John Harbaugh’s Blueprint: Giants Might Look to Ohio State’s Caleb Downs for Defensive Fix

The New York Giants have earned high marks around the NFL for the totality of their offseason thus far, including bringing in future Hall of Fame coach John Harbaugh to lead their football operations and coach the team, but there is one area of the roster that stands out as a glaring issue with the draft now roughly a month away.

New York’s secondary has been a huge problem in recent years, the team withdrew from attempts to land premier cornerback Trent McDuffie after exploring that option, and while there are a number of intriguing prospects who will make sense for them with their top pick, pass rushers, offensive linemen and a linebacker among them, several evaluators suggested that New York will try to secure the services of the top defensive back available.

Which Considerations Will The Giants Be Juggling?

Sonny Styles, a linebacker from Ohio State, perhaps is a front-seven chess piece that cold fully unlock a pass rush that should have been better in recent years. 

There is already heavy chatter about them making using another top 10 picks on a running back, although that didn’t work out well with Saquon Barkley. They could certainly opt to fortify their offensive line beyond the moves they made in free agency. But it wouldn’t surprise us in the least if Ohio State safety Caleb Downs hears his name called fifth overall, if he isn’t already off the board.

“John just spent, what, 18 years in Baltimore,” said one NFL general manager. 

“No team invests more in the back end. That’s in his blood… He was with (Giants defensive coordinator) Dennard Wilson for one year, and they had the best defense in the league and (safety) Kyle Hamilton played his best football. He needs a Kyle Hamilton.”

Downs is as complete a defensive back as this draft provides and offers the ridiculous football IQ, range, tremendous instincts and positional flexibility that Hamilton did as a pro prospect. However, Downs is actually quicker and twitchier than Hamilton, as some evaluators see it. 

It’s likely that the teams picking in front of the Giants focus on quarterback, pass rusher and probably an offensive lineman. Downs is currently +265 to be selected fifth overall; it wouldn’t be surprising at all for him to become more of the betting favorite the closer we get to the draft.