Giants 7-Round 2026 Mock Draft: Sonny Styles Leads a High-Upside Class

“Sonny Styles, no matter what!” In the movie Draft Day, Vontae Mack was the Ohio State linebacker that fictional Cleveland Browns GM Sonny Weaver (played by Kevin Costner) wanted. It’s not lost on me that there are all these parallels.

If the Giants are choosing the best player available at five, there is a better than likely chance Sonny Styles will be there. Not only does he offer them the opportunity to choose the best player available, but he also offers them the opportunity to choose the player with the most upside in the draft.

He is an elite-level athlete who has embraced the linebacker role and is looking to improve every day. Pairing him with Tremaine Edmunds in the middle of the defense will give the Giants two seek-and-destroy missiles hunting down the football anywhere it goes on the field.

He is long and athletic, with an ability to cover in the slot and be a menace to tight ends and running backs out of the backfield.

Round 2, No. 37: DT Caleb Banks, Florida

If all of the conjecture coming out of the Giants’ inner circles is true, and Dexter Lawrence has played his last down for the Giants, then they will have a desperate need to replace an All-Pro-caliber defensive tackle in the middle.

In a 3-4 defense, why would you not start with another size and athleticism freak like Caleb Banks?

Is he Dexter Lawrence yet? No. Does he have the ability to become a Dexter Lawrence-type nose guard? Absolutely.

Whenever you put this type of size and athleticism together, the upside is tremendous. Getting him in round two means teams prioritized offensive tackles in the first round and allowed an elite-level defensive tackle to slip too early in the second.

Round 4, No. 105: WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State

Knowing that the Giants did not have a third-round draft pick, not selecting a receiver in the second round was a dangerous proposition.

You hope that in the fourth round, one of three wide receivers would fall: Ted Hearst out of Georgia State, Skylar Bell out of UConn, and Bryce Lance out of North Dakota State.

Two of the three were gone, but Bryce Lance was still available. The Giants were able to draft a 6’3", 205-pound speedster who has the ability to beat you deep and catch short passes to turn them into long gains.

He would be a perfect X receiver for this Giants team because he has the versatility to play all over the field.

With guys like Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely, who have so much position flexibility, Lance would be an added versatile piece to the passing game.

Round 5, No. 145: OG Beau Stephens, Iowa

Stevens is an Iowa offensive lineman. You don’t really need to say more after that, but you know that coming from Iowa, he’s technically sound.

He has a strong understanding of angles and tempo, and he understands how to get his body on a defender. He does a great job of sustaining blocks and has a bit of nastiness.

He’s not the strongest player, and he’s not overwhelming people with his 305-pound frame, but in the NFL, he has an opportunity with the Giants to add weight and strength as well as refine some of the more nuanced techniques that you need in the NFL to be a successful guard.

He is a perfect guy to come in and apprentice behind a starter until he’s ready to assume the role, but he could be a surprise day one guy because he understands unity and connectedness from his time at Iowa.

Round 6, No. 186: SAF Bishop Fitzgerald, USC

Fitzgerald has had to prove it at every level. He spent his first two seasons at Coffeyville Community College, where he became one of the top 10 junior college recruits in the country.

He then went to NC State, where he eventually made 12 starts and led the team in interceptions. For his final act, he took his talents to the West Coast, becoming a first-team AP All-American and first-team All-Big Ten safety for the Trojans (USC).

Fitzgerald may not be considered a blue-chip prospect, but what he has been is highly effective throughout his collegiate tenure. He has been a turnover machine every place he has played.

At Coffeyville, he had six interceptions in his season as a full-time starter. In his two years at NC State, he accounted for five interceptions. In his final season with USC, he had five interceptions and one return for a touchdown.

That playmaking ability will carry over into the NFL because it is ingrained in his DNA. He could be an early surprise contributor.

Round 6, No. 192: EDGE Logan Fano, Utah

Logan will likely have to wait much longer to hear his name called than his brother, Spencer, but make no mistake: he will find his way onto an NFL roster.

After he is drafted, he enters the league as part of an NFL legacy, with several family members having played in the league. He has a spirit and a fight about him that can’t be denied.

He has played against elite-level tackles day in and day out at Utah while facing his brother, and he has an insatiable desire to work harder than the player next to him.

Look for him to be an immediate upgrade on special teams, and his motor will allow him to make plays as a depth piece on the edge, whether that’s in run defense or rushing the passer. He is a sneaky good selection as a late-round pick.

Round 6, No. 193: OT Markel Bell, Miami

Bell is an absolute monster at 6’9 1/4" and 346 pounds. His 36 3/8-inch long arms adorn a frame that just blocks out the sun when he stands in front of you.

He has the normal limitations you would expect from an offensive lineman of his size: he doesn’t bend as well, and he’s not as fleet of foot as you would like. However, what he does extremely well is when he gets his hands on defenders, they move.

In pass protection, he uses his frame and long arms to make up for slower foot speed. He latches on to defenders and makes it hard for them to get around him.

He will have to clean up his ability to change direction and stop inside moves against speed rushers, but there will be no bull rushing against Bell.

He is simply too big and too strong, with arms that are too long to press defenders off of him. They will not be able to just knock him back.

There’s no way he should still be available in the sixth round, but if he is, the Giants should run to the podium with the card.