The New York Giants are widely believed to be targeting Sonny Styles with the fifth overall pick in first round of the NFL Draft.
Yet, according to draft guru Todd McShay, that may have swiftly shifted.
The Ringer’s draft expert shared an updated view of the Giants‘ first-round plans and explained why they won’t be trying to land Styles, the Ohio State hybrid linebacker, with their first pick Thursday.
The Giants, of course, have two first-round selections in the top 10 after they traded Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. Styles, the Ohio State linebacker, has been projected as their preferred pick at No. 5 for months.
Report: The Giants are off Sonny Styles at No. 5
McShay was among those who believed the Giants would target Styles — who McShay has listed as the No. 2 prospect on his big board — and seemed surprised to learn differently.
“I thought it was Sonny Styles for the Giants at [No.] 5, but apparently it may not be,” McShay said on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Monday.
McShay and Eisen then floated that their interest may be a smokescreen to keep rival clubs away from Styles. But McShay also confirmed the love for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is real.
“If Love doesn’t go [No.] 3, he goes 4, and I’m told if he doesn’t go 4, he goes 5,” McShay said. ”
Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post effectively confirmed McShay’s reporting, at least for the moment.
“My texts/calls believe itâs between Caleb Downs/Jordyn Tyson/Jeremiyah Love with the hope to get 2 of the 3,” Dunleavy reported.
Downs has been widely mocked to go in the top-10, with most mocks having him landing with the Giants at the No. 10 pick. He would be a solid fallback option if they don’t land the offensive players they want.
The Giants Seem to Really Want Jordyn Tyson
The Giants will get an impact player at No. 5, and if it is Love, they could end up with the player thought of as the best in this draft.
The Giants got huge value in the Lawrence trade. and will be in line to vastly improve with a pair of top-10. But they could end up reaching on the player they want in Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson, a 6-2, 200-pound outside receiver.
“I know you can get Tyson at [No.] 5,” McShay said. “I don’t think you can get him at 10.”
Tyson’s movement throughout the past month has been strange to watch, though the Giants have been in on him all along. He had been mocked as a mid-to-late first-round pick as recently as two weeks ago, but perception changed on him after a recent workout in Tempe.
“Two weeks ago, Jordyn Tyson [perception was] he’s not tough,” McShay said. “Then he doesn’t even run the 40[-yard dash], he does the workout last Friday at Arizona State, but now the Giants. That thing might be real.”
Though the Giants could be trying to throw rivals off the scent of Styles, McShay said GM Joe Schoen’s poker face isn’t that good.
“[The Giants] are not big on hiding what their intentions are. Joe Schoen certainly isn’t,” McShay said. “If that’s real with Jordyn Tyson, you can’t wait ’til 10.”
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