In the long, legendary history of Keeping it 100, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers carved out his own special corner during the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Nabers, who was doing a live stream of the 1st round for Bleacher Report, seemed to ask what many were wondering after the Giants drafted Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall and Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 10 overall.
The question, in much less eloquent terms, was something like this: Why the hell didn’t the Giants use 1 of those picks on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs?
ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on Wednesday that the answer was simple. The Giants’ plan entering the draft was 1 of their 1st-round picks would be on defense and 1 would be on offense. No matter what.
Now, it’s the Dallas Cowboys — the Giants’ most hated rival — who might end up the biggest beneficiary after trading up 1 spot to take Downs, perhaps the best pound-for-pound player in the draft, at No. 11 overall.
What Malik Nabers Said About Giants Picks
“Don’t get me wrong. I love (Reese) the player, but just … where does he play?” Nabers said while appearing on a Bleacher Report livestream during the 1st round. “You want to be on the outside and rush, but we just drafted someone last year to that same position.”
The Giants drafted edge rusher Abdul Carter at No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL draft. They have an NFL All-Pro edge rusher on the roster with Brian Burns, along with another elite edge rusher in 2022 No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.
“New York could have come out of the first round of the draft feeling like it had locked down two defensive cornerstones for a decade to come,” Graziano wrote. “Instead, the Giants drafted offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. Dallas exhaled and moved up one spot to make sure it got Downs. And now the Giants will have to play against him twice a year.”
Cowboys Want Instant Impact From Caleb Downs
Downs might be the most pro-ready, plug-and-play defensive player the NFL sees in 2026 after 3 All-American college seasons at Alabama and Ohio State.
Perhaps the best advice Downs will receive before his rookie season came from a player who was just in his place — Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Parsons, who was traded to the Packers in August 2025, was the No. 12 overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2011 NFL draft. He is also 1 of 2 players in NFL history with at least 12.0 sacks in each of his 1st 5 seasons alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White.
Parsons spoke with Downs shortly after he was drafted as part of the livestream alongside Nabers, who seemed visibly upset/contemptuous of having to speak with Downs, who will no doubt make his professional life discernibly harder over the next few years, at least.
“Bro, the 1st thing I’m gonna tell you is that being a 1st round pick is a different kind of pressure … it’s a pressure of its own,” Parsons told Downs. “Remember that you’re not there to learn from anybody, you’re not there to back anybody up. You’re there to start and be the guy. You are the guy.”
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