Here’s the thing about the NFL Draft: No matter how strong your relationship is inside the building of the team you cover, they are not going to tell you what they’re going to do. Ever.
Draft intel is guarded as closely as anything in the sport. No one wants leaks for fear another team might target the same player.
But teams are just as information-starved as reporters. They crave intel to help project what might happen Thursday night.
The longer you cover the NFL, the more people you meet. Your network of coaches, executives, scouts and assistants grows across the league. The benefit: While no one wants to discuss their own plans, they will share what they’re hearing about others. Hear the same thing twice, and there might be something to it.
A perfect example: Before the 2025 draft, a coach called and said he’d heard through his own channels that the quarterback the Giants coveted most was Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Then-coach Brian Daboll loved him and was pushing hard to get him. You take that intel, float it to others, and once it’s validated, you report it.
That’s what this story is — a compilation of rumors, rumblings, and tidbits gathered from more than 20 sources across the NFL on how teams view players: who’s rising, who’s falling, and who might land where Thursday night.
The Raiders are expected to select Fernando Mendoza first overall. The question most are asking is what the Jets will do at No. 2. They are expected to take a defender — either Ohio State’s Arvell Reese or Texas Tech’s David Bailey.
Give general manager Darren Mougey credit. His pick, days before the draft, remains unclear — a rarity. That’s not usually the case. Most league sources SNY spoke with, as of Monday, believe the pick will be Reese.
Bailey is viewed as the better pass rusher — multiple sources, including two general managers, told SNY he’s the best in the class. But Reese is considered the better overall prospect. One source described him as the “perfect” Aaron Glenn player: tough, physical and versatile. His skill set would give Glenn, now calling plays, a needed chess piece for a defense that ranked 25th in yards allowed per game (355.6) and 31st in scoring defense (29.6) in 2025.
Bailey would help, too (he had 14.5 sacks last season) but one head coach compared him to Will McDonald: An effective pass rusher with concerns against the run. There is a worry within league circles that he might not be a three-down guy for that reason.
“You don’t have those concerns with Reese,” the coach said. “He’s just a better overall player.”
Jeremiyah Love is widely viewed as the top offensive player in the class. The Giants and Commanders are among the teams that value him highly, but there are questions about whether he’ll still be available at Nos. 5 and 7.
A team to watch for Love, per multiple sources, is Arizona. They’ve quietly been circling the back. There are a few people SNY touched base with who believe he will be the pick at No. 3. The Jets deciding to go with Bailey, dropping Reese to Arizona, might change that, but one team selecting in the top five is operating under the belief it will be Love to Arizona.
Arizona, per multiple sources, is interested in trading back – as are most teams in the top 10. If a team wants to come up for Love, jumping the Giants and Commanders, the Cardinals are open for business.
There’s also buzz connecting Love to the Titans. Tennessee could use a weapon for second-year quarterback Cam Ward, but the roster has multiple needs — wide receiver, offensive line and defense — making a running back at that spot seem less likely.
The lack of quarterback depth beyond Mendoza complicates projections. Typically, the first 10 picks are clearer weeks in advance. This year, sources said there is significant uncertainty — including for the Giants.
Players believed to be near the top of New York’s board include linebacker Sonny Styles, Love, and safety Caleb Downs. Receiver Jordyn Tyson is also in consideration, though injury concerns could make him a risk at No. 5.
Sources believe Love would be the pick if available, but that appears unlikely. One head coach was adamant the Giants' pick is Downs. Another team selecting top 10 told SNY its scouts were under the impression they wanted Styles. Again: Uncertainty.
A trade remains something to monitor. The Giants, like Arizona and Tennessee, would be open to moving back, though little traction has developed.
If the Jets select Reese, Love goes to Arizona and Styles to Tennessee, Bailey would be available at No. 5. Every source SNY spoke with agreed he is the top pass rusher in the class — a scenario that could prompt a team to trade up.