Now that the Senior Bowl is behind us, the 2026 NFL Draft process is going to accelerate.

The New York Giants will be looking to make a major splash with their upcoming draft class if they intend to win in year 1 under John Harbaugh. The right prospects can be the missing pieces to a playoff run, as we just witnessed it with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. 

To help illustrate what the Giants’ upcoming draft class could look like, I conducted a seven-round mock draft. Afterward, I solicited the opinion of a to z sports NFL Draft analyst, Ryan Roberts, to critique and grade the mock. These were the results.

Giants 2026 NFL Mock Draft Results

Round 1 Pick 5: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Round 2 Pick 37: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

Round 4 Pick 105: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Round 5 Pick 143: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

Round 6 Pick 185: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State

Round 6 Pick 191: Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M

Round 6 Pick 191: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

Giants 2026 Mock Draft Analysis

This is the first mock draft I’ve gone with Reese in the first round, ultimately because I wanted to incorporate some variety. I also think there is an argument to be made for him as the Giants’ pick.

Reese will be a pick that would be misunderstood by fans because he’s being generally categorized as an EDGE prospect. However, his tape reveals he has the instincts to be an elite off-ball linebacker who could become a weapon as a blitzed. Harbaugh has always valued versatility and athletic traits in defenders and could be getting that from Reese.

Next, Iheanachor was one of the biggest darlings of the Senior Bowl, and this is a steal to land him here. He’s a player with development upside to be the Giants’ future right tackle. I think it would be best to bump Mbow into guard, where he could be more successful.

I was able to land an explosive receiver and kick returner in the fourth round. The Giants need depth at receiver, an explosive threat to return kicks. His former five-star talent also presents upside to become a productive player in New York

While it’s a bit late to address cornerback, Davis is another prospect with talent to become an eventual starter. He fits the Harbaugh prototype for a long, physical corner.

The sixth round was the most fruitful as I took one of my favorite center prospects with Hecht. His feet and solid base enable him to start for the Giants in the near future if Johnny Michael Schmitz can’t figure it out.  

I was then able to round out the class at tight end with Boerkircher and Wisniewski. Athletically, Wisniewski has the traits to take over Tyler Nubin’s role, who has been incredibly underwhelming to start his career.

Giants 2026 NFL Mock Draft Grade

“While Giants fans probably won’t love the thought of Reese, this is a team that needs to prioritize adding elite talent. Coach Harbaugh has also traditionally valued the linebacker position. Reese brings All-Pro upside to the middle of a defense. As he continues to develop, this Giants defense has a chance to be a scary group in the front seven.

The media has started to catch up to the NFL hype around Iheanacho, an incredibly gifted offensive tackle prospect. If his core strength improves, he has the requisite size, length, and movement skills to become a starting right tackle early on in his career. Adding Branch is also a sound move, giving this passing attack more juice after the catch.

There was value throughout the draft, including Hecht and Wisniewski later on. My biggest gripe would be that the secondary didn’t get attention early on, particularly at cornerback. It was, however, still a nice haul for the Giants. It should help to flip their fortunes pretty quickly.

Grade: B+” -Ryan Roberts

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