New York Giants star Malik Nabers couldn't hold back his frustration when discussing the team's decisions in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Giants' Surprising Selections
On Thursday night, the 'Big Blue' stunned fans as they selected Arvell Reese at No. 5 and Francis Mauigoa at No. 10, snubbing Ohio State star Caleb Downs in the process. Downs then went at No. 11, just one pick later, after the Dallas Cowboys traded up for the highly-rated safety. Some fans labelled it the 'steal of the NFL Draft'.
Nabers' Reaction
Nabers, who suffered a torn ACL last season, took part in a watch-along live stream on Thursday night and was left stunned as he watched the Draft unfold. The former LSU star questioned where Reese fits into the Giants team, having selected similar players in years gone by.
'Don't get me wrong I love the player, but like, where do you play?' Nabers asked. 'You want to be on the outside and rush, but we just drafted somebody last year to that same position.'
In recent years, the Giants selected edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux with the No. 5 pick in 2022 and Abdul Carter in last year's draft with the No. 3 overall pick.
Missed Opportunity on Downs
Nabers was also furious that the Giants missed out on Downs. 'I'd rather get him than play against him,' Nabers said. 'I even told him, I'm coming to get you. I got to play against this thing again?! He's very good, he's very good.'
Downs comes into the league following an impressive three seasons in college football, which saw him record 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Interaction with Downs
New Cowboys star Downs later appeared on the live stream and Nabers reiterated how frustrated he was that the former Buckeye wasn't heading to New York. 'I'm bummed we couldn't get you here in my locker room, but I'm excited,' Nabers told Downs. 'Your journey has been fun to watch. I've played you at Alabama, watched you at Ohio State and I'm just excited to watch your film and see how much of an athlete you are.'
Mixed Reactions from Giants Community
Despite Nabers' disapproval of the Giants' selections, others within the 'Big Blue' community are not too worried about their choices and, instead, praised the picks.
