The 2026 Giants are striving for an identity under new head coach John Harbaugh. Here are some quotes for what he is looking for.
“To me, the number one thing is we have to have guys that love football. You just have to. It’s football. What are we here for? What do we do? What is this building for? It’s for football. This is a football team. We need guys that love everything about football.”
“But now as we begin a new chapter in New York, our focus is simple, it starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that’s capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end, and especially at the end, that understands how to finish, that is smart and disciplined, that plays the game the way it should be played, and that everybody watching it, including those playing it, would be proud of.”
From new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson:
“Playing and then coaching for (former NFL coach) Gregg Williams and being under (former NFL coach) Jeff Fisher. These are people that have put together defenses that are violent, they were physical, but they were multiple, they competed at a high level. They played a certain brand of football where toughness and tenacity bleeds through the film that you watch. That’s been my upbringing and that’s what I know.”
From new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy:
“Yeah, it’s going to be physical, I can tell you that. Now, there are different ways when we say physical. I think if you look at any team that Coach Harbaugh has always had on both sides, all three phases, the word “physical” is the first thing you think of. So, it’s going to start there. That’s not a hidden fact.”
Here is a mock draft that incorporates players that set a tone in regard to the intangibles of being tough, aggressive, physical, diligent and fast. The Giants have acquired the number ten pick in the draft in a trade for Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals. Here is a draft that incorporates the 10th pick. The draft was run on the nflmockdraftdatabase.com draft simulator.
Pick 5. Caleb Downs, S Ohio State
Pick 10. Sonny Styles, LB Ohio State
Pick 37 Kayden McDonald, DL | Ohio State
Pick 105. Deion Burks, WR Oklahoma
Pick 145. Nicholas Singleton, RB Penn State
Pick 186. Anez Cooper, OG Miami (FL)
Pick 192. Haynes King, QB Georgia Tech
Pick 193. TJ Hall, CB Iowa
This is a draft class that is elite in toughness, physicallity, aggressiveness, work-ethic and versatility. It rounds out the team by bringing speed on the offensive side of the ball.
Pick 5. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs is the ONLY Safety in the PFF Era to have 85+ Grades in Three or More Seasons. But focusing on the shared trait, Downs is often referred to as an “enforcer” for his physical, hard-hitting play. He plays like a linebacker. He is an elite tackler who has not given up a touchdown in two years. Downs led Alabama in tackles as a freshman (107) with 40 more than the next player. He has returned a punt for a touchdown in two of his three years. Downs is an intelligent player who quickly diagnoses plays and with blazing speed is in on the action. He has a tremendous work ethic, team orientation and is humble. When this type of player comes available you take him.
Pick 10. Sonny Styles, LB Ohio State
In 2025 Styles had a 91.6 PFF tackling grade, the highest of any defender in college football. On his 90 total tackling attempts, Styles missed just two. This 2.2% missed tackle rate was the lowest of any linebacker to make 50 or more tackles. He is an all-round linebacker. Besides his tackling grade, he also had an 87.4 Run Defense grade and an 86.9 Coverage grade. He was the only linebacker with 85+ Grades in every Category. Styles was the recipient of the team’s Block “O” Award and No. 0 jersey for toughness, accountability and the highest of character, inspired by the great Bill Willis. He led the team in total and solo tackles. He is noted for a violent striking ability.
37 Kayden McDonald, DL | Ohio State
Kayden has 65 total tackles in 2025 as a defensive tackle. That is an elite number. To put it in perspective, of the 44 defensive tackles chosen in rounds 1 or 2 over the last ten years only three players had a season with more. Of those 65 tackles Kayden had 30 stops. That was the amount that DT Mason Graham had. Graham was chosen 5th overall in the 2025 draft and made the PFWA All Rookie team. The only reason McDonald could fall to 37 is that as a pass rusher he only had three career sacks and may be viewed mainly as only a run stopper. However on a positive note those sacks were all in his last season. Kayden has short arms which can allow blockers to get into his chest to stifle him. He had only two missed tackles last year. The Ringer website notes his relentless motor and bulldozer power.
Pick 105 Deion Burks WR Oklahoma
Burks was a combine standout. His bench press numbers are unreal given his build. I had to go back to the 2019 combine to get a wide receiver that tested as well as Burks.
On average you would have a 1 in 5 chance of drafting a good to elite player. But with the bench press elite that improves to a 1 in 3 chance. – Based on my analysis of NFL data from 2016 thru 2021. Of the above sample of players with a similar combine profile the following are their career ratings :
Saquon Barkley (RB): Elite – NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl title
Vernon Davis (TE): Very Good – a two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl 50 champion
D.K. Metcalf (WR): Very Good – a two-time Pro Bowler and a Second-team All-Pro
Jerick McKinnon (RB): Above Average – over 800 yds from scrimmage on Vikings playoff team regular season and Chiefs Super Bowl regular season.
Ben Tate (RB): Average – had a flash of high-level production early with the Houston Texans, over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2011. Career cut short with injuries.
Cedric Peerman (RB): Average – Peerman was a quintessential special teams ace. While he rarely carried the ball (only 349 career rushing yards), his impact was significant enough to earn a Pro Bowl selection as a special teamer in 2015.
Owen Pappoe (LB): Average – Pappoe played in every game in 2025. He was a standout special teams player. In 373 special teams snaps, he had 16 total special teams tackles, the second-most on the team. He also had a role on defense, playing when the Cardinals went with their “NASCAR” or speed package for third downs. He logged 96 defensive snaps and had a total of 27 tackles and two pass breakups.
Good to Elite: 3 (Barkley, Davis, Metcalf)
Other Ratings: 4 (McKinnon, Tate, Peerman, Pappoe)
Percentage: 42.9%
There is something special about a player that can run a 4.30 forty and bench press 26 reps. That speaks to his physical ability but more so to his mental or emotional makeup. Here is a PFF analysis on his player traits with a ten being the best score.
| Player Traits | Out of 10 |
| Change-of-direction acceleration | 9 |
| Change-of-direction flexibility | 8 |
| Vertical ability, long speed | 9 |
| Competitive toughness | 9 |
| Hands | 8 |
| Release, footwork | 7 |
| Route running | 7 |
| Run after the catch | 6 |
| Play strength, blocking | 4 |
This is what Oaklahoma coach Vernebles said following Burks’ transfer to Oklahoma
“Probably the best thing he does is his work ethic,” Venables said. “He’s wide open when it comes to practice and his passion for the game, he’s incredibly competitive. He helps the guys he’s lined up against and the guys next to him as well. So, he’s been fantastic. Great playmaker. He’s got tremendous speed and quickness. He’s got great hands. …. He’s really done a great job of learning what to do and transitioning that within our system.”
Pick 145. Nicholas Singleton, RB Penn State
Singleton is the active career leader in rushing touchdowns. In addition among upper classmen running backs he is ninth in rushing touchdowns per rush. His longest touchdown run was in the 2023 Rose Bowl with an 87-yard touchdown run. Earlier that year as a true freshman he scored on touchdown runs of 70 and 44 yards in his home debut game. He is one of only 25 running backs since 1956 to have three seasons of 14 total touchdowns each.
Singleton can block, receive, is tough, is fast and has returned kickoffs. PFF gave him a 10 out of 10 for Big-play speed. Out of the top ten running back draft prospects Singleton and Jeremiyah Love were the only backs to receive a 10 in any category. Both got it in speed. According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, he hit 23.6 mph on a GPS and ran a 4.35 40-yard dash in 2024. Singleton was unofficially listed at 6’0″, 226 lbs. at that time but possesses home run speed. That speed by a running back at that weight is elite. He had a 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown as a freshman. Singleton put up 25 reps on the bench press at his Pro Day, which would have been second best among running backs at the combine.
PFF also gave Singleton a 9 out of 10 for Mentality, fight, effort. That is due to his ability and desire to block, special teams performance, physicallity as per making the 2024 and 2025 Feldman’s Freak List, and Penn State coaches describing him as “a one-cut missile who finishes runs like a linebacker.”
Note: Occasionally teammate RB Kaytron Allen was available. Allen had a better 2025 and was a more used back in 2025. Allen would have a higher floor and Singleton a higher ceiling. I like Singleton’s speed and receiving ability which is much better than Allen. Here is some data on their long rush plays.
| 2024 | 10+ | 20+ | 30+ | 40+ | 50+ | 60+ | 70+ | 80+ | 90+ | |||||
| Name | Team | Yr | Pos | G | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | Yards | |
| 35 | Nicholas Singleton | Penn State | JR | RB | 15 | 32 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Kaytron Allen | Penn State | JR | RB | 16 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | ||||||||||||||
| 35 | Kaytron Allen | Penn State | SR | RB | 12 | 30 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pick 186. Anez Cooper, OG Miami (FL)
Nick Falato of Sports Illustrated online evaluated Anez as a high-floor guard prospect with the Day 2 value. Some Strengths he associated with Anex include
- Elite competitive toughness – finishes with authority
- Chippy player
- Feet + power combination – when combined with proper technique – is incredibly effective
- Surprisingly good athlete for his size
- Very explosive off the snap – shocking power
Some of the weaknesses include
- Not the most fluid (although more fluid than one would expect)
- High hat hinders strength
- Edge issues in pass protection – must be more balanced/disciplined
Overall, Cooper has starter upside as a physical run blocker who plays with a massive edge. Here is his measureables chart.
Pewter Report had this analysis on Anez:
Another member of Miami’s impressive offensive line, Cooper has 52 games of experience at right guard, with 45 starts. He has insane size for the position and uses his strong, physical hands to his advantage as he latches onto defenders. He’ll have to work on not playing too upright and needs to do his best to play with some more fluidity, otherwise he’ll find himself in a hole against quicker defenders.
Pick 192. Haynes King, QB Georgia Tech
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah observed of Haynes who he maintained “might be, pound for pound, the toughest dude in this draft.” He is so athletic and tough that Jermiah said that he might be covering some kicks at the next level. I previewed Haynes King in this recent post – Four Day Three Draft Quarterbacks Worth a Gamble.
Pick 193. TJ Hall, CB Iowa
TJ Hall is a fiery competitor who plays with plenty of physicality, but his lack of speed might keep teams from taking him until late in the draft. He’s also an excellent run defender, earning a grade of 84.4 from PFF in 2025. – Sports Illustrated
Another option here would be Thaddeus Dixon, CB | North Carolina. He is a little faster and has experience in complex Belichick-style systems. But I like Hall’s run defense and work ethic.
Feature Image: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons