Feb. 17, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET
In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest 2026 NFL mock draft, the New York Giants passed on safety Caleb Downs with the No. 5 overall pick. The Ohio State standout has been the player most commonly mocked to them this offseason.
Instead, the Giants addressed a glaring wide receiver need by selecting Carnell Tate out of Ohio State.
The Giants add another weapon for Jaxson Dart. Tate gives the offense a vertical receiver to play opposite a hopefully-healthy Malik Nabers.
This marks a notable change from Jeremiah’s first mock, where he projected the Giants to take LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.
By opting for the 6-foot-3 junior Tate, New York would bolster its passing attack around quarterback Jaxson Dart and star wideout Malik Nabers in a draft rich with receiver talent.
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The selection comes as a surprise given recent comments from Giants head coach John Harbaugh, who said he would “take [Downs] in a second,” underscoring the unexpected nature of the shift at the top of the draft.
