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Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; The Green Bay 2025 logo on the main stage before the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Giants Eschew Trade Opportunity in New Mock Draft

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The annual mock draft season in the NFL calendar has only entered its initial stages, with the regular season still three weeks away from being over. Still, when it comes to the New York Giants and projecting their direction in the first round, a pattern is quickly developing.

While the Giants, who are sitting at a 2-12 record and riding an eight-game losing streak, remain in possession of the top selection in the 2026 draft, the prevailing thought is that at least one win in the final three games for New York could alter that reality and push them down a few notches.

If it doesn’t, and the Giants are to lose out on their remaining slate, the franchise could still elect to trade their most valuable draft asset to another team in desperation to move up the board for a top quarterback prospect while collecting some additional capital. That exact scenario has been repeatedly playing out in most early mock drafts to this point.

Surprisingly, one new mock exercise conducted by Daniel Flick of SI.com has finally bucked that trend with a unique approach for the Giants’ opening selection, albeit one that might not be in the team’s best interests as they seek the biggest bang for their buck while retooling the roster.

In the mock, Flick projects the Giants to eschew entertaining offers for the No. 1 overall pick (assuming, of course, they hold onto it) and instead make the pick. And that pick becomes Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese.

"The Giants will surely receive plenty of phone calls about moving down, and with 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart inspiring enough confidence for another season under center, New York has plenty of reasons to slide back," Flick said.

"But if the Giants stand pat, Reese—the No. 1 player on Sports Illustrated’s big board—makes sense.

“The 6-foot-4, 243-pounder wrecks games as both an on-ball edge defender and off-ball inside linebacker due to his explosiveness, violence, and instincts. He’d give the Giants one of the best front sevens in the NFL."

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Is standing pat the right move?

Flick’s mock choice is less about the positional player he selected at the first pick and more importantly, about going against the grain of what draft strategy could be the best one for the Giants’ future aspirations.

The Giants don’t need to take a quarterback right off the bat this year, thanks to the early signs of promise seen from Jaxson Dart since the rookie gunslinger took over the starting job in the first month of the season.

There are some concerns about Dart’s long-term health as he continues to take big hits every Sunday, which have spurred some football analysts to make the bold claim that the Giants should think about bringing in a second young arm as a backup plan.

No signs from the Giants organization seem to reveal any concern on their end, as they believe they have something building with Dart, who leads all rookie quarterbacks with 20 total touchdowns and is bringing a dual-threat element to the team’s offense that is demanding the opponent’s attention.

At the same time, the Giants' defensive front has been largely disappointing this season, with the pass rush struggling to finish pressures and the run response getting pounded at the league’s worst rate of 5.6 yards per play in the first 14 games.

Tabbing a prospect like Reese could add an extra option to their arsenal that they can develop à la Abdul Carter, but it’s not a move that has to happen at No. 1 when most teams aiming to move up to that spot will likely have a quarterback selection in mind.

The smartest avenue for the Giants would be to explore trade possibilities with rival teams that could provide a nice package in return.

The New York Jets are one interesting partner, given they have two first-round picks this year that could be dealt across town in a draft-night exchange.

Some of the incoming capital may extend beyond 2026. Still, with some extra premier picks at their disposal, the Giants would be well-suited to attack their glaring needs, such as wide receiver, cornerback, and offensive line, while being locked and loaded for their future.

The idea of having the first overall pick in any NFL Draft is one of the most coveted in the sport, as it gives you the freedom to select any elite prospect before the other 31 teams can get their hands on them.

The Giants seem like they think that way in this mock and have a liking for Reese, but chances are they can still grab him a few picks later without sacrificing a bigger pot.