The New York Giants have been connected to a pair of blockbuster trades here.
Currently, the New York Giants own the No. 5 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but based on the way things are unfolding, the Giants may prefer not to keep it that way.
In an ideal world, New York would trade down and pick up some more draft capital in order to more properly address the rest of the roster, and that is exactly what Ed Valentine of Big Blue View is predicting.
Valentine recently posted a wild mock draft that has the Giants trading down twice in the first round, first with the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 9) and then with the Los Angeles Rams (No. 13).
The end result? Adding picks 40 and 61 (two second-rounders) and then selecting Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at No. 13.
"I look at this pick as an awesome marriage of need and value," Valentine wrote. "Many draft analysts consider Ioane the best offensive lineman in the class, and the fact that he is not a tackle is the only reason he isn’t in the discussion to be selected much earlier than this."
Olaivavega Ioane. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.The Giants are actually fine at tackle. They have Andrew Thomas on the left side and just re-signed Jermaine Eluemunor to remain at right tackle, but the interior is a different story.
New York had Jon Runyan Jr. and Greg Van Roten at guard in 2025. Runyan struggled, and while Van Roten held his own, he is 35 years old and has not been re-signed.
Given that protecting Jaxson Dart is absolutely paramount for the Giants moving forward, selecting Ioane may very well be the most prudent decision here.
New York also has needs at wide receiver, defensive tackle and cornerback, and Valentine even said himself that he would have preferred to have taken LSU corner Mansoor Delane at No. 13. But he feels Delane will be off the board by then.
In that case, Ioane would comprise a terrific selection. It isn't a sexy pick by any means, but it definitely fills a glaring need for the Giants and would hopefully make things considerably easier for Dart moving forward.
But what are the chances Big Blue is actually able to trade down twice in the first round in an NFL Draft that is rather short on top-end talent? It doesn't seem incredibly likely. It would, however, make all the sense in the world for John Harbaugh and Co.
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