John Harbaugh’s tenure with the Baltimore Ravens didn’t end on a pleasant note. Numerous coaching errors contributed to a disappointing 8-9 season where the Ravens missed the playoffs despite entering the season with Super Bowl aspirations.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that overall, Harbaugh had a splendid 18-year tenure with the Ravens. One thing that makes Harbaugh-led teams unique is their defensive versatility. 

The Ravens routinely drafted undervalued positions (safeties and linebackers) in the first-round during the Harbaugh era. A few notable examples include Malaki Starks, Kyle Hamilton, Patrick Queen, and CJ Mosley. This gave the Ravens a unique defensive identity centered around versatility, which oftentimes translated to a high level of success.

As the NFL Draft nears, Harbaugh’s New York Giants keep being connected to two players within this same mold: Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs. Ordinarily, a team wouldn’t draft a safety or linebacker with the No. 5 overall pick. 

Nevertheless, both Styles and Downs have immensely versatile skill sets, and given Harbaugh’s track record, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Giants drafted one of these players. 

Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs would not be a conventional draft pick, but they could be ideal fits for the New York Giants

Leading up to the draft, Harbaugh has openly praised both Downs, calling him a “potential future Hall of Fame safety.” Recently, Mike Brand of NFL.com had the Giants selecting Styles at pick No. 5, not Harbaugh’s history with linebackers. 

To be clear, either player would be a unique No. 5 pick. Notably, no linebacker has been drafted in the top 10 since the Arizona Cardinals drafted Isaiah Simmons No. 8 in 2020, and no safety has been selected in the top 10 since the New York Jets drafted Jamal Adams with the No. 6 pick in 2017. 

As Ravens fans know, though, Harbaugh isn’t afraid to think outside of the box. And for the Giants, I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.

With Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, and Abdul Carter, the Giants have a formidable pass rush. However, they could use a versatile chess piece on their front-seven like Styles. 

Despite transitioning to the linebacker position, Styles grew up playing safety and has some ungodly measurements. During the combine, Styles posted an absurd 4.46 40-yard dash and a 43.5-inch vertical leap. Per NFL.com, he had the best athleticism score in the class.

Given Harbaugh’s experience with similar athletic linebackers, Styles could be perfect for the Giants’ defense. 

Downs doesn’t have the elite athletic tools that Hamilton does. Regardless, the Giants could use support in the secondary, and Downs can fill in multiple gaps. He can be used as a deep safety, line-up in the box, or cover receivers. In some ways, Harbaugh could use Downs in a Hamilton-like role. 

Again, even if it’s not a conventional decision to draft a safety or linebacker with such a premium draft pick, Harbaugh’s willingness to go against the grain could give the Giants’ defense a massive boost.

Harbaugh might not have been able to get the Ravens over the Super Bowl hump, but I do not doubt that he can help transform the Giants’ franchise.