The New York Giants made a bold move after hiring head coach John Harbaugh — a bold move in itself — by trading 2-time NFL All-Pro Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for their 2026 1st-round pick.
The problem? The Giants didn’t use that pick on a replacement for Lawrence, and now Sports Illustrated’s latest 2027 1st-round mock draft has them doing so with Oklahoma star David Stone at No. 11 overall.
That pick presupposes something equally ugly for the Giants — a last-place finish in the NFC East Division in 2026.
“The New York Giants traded Dexter Lawrence prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, creating a hole for themselves at defensive tackle,” Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo wrote. “They did not spend a premium pick to replace him, so it’s trending towards being a high priority in 2027. Oklahoma’s David Stone is a prospect who is in store for a massive season, because he generates eye-popping power as a well-balanced pass rusher and run stopper.”
Projected as Early-Round Pick in High School
Scouts have seen NFL potential in Stone, 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, dating back to his high school days.
Stone started his high school career at Del City (Oklahoma) High School, where he was an All-State pick before transferring to prep powerhouse IMG Academy for his final 2 seasons, where he became a Top 20 national recruit in the Class of 2024.
“A disruptive force in the middle with a promising build that likes to initiate action and make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks,” 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins wrote in 2024. ” … Should be viewed as one of the top defensive linemen in the 2024 cycle and a potential impact player on Saturdays that can morph into an early-round NFL Draft pick with plenty of seasoning. Could thrive in a defensive scheme that wants to twist its tackles given how he builds momentum and finishes.”
David Stone Still Not Full-Time Starter for Sooners
If we’re looking for reasons the Giants might not want to go all-in on a player like Stone with a high draft pick, the 1 that stands out is that he hasn’t become a full-time starter in his 1st 2 seasons with the Sooners.
In 26 career games, Stone has only 2 career starts but put up starter-like numbers in 2025 with 42 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 TFL, and 4 QB hits in 13 games. Through his 1st 2 seasons, Stone has 48 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 10 TFL.
By comparison, Lawrence had 55 tackles and 5.0 sacks — a program record — in his freshman season at Clemson in 2016 and was a 2-time All-ACC selection through his 1st 2 seasons. The Giants drafted Lawrence at No. 17 overall in the 2019 NFL draft.
From NFL Draft Buzz: “Stone arrived in Norman as a five-star and spent 2025 proving the projection sound, leading the interior in tackles while working a rotation role on a deep front … The pass rush is where the resume thins. He flashed real juice, including a sack and four hurries against Auburn, but the season-counting numbers stay modest and too many rushes stall once his first move gets handled. The traits say there is more here than two sacks; the hand sequencing and counter plan need to catch up to the athletic gifts. He is also one year into a featured role, so a gradual ramp into a pro rotation is the sensible read.”
Giants Predicted to Replace NFL All-Pro With 1st-Round Pick