Port Jeff NY- Greetings, Anything to distract from the Mets. Let’s talk some football!
Giants
The New York Giants entered the 2026 NFL Draft with two top ten picks after trading away Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals. The headline move was selecting linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall. Reese was widely viewed as an elite defensive prospect with Pro Bowl upside, bringing explosiveness, versatility, and a high motor to a front seven that already features Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Reese was widely expected to be taken inside the top three, so it appears the Giants made a great move in taking him with value at number five.
The Giants then addressed the offensive line by selecting Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. It’s an interesting pick, as Mauigoa is expected to move over to guard as a pro. I’ve long said the Giants needed to prioritize protecting Jaxon Dartif they want any shot at building a contender. Some are bothered by the selection, particularly because just one pick later the Dallas Cowboys traded up to draft Caleb Downs, who many wanted the Giants to take. While Downs is an excellent prospect, I don’t think safety is a position that will meaningfully improve a team with as many holes as this roster. Building up the O-line is, in my opinion, the proper decision.
We see it every year in the NFL where a team goes from last to first, and with as much ambiguity as there is in the NFC East, I think the Giants could be that team in 2026.
Jets
I actually really like how the New York Jets did. The Jets, much like the Giants, entered with a lot of firepower, holding three first-round picks after trading away several key pieces midseason. With the second overall pick, they took pass rusher David Bailey out of Texas Tech. By all accounts, Bailey is expected to be a superstar right away. The Jets had one of the worst defenses in recent memory last year, and with a defensive-minded coach in Aaron Glenn, Bailey should immediately make a major impact. With their second first-round pick, they selected tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon. Sadiq is a superb athlete who ran a 4.40 40-yard dash. With their final pick of the first round, the Jets landed wide receiver Omar Cooper out of Indiana. This might be the steal of the draft. Cooper was being mocked inside the top ten for weeks and somehow slipped all the way to the Jets at 30. He’s fast, explosive, and finally gives the Jets a true deep threat who can stretch the field. Unlike the Giants, I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Jets will not be a team that goes from last to first, considering that Geno Smith is somehow once again their starting QB. Everything really does come full circle for the Jets. That said, for the first time in years, the Jets look like a team headed in the right direction, with young talent to build around and draft capital for the future.
