In The Athletic’s latest 2026 NFL mock draft compilation, the New York Giants have selected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the No. 5 overall pick, bringing a potentially transformative talent to their defense.
While the Giants front office is in preliminary talks to move back, another team doesn’t want to give up as many draft picks as the Giants need. So the team stayed at fifth and selected a safety, which may be controversial to some. But I don’t regret my choice in New York. Towns ranks fourth in Brugler’s Top 100 rankings, and Brugler said he is “one of the best safeties I’ve ever evaluated.” Towns’ skill set is hard to ignore, especially in a secondary that the Giants have been lacking.
Dane Brugler’s full comments on Towns:
Towns is a human missile who stands out for his fast, competitive playing style. Despite his average size, he is an elite tackler with impressive body control and contact strength. He shows the same high level of reflexes in coverage.
Towns treats the court like a chessboard. He’s one of the best safeties I’ve ever rated.
The selection is in line with head coach John Harbaugh’s high praise for Towns.
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in a recent appearance Mike Francesa PodcastHarbaugh calls himself a “big fan” of versatile, instinctive safeties, emphasizing his preference for elite safeties with Hall of Fame potential. He said he would “take him fifth overall in a heartbeat,” highlighting Towns’ disruptive play, versatility in coverage, explosive finishing burst and ability to read the game like a chessboard.
This pick would address a long-standing weakness in the Giants’ second unit, prioritizing the best players over positional trends in a draft class filled with talent at wide receiver and linebacker.
Analysts believe Towns is a rare, game-changing guard who can elevate the entire team under Harbaugh’s guidance.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants change up defensive game in The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft