2026 Draft My Guys! Dan/Nick's Favorite Prospects

Big Blue Banter: A New York Giants Football Podcast1h 9mApril 22, 2026

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AI-Generated Summary

In this episode of Big Blue Banter, hosts Dan Schneier and Nick Bellotto dive into their 'My Guys' picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, spotlighting players they believe will make an immediate impact in the NFL. The discussion begins with a nostalgic review of past draft picks, highlighting successes like Gray Zabel and Travis Hunter, while acknowledging misses like Deontay Banks. The core of the episode focuses on their top prospects across all positions, with Caleb Downs (Ohio State safety) and Sonny Stiles (Ohio State linebacker) emerging as top-tier, high-IQ, versatile players. The hosts emphasize the importance of football intelligence, especially at safety and linebacker, and advocate for the Giants to prioritize interior offensive and defensive linemen to strengthen their trenches. Key guards like Chase Besantis and Keelan Rutledge are praised for their athleticism and physicality, while defensive tackles Kristen Miller and Chris McClellan are highlighted for their run-stopping prowess. The episode also covers wide receivers Casey Concepcion and Jordan Tyson, with a strong preference for trade-back strategies to target higher-value picks. The hosts stress that winning in the NFL starts in the trenches, and they believe the Giants must address both offensive and defensive line depth to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Key Takeaways
1

Prioritize football IQ and versatility over pure athleticism, especially at safety and linebacker.

2

The Giants must address interior offensive and defensive line depth to build a championship-caliber team.

3

Chase Besantis and Keelan Rutledge are top-tier guard prospects with elite run-game upside and physicality.

4

Trade back to target high-value players like Casey Concepcion or Chase Besantis instead of taking lower-tier picks at #5 or #10.

5

Defensive tackles like Kristen Miller and Chris McClellan offer immediate run-stopping impact and are critical to fixing the Giants' defensive weaknesses.

…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus

Chapters
0:00
2 min

Introducing the Buy Me a Coffee Page

Dan and Nick introduce their Buy Me a Coffee page as a direct way for fans to support the podcast without third-party cuts, emphasizing transparency and listener appreciation.

2:15
3 min

Recap of Last Year's My Guys Picks

The hosts reflect on their 2025 My Guys picks, celebrating hits like Gray Zabel and Travis Hunter while acknowledging misses like Deontay Banks and RJ Harvey, using the review to set the tone for this year’s class.

5:30
5 min

Caleb Downs: The High-IQ Safety

He's the most likely player to be selected by the Giants. If I look at it right now, Nick, the Giants have put out a lot of smoke this draft... I think Downs is the most likely player to end up a Giant as we stand here today.

Highlight
10:00
5 min

Sonny Stiles: The Versatile Linebacker

He's the guy in this class. And for me, it's always been him before the combine. We talked about this, Nick. It wasn't a combine riser for me that obviously helped me like come to the point of like, okay, now he has like other worldly athleticism that could translate to the NFL.

Highlight
15:00
5 min

Guard Class: Value and Physicality

Out of all the guards I watched, I thought both Ioane and Besantis were the two best in pass protection and translate the best in pass protection at the next level.

Highlight
High-Impact Quotes
He's the guy in this class. And for me, it's always been him before the combine. We talked about this, Nick. It wasn't a combine riser for me that obviously helped me like come to the point of like, okay, now he has like other worldly athleticism that could translate to the NFL.
Dan Schneier17:30
Viral: 88.0
He's the most likely player to be selected by the Giants. If I look at it right now, Nick, the Giants have put out a lot of smoke this draft... I think Downs is the most likely player to end up a Giant as we stand here today.
Nick Bellotto11:02
Viral: 85.0
We lost a lot of interior pass rush juice by trading Dexter Lawrence and that's a good way to win in the nfl we won a lot like that we want a lot of games like that we want a lot of reps like that we need to like at this point i do want kristen miller but i wouldn't mind going kristen miller or Katie McDonald if somehow he fell at 37 and then coming back and getting McClellan at 103 or whatever it is, or trading back and getting more picks.
Dan Schneier43:39
Viral: 83.0
Speakers

Hosts

Dan SchneierNick Bellotto
Topics Discussed
2026 NFL Draft My Guys95%Trenches as Foundation of Winning93%Interior Offensive Line Needs92%Safety Position Evaluation90%Draft Strategy and Trade-Backs89%Linebacker Development and IQ88%Defensive Tackle Impact87%Wide Receiver Value and Risk85%
People & Brands

New York Giants

organization

45xPositive

Caleb Downs

person

22xNeutral

Sonny Stiles

person

18xNeutral

Ohio State

organization

18xPositive

Chase Besantis

person

15xPositive

Dan Schneier

person

15xPositive

Nick Bellotto

person

14xPositive

Kristen Miller

person

14xPositive

Keelan Rutledge

person

12xPositive

Casey Concepcion

person

12xNeutral

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