NFL Confidential: How is Dexter Lawrence Trade Impacting Draft? Execs, Scouts Weigh in

Right before we were all set to submit our final mock drafts for the 2026 draft season, the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals decided they wanted to throw us a curveball and make a move that will have major ramifications for Thursday night's festivities. 

The Giants now have two top-10 picks after acquiring the 10th overall selection from the Bengals for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. While the trade was just agreed to on Saturday night, we've already learned how New York is potentially plotting to use its two top-10 picks — and it could lead to a surprise in the top five. 

Of course, the Giants-Bengals trade isn't the only bit of draft news ahead of the first round on Thursday night. So, we surveyed our sources around the league on the latest about Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and his draft status.

Here's what we've learned about the Giants' draft plans, why the Bengals made the trade and what to expect for Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Ralph Vacchiano: A few days ago, it felt to many like a lock that the Giants were going to take a defensive player with the fifth overall pick of the NFL Draft. But now they have two picks in the top 10 for the second time in five years, after acquiring the 10th overall pick from the Bengals for Dexter Lawrence.

They’ll almost certainly use one of them on a defensive player, but it’s not so clear what they’ll do with the fifth. 

"It has to change their thinking," one NFL executive told me. "There are a few elite offensive players that didn’t look like a great fit for them, given how bad their defense has been and what we think Harbaugh wants to focus on. Now they can grab one at 5, and it’s possible they’ll still get the defensive player they wanted all along at