Giants' NFL Draft preference between Ohio State's Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles revealed by ESPN insider

The New York Giants will have a lot of options to choose from when they come on the clock with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

They also have a lot of needs -- a new ESPN article on Thursday suggests that the Giants could look at wide receiver, offensive line, linebacker, cornerback or safety.

When there are that many possibilities, the best-player available strategy could potentially be a wise one. Rather than trying to narrow down which position needs to be addressed first, the Giants can simply fill the one with the guy they think is the best player on the board, regardless of position.

So in that new article, the thought is posed: Caleb Downs or Sonny Styles?

They're both defensive stars from the Ohio State Buckeyes, and both play a slightly-less-than-premium defensive position.

Downs is a safety. Rarely is a safety taken this high.

Styles is an off-ball linebacker. Ditto for that position.

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The Giants very well could consider both, though. They'd each have a case for best-player available.

ESPN's Jordan Raanan had this to write on what the Giants would end up deciding between the pair:

"Giants could go the best-player-available route... but who would be the best player at that spot, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles? If those are the choices, linebacker it is."

Styles would certainly be a potential franchise leader under new head coach John Harbaugh. And he'd be a guy New York fans could get quite excited about.

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