New York Giants 5th Overall Pick 2026: Love, Sonny Styles & Caleb Downs Are Top Targets

The 2026 NFL Draft conversation just got a lot more interesting for New York Giants fans. According to NBC Sports analyst Connor Rogers, the Giants are not "tying themselves in a knot" over positional value with the 5th overall pick — and that opens the door for three elite prospects that most teams would never seriously consider that high: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

This is a significant signal. In most draft rooms, positional value acts as a ceiling — teams rarely spend top-five capital on running backs, off-ball linebackers, or safeties, regardless of talent. Under new head coach John Harbaugh, the Giants appear to be operating on a different philosophy entirely.

Why the Giants Are Ignoring Positional Value

Harbaugh made his intentions clear at his introductory press conference: "We'll take the best player." That's not just coach-speak. In 18 seasons leading the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh built defenses that heavily valued safeties and linebackers — drafting players like Kyle Hamilton and C.J. Mosley in Round 1, and deploying them as cornerstones of championship-caliber units.

The Giants finished 4-13 in 2025 and own the 5th pick in this draft. With Jaxson Dart entrenched as their long-term quarterback, they don't need to chase a signal-caller. That freedom, combined with Harbaugh's best-player-available mentality, makes their pick one of the most fascinating in the entire first round.

The Three Frontrunners, Broken Down

Jeremiyah Love, RB — Notre Dame

Love is widely regarded as the most dynamic offensive playmaker in the 2026 class. The 6-foot, 212-pound Heisman finalist finished his college career with 1,652 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns, including two runs of 90-plus yards — a Notre Dame record. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he posted a blazing 4.36-second 40-yard dash.

Love met with the Giants during Combine week, and by all accounts the meeting went well. He even addressed the Giants' existing backfield: "I feel like they like me a lot as well. Hopefully they call my name on draft night." NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms has been effusive in his praise, calling Love "special" and "the real deal."

The complication? The Giants already have a strong backfield in Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy. Drafting Love would be a bold, Harbaugh-style move — valuing elite talent over roster need. There's also the wrinkle that teams picking at Nos. 8 and 9 — the Saints and Chiefs — have reported interest in Love, which could trigger a trade up conversation before the Giants even pick.

Sonny Styles, LB — Ohio State

If Love is the offensive wild card, Styles may be the most consensus pick among the three. The Ohio State linebacker wowed evaluators at the Combine with an extraordinary athletic profile. His tape is compared to 49ers star Fred Warner, and his grading profile supports a projection as a decade-long NFL starter.

Styles fits Harbaugh's defensive DNA perfectly. The Ravens drafted linebackers in the first round twice during his tenure, and Harbaugh's scheme demands physical, high-motor players at the second level. Styles checks every box. Multiple analysts have ranked him the top linebacker in the draft class, and several mock drafts have him landing at No. 5 to the Giants.

Caleb Downs, S — Ohio State

Downs is a two-time unanimous All-American and the 2025 Jim Thorpe Award winner — essentially the best safety in college football. He's described as a "quarterback of the secondary," with elite football IQ, communication skills, and range that would immediately upgrade the Giants' defense.

Harbaugh's affinity for elite safeties is well-documented. Ed Reed and Kyle Hamilton are testaments to how transformative the position can be in his system. Some analysts believe Downs is the highest-ceiling pick available to the Giants at No. 5.

However, there's a new wrinkle: Downs elected not to work out at the Combine, and a recent medical report flagged a potential partially torn meniscus and possible degenerative ACL condition. Playing on MetLife Stadium's artificial turf — a surface known for being hard on knees — makes this a serious concern that could shift the Giants' calculus before draft night.

The Bigger Picture: A Draft Class Built for This Moment

This 2026 class is unusually short on star power at "premium" positions. There's no consensus top-tier edge rusher or wide receiver dominating the conversation at the very top. That vacuum creates a unique environment where the best players just happen to play running back, linebacker, and safety — positions that are typically undervalued in the top five.

The Giants are positioned perfectly to take advantage. With Harbaugh setting the culture and general manager Joe Schoen executing the vision, New York isn't going to force a pick just because it looks good on paper by traditional draft logic.

Whether it's Love's explosiveness, Styles' defensive dominance, or Downs' football IQ (health permitting), the Giants are clearly building toward a specific identity — physical, fast, and built to win in the trenches and in the secondary.

What Happens Next

The 2026 NFL Draft is set for late April. Between now and then, expect the Giants to conduct top-30 visits, additional medical evaluations, and continued public posturing. The smoke screens will come. Trade rumors will circulate. But Rogers' report makes one thing clear: New York is not going to talk itself out of selecting a great player just because of where they line up on the field.

Keep your eyes on Sonny Styles, Jeremiyah Love, and Caleb Downs. One of them is very likely to become the face of the John Harbaugh era in East Rutherford.

Sources: NBC Sports (Connor Rogers), NFL.com, Big Blue View, Yahoo Sports, Empire Sports Media