 5, and even that might be too high this year.

Free agency will have a bigger impact on the 2026 roster than the draft.

John Schmeelk: Fact – Never rely on rookies to save your team. Do some players have huge impacts in their first NFL season? Sure. But teams should not count on it. As we get closer to free agency, I am getting the feeling that John Harbaugh, Joe Schoen, and the Giants might get very aggressive in trying to reshape the roster in their head coach's image. I could see this free agent crop having a huge impact on the Giants' chance of success in 2026 and filling as many as a half dozen starting spots.

Dan Salomone: Fact – I nearly went "fiction" here. The first pick, whoever it may be, will set the tone for a new era of Giants football and will do so right away. After that, though, the others might take some time. But with free agency, there will be multiple handpicked veterans coming in to build the team that reflects John Harbaugh.

Matt Citak: Fact – As it stands today, the Giants do not currently have a ton of cap space to work with. However, a lot more can be created by some restructures and players being released. With no third-round pick after using it in last year's trade up for Jaxson Dart, the Giants will have a long wait between their second and third selections. While I expect them to add key contributors at Nos. 5 and 37, it looks like free agency might be the route where the team is able to add more starting-callable players, at least for the 2026 season.