The 2026 NFL Draft scuttlebutt is that the New York Giants love wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, perhaps even enough to select the talented, but injury-plagued wide receiver with the No. 5 overall pick on Thursday night.
Tyson is, talent-wise, the best receiver in the draft class, according to most analysts. He has a lengthy injury history, though, including a major 2022 knee injury (ACL/MCL/PCL), a 2024 broken collarbone, and a 2025 hamstring issue.
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Due to his injuries, Tyson did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine or at Arizona State’s Pro Day. He finally held a private workout last Friday that Giants GM Joe Schoen attended. ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel was told Tyson was impressive.
“He showed the twitch, explosiveness and leaping ability we all saw in the fall. He showed he’s healthy and still explosive, which is all he needed to do.”
Is Tyson REALLY worth the gamble of selecting him at No. 5 in the draft?
What the talking heads say
ESPN’s Mel Kiper says Tyson is “uncoverable” when healthy.
ESPN’s Louis Riddick thinks Tyson “will be special.” He wrote:
Tyson is the best wide receiver in the 2026 draft. Full stop.
He has it all … size, explosive quickness, body control, strength and solid top-end speed. He can move between the X, Z and slot receiver positions seamlessly and can put lots of pressure on an opposing defense by exploiting matchups anywhere on the field. Tyson had 75 catches, 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024 before posting 61 catches, 711 yards and eight TDs in nine games in 2025.
The main thing holding back Tyson from being widely considered as a surefire superstar is his significant injury history. He suffered a torn ACL/MCL/PCL in 2022, had a broken collarbone in 2024 and dealt with hamstring issues in 2025. The conversations among team medical staff members regarding Tyson’s future availability projection will be fascinating. But I believe that the risk is worth the reward. This guy will be special.
What draft analysts told Big Blue View
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic:
“It’s not a risk if the Giants have done thorough homework on Tyson’s medicals and have no concerns about his long-term availability. If healthy, Tyson is WR1 in this draft. This is sort of why he’s been so hard for people to slot all winter/spring, because your evaluation of him all depends on whether or not you believe he can stay healthy year-to-year in the NFL. Something he was never able to do in college.”
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Doug Farrar of SB Nation and Athlon Sports:
“If Jordyn Tyson had a relatively clean injury history, he would be the unquestioned WR1 in this class, and if the Giants wanted him, they would likely need to spend their fifth overall pick to get him. He wouldn’t be there at 10. But Tyson has dealt with a torn ACL, MCL and PCL in his left knee in 2022, a broken left collarbone in 2024, and ankle and hamstring injuries in 2025.
“What a healthy Tyson brings to the NFL is size (6’2”, 203 pounds), the ability to create explosive plays in the passing game from outside and in the slot, contested-catch juice to a point, and an understanding of the nuances of the position. He will sink into zones and break away from tight coverage in short areas to make things easier for his quarterback, and he’s not a guy coming into the NFL with a limited route tree. Marcus Arroyo’s offense had him running everything from screens, hitches, and slants to posts, overs, and digs, and his time with Hines Ward as the Sun Devils’ receivers coach over the last two years has undoubtedly given him more of an understanding of what is required in the NFL.
“Bottom line, teams are going to be very cautious about Tyson’s injury history, and that could well drop him to the late teens or early 20s. But based on pure talent alone? That’s top 10 talent at least.”
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Joe DeLeone of A to Z Sports and the ‘Ruffino and Joe Show’:
“When evaluated in a vacuum, Jordyn Tyson is worthy of being picked in the top ten. His well-roundedness and smoothness as a receiver give him a very high ceiling in the NFL. While at Arizona State, he was able to win at multiple levels and had reliable hands as Sam Leavitt’s go-to target. Imagining a tandem in New York featuring Nabers as the primary receiver and Tyson as the second option is potentially very scary.
“However, due to the context of his injury history, I’m not comfortable with the Giants picking him this early. Tyson having three different serious injuries that shortened his seasons in his career completely scares me off. There’s a frightening reality that he ends up being inconsistently available. The volatility of his career outcomes for a team like the Giants, trying to capture a winning window with a ton of young contracts, just doesn’t make sense.”
Mark Schofield of SB Nation:
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“I know that opinions on Tyson are mixed, and there is certainly the injury history to consider. He looked fluid and explosive at his private workout last week — based on the clips I have seen — so I think the injury concerns are diminished.
“So from where I sit, he is worth a pick at No. 10. Yes, you can see the explosive wins on the outside — the 42-yard reception against Colorado on a go ball, the touchdown on the corner route against Baylor where he displays incredible body control and seems to hang in the air as he waits for the ball to come down — but some of his wins against press-aligned defenders stand out to me as well, such as a fourth-and-3 catch against Baylor on a slant route, or another fourth-down in cut against Northern Arizona where he beats the defender off the line and then makes a tough adjustment. His ability to mix-up his releases and stress leverage stands out.
“I think a player with that combination of traits is worth No. 10, especially in this class.”