While the Super Bowl is on the brain, real ones know February belongs to the NFL Combine.

We’re only kidding! Well, half-kidding. For a team that picks in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, the combine is one of the most important events as the calendar flips to February, putting the draft front and center.

Given the energy we’ve spent on the New York Giants’ coaching search, it’s time to turn our attention back to the draft. What better way to get started than with a mock draft courtesy of The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler, who was on the ground in Mobile, Ala., last week for the Senior Bowl.

The Giants hold the No. 5 pick and are slated to have seven picks in the draft after dealing their third- and seventh-round selections. The draft order beyond the 30th pick of the first round is still unsettled; we projected picks with the help of Tankathon, provided the list to Dane, and he provided a list of prospective players.

First round (No. 5): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Brugler: Not everyone will be on board with drafting a safety this early, but Downs isn’t a typical safety. He sees the field like a chessboard and plays with the instincts and competitive toughness that impact the game in substantial ways.

It would certainly be a splash to use the No. 5 pick on a safety, but the Giants are hoping to change the franchise’s trajectory after hiring John Harbaugh, so why not go after a potential generational player — and at a position that could use the help — in Downs? Brugler has previously written that, “One could argue that (Downs) is the best safety prospect since Eric Berry, a top-10 pick of the Chiefs 16 years ago.” Downs tallied 45 solo tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles in his second year at Ohio State after transferring from Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement in January 2024. The Giants have Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin locked in at safety for the next two years, but production in the secondary has been a question mark. Plus, new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson spent nine years as a defensive backs coach for various teams before becoming a DC. Wilson’s background, paired with a top prospect, could potentially transform the Giants’ defense.

Second round (No. 37): Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M

Brugler: Bisontis is an athletic mover with the physicality and competitive toughness that fit what the Giants want on the offensive line.

Two of the Giants’ starting offensive linemen — RT Jermaine Eluemunor and RG Greg Van Roten — are scheduled to become free agents in March, leaving the future of the O-line in question, especially with a projected new position coach. There needs to be investment up front; the only offensive lineman the Giants have selected in the last two years is 2025 fifth-rounder Marcus Mbow. Eluemunor’s future is one of the more interesting free-agency questions the Giants face, but Van Roten is 35 years old (even if he’s been a reliable player). Not only does Bisontis offer ideal traits at 6-5, 315 pounds, but, as Brugler notes, he’s a hometown player who went to Don Bosco Prep.

Fourth round (No. 105): Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon

Brugler: Fast and physical on every snap, Boettcher plays linebacker with the range and awareness that made him a gold-glove center fielder on the Oregon baseball team.

The Giants are going to have to add to their inside linebacker room, even if they’re able to bring back Micah McFadden on a cheap deal in free agency after he suffered a Lisfranc injury. If they go the draft route, adding to a room that currently features Bobby Okereke, Darius Muasau and Chris Board, Boettcher is an athletic option who finished this season with 56 solo tackles, one sack, one interception and two forced fumbles. Boettcher helped himself at the Senior Bowl, too.

Fifth round (No. 143): Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan

Brugler: Benny isn’t proven as a pass rusher, but his physicality and quickness as a run defender will make him a valuable part of a defensive-line rotation.

The Giants have a premier pass-rush lineup already in Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, who finished second in the NFL with 16.5 sacks last season. Benny’s addition would make an impact for a team with one of the NFL’s worst run defenses. Benny tallied 19 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2025, his fifth season for the Wolverines. The tackle was one of Brugler’s winners out of the Senior Bowl for his consistent impact each day. As Brugler wrote, “his ability to run through gaps and his long arms will help him make an impact right away in the NFL.”

Sixth round (No. 184): Colbie Young, WR, Georgia

Brugler: A big-framed wideout with fluid strides, Young has a basketball background with the graceful body control to win in contested situations.

There’s going to be debate about using an earlier pick — even the No. 5 selection — on a receiver for a variety of reasons. For starters, the Giants have a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart who could use more premier weapons. Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants’ leading receiver this season, is going to be a free agent. Robinson’s emergence goes hand-in-hand with the other big talking point: the status of Malik Nabers after his season ended early with a torn ACL and meniscus. While the front office hopes he’ll be ready for the start of training camp, Nabers told reporters at season’s end that he plans on listening to his body and did not provide a return timeline. The Giants will need to bring in some help at receiver. The 6-3, 215-pound Young made 26 receptions for 358 yards and one touchdown this season and is an option in the later rounds.

Sixth round (No. 190): TJ Hall, CB, Iowa

Brugler: Hall is still raw in areas, but he is ascending in the right direction in terms of feeling routes and using his size to position himself in coverage.

One of the Giants’ starting corners, Cor’Dale Flott, will be a free agent after a breakout season. Adding to the room, despite recent investment through free agency (Paulson Adebo) and the draft (2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks), will be important. Hall might not be a starting option, but he could be a developmental piece, especially under Wilson, a coordinator who used to be a DBs coach.

Sixth round (No. 191): Jager Burton, OG/C, Kentucky

Brugler: With experience at both guard spots and center, Burton is big (nicknamed “Moose”) and athletic; he has yet to play his best ball.

Adding depth is the name of the game in the later rounds and, as mentioned above, the Giants just haven’t done that for the offensive-line room the last two years through the draft. Center John Michael Schmitz and left guard Jon Runyan are only under contract through 2026, so it would be good to get another young player under contract to see how he develops. Burton’s positional flexibility is promising, as is Brugler’s note that his best ball is in front of him.