Anthony Rivardo
With the No. 5 overall pick currently in New York’s pocket, the Giants find themselves in a prime trade-down position for teams desperate to land a blue-chip pass rusher. As the draft board begins to settle, the 5th pick has become a central trade-down target for teams looking to leapfrog the competition to secure either Texas Tech’s David Bailey or Ohio State’s Arvell Reese. For a Giants front office that could afford to add more draft capital, moving back could provide the haul necessary to fix the roster’s remaining structural flaws.
Could the Giants Trade Down if David Bailey or Arvell Reese are on the Board at 5?
The catalyst for a potential trade is the presence of two elite edge rushers at the top of the class. David Bailey has emerged as a statistical freak, leading the FBS in 2025 with 14.5 sacks and a staggering 21.3% pressure rate.
Not far behind is Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, a versatile 6’4″ linebacker-edge hybrid who posted 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last season while proving to be a force in both the run and pass games.
The Premium on the Edge
If either of these pass-rushers is still on the board at No. 5, the Giants’ phone line is expected to stay busy as teams look to secure a cornerstone for their defensive front. Either prospect could wind up going No. 2 overall to the New York Jets. But whichever pass rusher the Jets don’t take could slide down to five, and there will be hungry teams behind the Giants looking to trade up.
History has proven that teams will pay an absolute ransom for a franchise-altering pass rusher, and the 2026 class features the exact kind of blue chips that ignite bidding wars.
The Will Anderson Jr. trade in 2023, where the Texans surrendered a future first-round pick and the No. 33 overall selection just to jump up nine spots, could be a comparison. Or, even more recently, the Falcons sent their 2026 first-round pick to the Rams in a 2025 draft-day shocker to secure James Pearce Jr. at No. 26.
The Giants could get similar hauls for a trade down the draft order this year. Or, if they don’t want to move back too far, they could focus on acquiring more picks on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft for a smaller dive down the order.
Could the Saints Trade Up to 5?
The trade-down narrative gained significant steam recently when Todd McShay of The Ringer appeared on The Rich Eisen Show. McShay explicitly identified the New Orleans Saints as a primary candidate to trade up with the Giants, citing their need to rejuvenate an aging pass rush.
“What if Arvell Reese or David Bailey is still there at five? Your phone is going to be ringing. RINGING. And it’s gonna be the Saints calling… So now you’ve got pick 8 and 10,” McShay told Eisen.
While the Saints are a top suitor, there could be other teams behind them also looking to jump into the top five for Bailey or Reese. This could create a perfect bidding war scenario; sliding back would allow the Giants to prioritize other high-leverage needs like the secondary or interior offensive line while picking up multiple Day 2 assets in the process.
Strategically Filling the Roster Gaps
Ultimately, a trade-down from No. 5 is about math. The Giants currently have a top-heavy roster, but they lack the depth required for a deep playoff run.
By moving back, New York could still land two blue-chip prospects to address their biggest needs in the first round, all while gaining the ammunition to address the rest of their roster on Day 2 or with additional ammunition in the 2027 NFL Draft, depending on the haul they receive. If the Giants can turn one pick into three top-50 assets, they will have officially provided John Harbaugh with the tools to complete the New York reboot.
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