Matt Citak
ESPN's Field Yates comes out with new mock draft
The last time ESPN's Field Yates released a mock draft was in Week 14, when he projected a wideout to the Giants with their first pick.
The draft analyst just came outwith his latest mock draft,in which he went in a different direction for the Giants' top selection.
With the fifth overall pick, Yates has the Giants selecting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
"This is my first curveball, as many early mock drafts have linked the Giants to a wide receiver or offensive tackle in this spot," wrote Yates. "Those are completely understandable, especially if Wan'Dale Robinson and/or Jermaine Eluemunor depart in free agency. But Downs has my attention as the first pick of the John Harbaugh era.
"Perhaps no current coach better understands the value of top-flight safety play, as Harbaugh coached Ed Reed and Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore. While the Giants have starters in Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin, Downs has the upside to change an entire defense as a force multiplier with his deep range and in-the-box skills."
The talented safety started off at Alabama, where he was named SEC Freshman of the Year after registering 107 total tackles (70 solo), two interceptions, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 14 games.
Following Nick Saban's departure, Downs entered the transfer portal and eventually landed at Ohio State.
Downs only got better during his two seasons with the Buckeyes. He was named Unanimous All-American, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, and first-team All-Big Ten after both of his seasons in Columbus.
Listed at 6-feet and 205 pounds, the young safety played a big role on the Ohio State defense during the program's run to a National Championship in 2024.
After his standout 2025 campaign, Downs also took home the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, along with the Lott Trophy and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Here are the top 5 picks from Yates' latest mock draft:
Currently on Giants.com
Free Agency Guide: Pending UFAs, dates to know
319 draft prospects invited to Indianapolis
Cover 3: Where the Giants could look in the draft
Mock Draft Tracker 1.0: First round order set
📸 Daniel Jeremiah's top 50 NFL Draft prospects
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