Giants fill two major needs with elite Big Ten prospects in latest 2-round 2026 mock draft

As the NFL landscape shifts toward the 2026 Combine in Indianapolis, the New York Giants are once again under the microscope as they prepare to pick fifth overall with a new head coach in charge. The most recent ESPN mock draft had Big Blue landing impact players on both sides of the ball in the first two rounds of April’s event.

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Giants Take OSU WR Carnell Tate with 5th Pick in ESPN Mock Draft

ESPN’s Matt Miller has released a two-round mock draft where he had the Giants prioritizing a “best player available” strategy over raw positional need.

In the first round of Miller’s projection, the Giants honed in on an elite receiving threat, selecting Ohio State WR Carnell Tate with the fifth overall pick.

“Could loading up on offense be the answer? Tate would be the perfect complement to Nabers given his precise route running and workmanlike ability to win catches in traffic. Tate’s tape reminds me of Justin Jefferson at LSU, and he enters the league with a similar body type and skill set,” Miller wrote of the projected pick.

Miller’s selections highlight a clear intent: give Jaxson Dart the weapons he needs to blossom in year two of his career and emerge as a competitor in the NFC East.

Tate is coming off a massive 2025 campaign where he hauled in 51 receptions for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns in just 11 games (he missed three games due to injuries), proving he can thrive as an X receiver even alongside Jeremiah Smith. By pairing Tate with a healthy Malik Nabers, the Giants would create one of the most terrifying young receiving duos in football, providing Dart with a high-potential second target who averaged an explosive 17.2 yards per catch last season.

At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Tate provides a big frame and a physical skill set that Dart could take advantage of. Tate is excellent in contested-catch situations, providing plenty of highlight reels and making himself a quarterback’s best friend.

Giants Snag Elite Indiana CB Prospect in Second Round of Mock Draft

In the second round (No. 37 overall), Miller addresses the defensive side of the ball by selecting Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Fresh off helping power the Hoosiers to a 2025 National Championship, Ponds has seen his stock skyrocket after being named the Rose Bowl Defensive Player of the Game.

“As far as I’m concerned, Ponds is one of the best pure football players in this class. He’s the best nickelback available and was a consistent playmaker for the Hoosiers, with seven career interceptions,” Miller wrote.

Despite his 5-foot-9, 174-pound frame, Ponds didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage in 2025 and finished the year with 61 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions. Despite Miller’s description of Ponds as a “nickelback” (a projection based on his size), Ponds played primarily as a boundary corner, with 478 snaps (85%) spent on the outside in 2025.

For a Giants secondary that struggled for consistency under the previous regime, Ponds represents an elite boundary covernabck prospect with the physical mentality necessary to play in Dennard Wilson’s aggressive press-coverage system.

Giants CB Cor’Dale Flott is a free agent this offseason and, if he walks, the Giants will be seeking a replacement. Ponds could fit the mold as an aggressive, but undersized boundary cornerback — a skill set very similar to Flott’s.