Matt Citak
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. releases first mock draft
Now that thebiggest domino of the Giants' offseasonhas fallen, we can start turning our focus towards some of the big, upcoming tentpole events.
In about three months from now, the Giants will be making the fifth selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. A lot is going to change from now until then, including filling out a new coaching staff and moves being made in free agency. Nonetheless, let's dive into our first mock draft of the offseason.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. recently publishedhis first mock draft of the year, in which he projected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate to the Giants at No. 5.
"The Giants have a lot of needs, but similar to Tennessee, they have a second-year quarterback looking for help," Kiper wrote. "Yes, wide receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and running back Cam Skattebo (ankle/leg) will be back on the field, but wideout Wan'Dale Robinson is a free agent, and Nabers can't be the target on all of Jaxson Dart's throws. Taking a first-round wide receiver wouldn't be new to recently hired coach John Harbaugh; in Baltimore, he used four Day 1 picks starting in 2015 on the position (Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Hollywood Brown and Breshad Perriman).
"This also would be the fifth straight year we've seen a first-round wideout from Ohio State. Tate would bring fantastic route running and reliable hands to MetLife Stadium. He caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine scores for the Buckeyes this past season."
Tate came on strong as a true sophomore during Ohio State's run to a National Championship in 2024. The wideout caught 52 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games while serving as the No. 3 option in the passing game behind fellow wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka was drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which led to Tate stepping up as the other starting receiver opposite Smith this past season. The expanded role led to even more success for Tate, who set new high marks in receiving yards (875) and touchdowns (nine) in four fewer games than the previous season.
Tate recorded 100+ receiving yards and a touchdown in four games during his junior campaign.
A lower body injury suffered towards the beginning of November cost him nearly a month of the season, but Tate was able to return for the Buckeyes' final three games. He caught a touchdown in two of those three contests.
Here are the top five picks in Kiper's first mock draft:
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