If the Giants go defense in the NFL Draft, should they target Caleb Downs or Sonny Styles?

The Giants made defense a priority to start last year’s draft. Will they do it again this year?

It paid off, taking Penn State's Abdul Carter at No. 3 last April. Carter took a while to get going and stumbled with self-inflicted mistakes, including being late to meetings. But Carter’s strong finish to the season validated the Giants' decision.

Now the Giants hope that luck strikes again, and it’s possible that next player to build their defense around also comes from the Big Ten. The question, though, is who’s the better Ohio State defender to target?

Is it Caleb Downs, the two-time All-American safety? Or is it Sonny Styles, the All-American linebacker whose stock soared after his NFL Combine performance in February?

The Giants’ defense needs more playmakers in addition to edge rushers. Styles made his case at the combine that he’d be the right fit for any team.

“I think no matter what pick I go, I do believe I can make a difference, whatever that role may look like,” Styles told reporters in Indianapolis last month. “So, for me, whatever club I get to, figure out what my role is and just be a champion in that role.”

Both players are known for being great tacklers, a skill  the Giants lacked far too often last year. The case for Styles, however, is stronger.  The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah have the Giants taking him in their recent mock drafts.

On his combine day, Styles ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, leaped 43 feet, 5 inches in the vertical jump and had a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches. The 40 time was tied for fastest among edge rushers and linebackers with Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese.

Add that to his 6-5, 244-pound frame with 33 inch-long arms and he’s a physical marvel.

“Styles is an outstanding size-speed athlete who is comfortable in space, reacts well to what he sees and plays with the physicality to mark up the stat sheet,” Brugler wrote in his mock draft assessment.

The Giants need that after they allowed an NFL-worst 5.3 yards per carry last season. Coach John Harbaugh has said that stopping the run is a priority, and the team signed former Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to anchor the middle.

Styles fills that same need. He was a former safety, so he can play in coverage as well as be close to the line of scrimmage. That has drawn comparisons to Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, which he embraced.

“Kyle Hamilton is one of those guys that can do a lot all over the field,” Styles told Kay Adams on the “Up & Adams” podcast. “He's an amazing player. So, I'd love to be in a scheme where I can do multiple roles and help a defense win."

Harbaugh drafting Hamilton in 2022 helps Styles’ case. It’s far more likely a team would take a linebacker at No. 5 than a safety.

However, Downs might be the better prospect in terms of production. He led Alabama in tackles as a freshman and didn’t allow a touchdown in two seasons at Ohio State. Not only is he quick and sound, he’s versatile and can play multiple roles.

Downs is also physical, which matches the type of player Harbaugh wants to build around.

“His intelligence, intangibles and on-field impact immediately will make the other 10 defenders on the field that much better,” Brugler wrote about Downs in his March mock draft.

Downs is also fast and physical, which are traits Harbaugh admires.  If the Giants select him, it could mean that Tyler Nubin’s days are numbered entering his third season. Nubin has started since his rookie year but has struggled with his lack of takeaways, high-end speed and poor tackling angles.

Downs wasn’t challenged much and is not known as a ballhawk. He had just two interceptions in each of his two seasons at Ohio State. But if he can overcome that by making big plays in other ways, the Giants will take that.

Ultimately, the Giants must consider if they want help in the secondary or the middle of the field. Linebackers like Styles don’t come around often, yet Downs is also viewed as a rare safety prospect.

Picking a Big Ten defender worked out well for the Giants last season. If they do it again, Styles or Downs will improve a defense that needs playmakers.

Giants sign QB Allen

The Giants announced Monday they signed quarterback Brandon Allen, giving them three quarterbacks on their roster.

Allen spent last season with the Titans, where Giants quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan was the head coach. Allen appeared in just one game and has played 19 games over his six-year career. He was drafted by the Jaguars in 2016 but didn’t play his first game until 2019 when he started three games for the Broncos. Allen also had stints with the Rams, Bengals and 49ers.

The Giants needed a third quarterback with Russell Wilson a free agent. Allen joins a quarterback room with starter Jaxson Dart and backup Jameis Winston.