Mel Kiper Jr. and Daniel Jeremiah release new mock drafts
The first wave of free agency is complete, which has led to many experts releasing updated predictions for the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.
The latest to do so are two of the biggest draft analysts in the business.
First up is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who projected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5.
“The Giants have some options at safety — including newly signed Jason Pinnock and Ar’Darius Washington — but Downs is on another level,” wrote Kiper. “He’s a complete football player, and New York should have no hesitation in taking him here (highest draft slot for a safety since Eric Berry in 2010).”
The talented safety started off at Alabama, where he was named SEC Freshman of the Year after registering 107 total tackles (70 solo), two interceptions, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 14 games. Following Nick Saban’s departure, Downs entered the transfer portal and eventually landed at Ohio State.
Downs only got better during his two seasons with the Buckeyes. He was named Unanimous All-American, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, and first-team All-Big Ten after both of his seasons in Columbus. Listed at 6-feet and 206 pounds, the young safety played a big role on the Ohio State defense during the program’s run to a National Championship in 2024.
After his standout 2025 campaign, Downs also took home the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, along with the Lott Trophy and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah also released his latest predictions for the first round of this year’s draft, and while he has the Giants selecting a defensive player out of Ohio State, he has Big Blue going with linebacker Sonny Styles.
“Styles would be a monster playing behind the Giants’ dynamic front line,” Jeremiah wrote.
After lining up at safety for 23 games across his first two seasons with the Buckeyes, Styles switched to linebacker as a junior, where he played 16 games and finished the season with 100 total tackes (48 solo), six sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and five passes defensed. The linebacker was named second-team All-Big Ten while helping Ohio State to a National Championship.
This past season, he started 14 games and registered 82 total tackles (46 solo), one sack, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception and three pass breakups across 14 games. His performance on the field led to him being named first-team All-American in addition to first-team All-Big Ten.
“Styles is a tall, long and rangy linebacker prospect,” Jeremiah stated in his top 50 draft prosect rankings. “He made a smooth transition from safety to linebacker during his college career and put on an epic display at the NFL Scouting Combine. In the run game, he’s quick to key, read and fill to make tackles. He uses his length to press off blocks and has outstanding lateral range to pick up production on the perimeter. He’s a firm, reliable tackler with stopping power on contact. Styles is outstanding in coverage. He can carry slot receivers down the seam and smoothly mirrors tight ends all over the field. He’s an explosive blitzer and will run over running backs who try to block him in pass pro.
“Styles’ performance in the Big Ten title game against Indiana answered any questions about his game, as he was the best defender on the field in that matchup. He reminds me of Fred Warner as a player. It’s hard to find prospects with Styles’ combination of speed, athleticism and instincts.”
As Jeremiah mentioned, Styles dazzled last month at the Combine. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, which tied his college teammate Arvell Reese for the fastest time of any linebacker or defensive linemen this year. Meanwhile, his 43.5-inch vertical was the highest for any player 6-foot-4 or taller and any player weighing 240 or more pounds since at least 2003. Additionally, his 11-foot-2 broad jump was the best mark among the linebackers and D-linemen last Thursday and the fourth-best mark of any linebacker in the last 15 years.
Based on purely numbers from the Combine, Styles registered as taller than Mike Evans, faster than George Pickens, quicker than Patrick Peterson, jumps higher than Davante Adams, more explosive than Derwin James Jr., and heavier than Trent Cole.
His 9.99 Relative Athletic Score ranked 4th out of 3,216 qualifying linebackers dating back to 1987.
