Mel Kiper Jr. Connects Caleb Downs to Giants in Latest Mock Draft Shift

Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. held his final media conference call following the release of his latest two-round mock draft, and one of the more interesting shifts involved the New York Giants.

In an earlier version, Kiper had them going in a different direction, but in this latest mock, he pivoted to Alabama safety Caleb Downs. When I asked about that change, he didn’t really frame it around roster needs as much as familiarity and fit. He kept going back to the impact Kyle Hamilton has had with the Ravens and how coaches tend to lean into what they’ve seen work. From there, you could kind of see where he was going with it.

Downs, in Kiper’s view, fits that same mold. He talked about his versatility, the ability to move around defensively, and just being involved in everything. He also brought up what Nick Saban has said about him, calling him one of the smartest players he’s coached, which says a lot coming from him.

Kiper did mention Downs doesn’t have the same physical profile as some of the other top prospects, but he didn’t seem too concerned about it, pointing back to Hamilton as an example of how that can play out. The bigger takeaway was that teams don’t always prioritize the position, but when they see something work, they adjust. It’s a copycat league, and in this case, that’s where the Giants and Downs start to make sense