2026 NFL Draft order: Options for potential NY Giants’ draft scenarios

The New York Giants currently hold the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after their victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17. But perhaps the Giants would hold the first overall pick in some other universe.

Perhaps one where Mike Kafka benched as many of his starters as he could and had Devin Singletary run the Single Wing offense. Or perhaps that Bobby Okereke didn’t pick off Geno Smith and those Las Vegas Raiders went on a roll after scoring a touchdown.

But we didn’t go down that leg of the trousers of time (to borrow a turn of phrase from Sir Terry Pratchett).

That eventual outcome – holding the first overall pick – isn’t completely closed off to the Giants. In fact, there are a whole host of scenarios still open to the Giants, and they could be picking pretty much anywhere from first to seventh overall. We won’t game out every possible outcome, but there are three that seem most likely at this moment: Drafting second overall, drafting first overall, and drafting seventh overall.

Thanks to the Atlanta Falcons’ upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, the New York Jets are unable to secure the first pick. The first overall pick will belong to either the Raiders or the Giants.

Before we get to the three most likely scenarios, let’s take a quick look at the draft order after Week 17.

2026 NFL Draft order before Week 18

1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14) – vs. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
2. New York Giants (3-13) – vs. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
3. New York Jets (3-13) – vs. Buffalo Bills (11-5)
4. Tennessee Titans (3-13) – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4)
5. Arizona Cardinals (3-13) – vs. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
6. Cleveland Browns (4-12) – vs. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
7. Washington Commanders (4-12) – vs. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
8. New Orleans Saints (6-10) – vs. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) – vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10) – vs. Cleveland Browns (4-12)

Scenario 1: Giants pick No. 2

In this scenario, the Giants fall to the Cowboys in the season finale, while the Raiders lose to the Chiefs. The Giants would be a 3-win team, one more than the Raiders, and control the second overall pick regardless of what happens to the other teams thanks to the strength of schedule tiebreaker.

This is a “bad news, good news” situation.

The bad news is that the Giants wouldn’t be able to auction off the first overall pick, and one of the most quarterback-needy teams would control that pick. Getting a haul in a trade down scenario wouldn’t be as likely, though not impossible.

This is the good news.

Edge defenders Reuben Bane (Miami) and Arvell Reese (Ohio State) are generally considered to be two of the top three non-quarterbacks in the draft. The Giants would be unlikely to consider either at second overall considering the...