{"id":848660,"date":"2026-04-02T05:40:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/848660\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T05:40:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:40:29","slug":"giants-jeremiyah-love-gamble-pays-off-in-latest-7-round-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/848660\/","title":{"rendered":"Giants’ Jeremiyah Love gamble pays off in latest 7-round mock draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Giants need to surround Jaxson Dart with more weapons and they\u2019re able to pull that off in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft thanks to A to Z Sport\u2019s brand new mock draft simulator.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Sep
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSep 20, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates scoring against the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half at Notre Dame Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMichael Caterina-Imagn Images<\/a><\/p>\n

April is officially here, which means we are now just a little more than three weeks away from the 2026 NFL Draft. So, of course that means it\u2019s time for a fresh New York Giants mock draft.<\/p>\n

Free agency is basically over at this point. So, the draft is where the Giants have the best chance at making more substantial improvements to the roster. They have a total of seven picks in Nos. 5, 37, 105, 145, 186, 192, and 193 to help make that happen.<\/p>\n

And, there\u2019s also a brand new mock draft simulator to give us an in-depth look at how things could shake out in a few weeks. We here at A to Z Sports have developed our own unique tool that allows everyone to customize and participate in a full, seven-round mock that\u2019s not the most accurate draft simulator out there, but one of the cleanest and most interactive platforms, as well.<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, let\u2019s dive in and see what the Giants can pull off with this brand new mock draft simulator.<\/p>\n

The A to Z Sports NFL mock draft simulator offers a deeply customizable and data-driven experience with never-before-seen features.\u00a0Try the mock draft simulator today,<\/a>\u00a0before the 2026 NFL Draft arrives!<\/p>\n

New York Giants\u2019 2026 mock draft using A to Z Sports\u2019 mock draft simulator<\/p>\n

Round 1, No. 8 overall: Giants TRADE BACK with the Saints and select Notre Dame Fighting Irish RB Jeremiyah Love<\/p>\n

Giants receive: No. 8 overall, No. 42 overall (second round), and No. 150 overall (fifth round)
Saints receive: No. 5 overall, Nos. 186 and 192 overall (sixth-rounders)<\/p>\n

\"\"Sep 20, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Giants were without a third-round pick going into the draft and several top players outside Love remained on the board when the clock started for the fifth overall pick.<\/p>\n

Therefore, I went ahead and rolled the dice with the intent of getting the Giants into the third round, at minimum. As long as I didn\u2019t drop too far down, the chance of landing a Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Mansoor Delane, or even Carnell Tate was high.<\/p>\n

The Saints were perfect targets and they accepted the trade that resulted in another second-round pick for the Giants in this mock draft. That\u2019s clearly better than a third, so I quickly pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n

And it resulted in landing the draft\u2019s best player in Love. Sure, the Giants have Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary on the roster. However, none of those guys can do what Love does. He gives the running back room a much higher ceiling and the Giants a skill set they don\u2019t have with the other guys.<\/p>\n

Plus cutting Singletary saves $5 million in both cash and cap space and there\u2019s always an opportunity to trade Skattebo or Tracy since they\u2019re young.<\/p>\n

Regardless, Love is a dynamic, home run threat who also excels in the pass game. He\u2019s a good pass protector, as well, giving the Giants a three-down menace in the backfield. Plus, even though Matt Nagy is OC, we all know how much John Harbaugh wants to run the ball.<\/p>\n

The Giants get who many consider the best player in the draft and an extra top-50 pick? I\u2019d say that\u2019s a total win-win for Harbaugh and Co.<\/p>\n

Top players left at 8: Ohio State Buckeyes S Caleb Downs, USC Trojans WR Makai Lemon, Penn State Nittany Lions G Vega Ioane, Tennessee Volunteers CB Jermod McCoy<\/p>\n

Round 2, No. 37 overall: Oregon Ducks G Emmanuel Pregnon<\/p>\n

\"\"Oregon offensive linemen Iapani Laloulu, left, and Emmanuel Pregnon line up as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.<\/p>\n

With all due resepct, there is absolutely no way the Giants can go into the season thinking Aaron Stinne and\/or Evan Neal are the answer at left guard.<\/p>\n

Therefore, landing Pregnon at 37 is a no-brainer. He\u2019s an immediate Day 1 starter and would give Neal and Stinnie a chance to fight it out for a backup role. If Neal backs up to Harbaugh\u2019s thinking then the Giants would find themselves with not only a good player in Pregnon, but quality depth in Neal.<\/p>\n

Going back to Pregnon \u2013 he is the perfect move to complement the Love selection. Pregnon is an absolute road grader who will create running lanes for Love to do his thing on a consistent basis. He\u2019s able to do this by effectively using his hands, broad frame\/base, and strength. Pregnon also has what every single offensive lineman needs to have success: absolute grit and mental toughness.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not as adept in pass pro and he\u2019s 24 years old, but Pregnon is easily one of the best guards in this class and instantly improves the Giants offensive line.<\/p>\n

Top players left at 37: Indiana Hoosiers CB D\u2019Angelo Ponds, Tennessee Volunteers CB Colton Hood, Louisville WR Chris Bell, DL Christian Miller<\/p>\n

Round 2, No. 42 overall: Indiana Hoosiers CB D\u2019Angelo Ponds<\/p>\n

\"\"Indiana\u2019s D\u2019Angelo Ponds (5) celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.<\/p>\n

Ponds may only be 5-foot-8, 182 pounds, but he is as scrappy as they come and several top experts even consider him as the best pound-for-pound cornerback.<\/p>\n

He can immediately come in and challenge Dru Phillips for the starting nickel spot. Frankly, it would be a surprise if he didn\u2019t win the job. His physical and agressive play is perfect for Dennard Wilson\u2019s defense, as well.<\/p>\n

Despite his size, Ponds challenges the catch point better than you\u2019d think. He\u2019s really, really good in zone coverage, as well. He can play press\/man, as well, and honestly, I\u2019d assume he prefers that over zone, which is another plus for Wilson.<\/p>\n

He can also make a splash in the retun game as evidenced by last year\u2019s punt return touchdown against Illinois.<\/p>\n

Yes, Ponds\u2019 size will lower his ceiling, but that doesn\u2019t change the fact he\u2019s a good player that can, and should, step in and immediately upgrade the nickel position. <\/p>\n

Top players left at 42: Louisville WR Chris Bell, DL Christian Miller, C Connor Lew<\/p>\n

Round 4, No. 105 overall: North Dakota State Bison WR Bryce Lance<\/p>\n

\"\"Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance (WO26) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Man, you want to talk about size and speed? Lance totally has it at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and the rare ability to run a 4.34 in the forty yard dash.<\/p>\n

Not only would he add some needed size to the Giants\u2019 receiver room, he\u2019d add a legit vertical threat that would open things up even more for Malik Nabers. His strong tracking ability, physical play, and consistent success with back-shoulder throws are the keys to his prowess when it comes to making contested catches.<\/p>\n

But right now, Lance wins mostly because of his elite speed, which obviously won\u2019t translate as much to the NFL. He definitely needs to add more to his route tree, but he has the traits to where that can be coached up over time. He could easily blossom into a bonafide starter opposite Nabers in a couple of years.<\/p>\n

Nagy could easily come up with some ways to scheme him open as he develops and that would certainly be a viable plan to fast track said development. Regardless, the Giants get a player with unlimited potential that could lead to \u201csteal of the draft\u201d status in later years.<\/p>\n

Top players left at 105: South Carolina Gamecocks S Jalon Kilgore, USC Trojans WR Ja\u2019Kobi Lane, Georgia Bulldogs TE Oscar Delp<\/p>\n

Rounds 5-7<\/p>\n

Round 5, No. 145 overall: South Carolina Gamecocks DB Jalon Kilgore<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t lie \u2013 I am stunned Kilgore was available at No. 145. The multi-faceted defensive back can play both safety and nickel. He should be more regarded as a piece Wilson can move around in certain situations, which is very valuable. He\u2019s still raw in several areas, but has all the traits to be a successful DB in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Round 5, No. 150 overall: Texas A&M Aggies DL Tyler Onyedim<\/p>\n

Slight spoiler alert: The simulator did not like this pick, but I staunchly disagree. Onyedim is a great athlete with an explosive first step and the versatility to play three-tech or end in an odd front. He\u2019d be a great addition to the defensive line rotation that can start with run defense while adding more pass rush ability over time.<\/p>\n

Round 6, No. 195 overall: Texas A&M Aggies TE Nate Boerkircher<\/p>\n

Harbaugh said he\u2019s excited to see what the Isaiah Likely-Theo Johnson duo looks like in 2026. At the same time, Johnson was coming off an impressive year and showed he has TE1 chops. Yet, Likely was still added into the mix. Meaning, Boerkircher\u2019s run blocking prowess and underrated receiving skills could unlock a sizable role in Year 1 despite being a sixth-round pick. The simulator didn\u2019t like this pick, either, but I can promise you Boerkircher will be an impressive selection in hindsight.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the final grade for this Giants mock draft?<\/p>\n

I was given a \u201cB\u201d for my efforts, despite getting \u201cCs\u201d for the first two and \u201cDs\u201d for the last two picks. The Lance\/Kilgore picks carried the final grade, which was a bit surprising to see:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because I thought I knocked the Love trade out of the park, which received a respectable \u201cB\u201d grade, but the thought of Love at No. 8 as a \u201cC\u201d is hard to wrap my head around. <\/p>\n

Regardless, this kind of draft would be a win for the Giants, as they not only fill needs, but also land very talented players that can become key components of New York\u2019s infrastructure both now and in the future.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"\t\t<\/p>\n

New York Giants News<\/p>\n

The Giants are open to anything this offseason, which might include an Odell Beckham Jr. reunion after John Harbaugh\u2019s latest remarks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Giants need to surround Jaxson Dart with more weapons and they\u2019re able to pull that off in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":848661,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2067],"tags":[4955,7,519,116222,7805,1917,56,2321,2469,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-848660","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-giants","8":"tag-2026-nfl-draft","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-giants","11":"tag-giants-mock-draft","12":"tag-jeremiyah-love","13":"tag-new-york","14":"tag-new-york-giants","15":"tag-newyork","16":"tag-newyorkgiants","17":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116333516176534228","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/848660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=848660"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/848660\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/848661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=848660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=848660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=848660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}