Insider tabs Caleb Downs as Giants target with pick from Dexter Lawrence trade

With two top-10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants can only hope the No. 10 pick gives them a return that offsets the pain of their Dexter Lawrence II trade. One player who would be a sizeable haul at No. 10 is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

Downs is the consensus No. 1 safety of the class and a projected top-10 pick. He is viewed as a top-five prospect by most analysts, but with teams typically avoiding the position that early in the draft, Downs could be a potential target for the Giants at No. 10.

That is the ideal scenario for New York that ESPN’s Matt Miller forecasts.

“Downs would be in play for New York’s first pick at No. 5, but based on what we’re hearing, the Giants are doing homework and having discussions to see which of their two targets — Jordyn Tyson or Caleb Downs — could conceivably fall to No. 10,” Miller wrote. “As a premium player at a non-premium position, Downs is more likely to slip, which is common for safeties in Round 1. In this scenario, the Giants would have to hope the Saints don’t select Downs. He is my No. 3 overall player.”

Downs ended his electric college football career with 68 tackles, two interceptions, one pass breakup, one sack and two forced fumbles in 2025. He was the sixth-highest rated safety in the country on Pro Football Focus among those with at least 200 snaps.

The Giants have two solid safeties anchoring their defense in third-year Tyler Nubin and $45.3 million investment Jevon Holland. But after another bottom-10 finish for a defense that has too many talented players to continue underwhelming, almost nothing is off the table, especially when a playmaker like Downs is potentially available.

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