A top NFL Draft expert believes that if the New York Giants still have the No. 1 pick at the end of the season, they will send it to the New York Jets in a massive deal that benefits both teams.
Pro football in New York this year has been an absolute disaster. Big Blue fans hoped that their defense, and rookie Jaxson Dart eventually becoming the starting quarterback, might get them back to the playoffs in 2025. Instead, big injuries and awful late-game management cost head coach Brian Daboll his job, and the Giants have just two wins heading into Week 15.
With Aaron Glenn taking over as head coach, Gang Green fans thought the former star for the team might be able to get more out of their talented roster. That goal was not achieved, and the team ended up making a pair of huge trades that shipped stars Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner out of town before the NFL trade deadline. They own a sad 3-10 record after 14 weeks.
The teams with a combined record of 5-21 are at the bottom of the NFL standings. But they are at the top of early draft projections. If the season ended right now, the Giants would have the No. 1 overall pick. While the Jets would make their first selection at seven.
Normally, a team that has the No. 1 pick would hold on to it and take a QB. But New York is high on Dart and his potential. So they won’t use their top selection on a signal caller. However, the Jets badly need a QB after free agent addition Justin Fields was a massive disappointment in 2025. It’s why ESPN NFL Draft expert Field Yates made a bold prediction this week.
Could the NY Giants and Jets swap first-round picks in April?
In his first 2026 NFL mock draft, he thinks the two New York teams will actually swap their first-round picks. The Jets will move up to No. 1 to take Indiana star Fernando Mendoza, and the Giants would get their picks at 7, 18, and a selection on Day 2.
It doesn’t happen often, but this is a deal that would be a win-win for both organizations. The ability for the Jets to move up to the top spot and be able to take the best QB available is a rare opportunity they would benefit from. In a year with some really good quarterback prospects, 2025 is the time to have a top-three pick in the draft.
The Giants could use the pick and take the best player available. However, they need a lot of help. So getting two picks in the top 20 allows them to land a pair of elite talents that could be stars for many years to come. Obviously, it could all go wrong for both organizations, and judging by their histories, it probably will. However, the potential to upgrade in a major way in the draft is an opportunity that can’t be passed on.
