The New York Giants have already seen a pretty gnarly overhaul over the first couple of weeks of the offseason... and that’s just the coaching staff.
With free agency and the draft coming up over the next two months, expect even more changes headed Big Blue’s way. Giants fans will get their first real taste of potential draft prospects at the NFL Combine in late February.
It’s the perfect time to fall in love with some lesser-known players from schools that don’t get as much love as the Power Four. Armed with the fifth pick in the 2026 Draft, the G-Men have no shortage of options, so consider the combine their first up-close look at players who could define the next era of Giants football.
4 questions the Giants must answer before the NFL Combine
Are they willing to wait until Draft Day 2 for a receiver?
The Giants need wide receiver help. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, and USC’s Makai Lemon all figure to be in play when the G-Men are on the board at No. 5. But what if general manager Joe Schoen goes in a different direction? The receiver class is deep this year, and with 40-plus receivers performing at the combine, it could give the scouting department a chance to upgrade the position later in the draft.
How many offensive linemen will they look to add via the draft?
Left tackle Andrew Thomas is the only offensive line starter from 2025 who’s not in jeopardy of losing his job. While it’s great that franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart has a bookend blindside blocker, it’s a nightmarish indictment of the rest of the line.
Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and right guard Greg Van Roten are upcoming free agents. Left guard Jon Runyan is a potential cap casualty. And fourth-year center John Michael Schmitz has yet to prove he’s a capable starter. A top-tier tackle is in play in the first round, but with six more picks following, there could be some positional value in the interior later in the draft, especially on Day 3.
Does Schoen take a linebacker before Day 3?
Big Blue hasn’t selected a linebacker in the first three rounds of the draft since 2009, when they selected Virginia’s Clint Sintim. With the middle linebacker position becoming a noticeable weakness by the week, now could be the time for Schoen to buck the trend and look for a game-changing off-ball LB to lead Harbaugh’s defense for the next decade-plus.
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The 63-year-old has experience developing and working with some of the game’s greats: Ray Lewis, C.J. Mosley, and Roquan Smith, to name a few.
What is the damage to the defensive backs group?
Harbaugh selected a defensive back in the first round in three of the past four drafts while he was with the Baltimore Ravens, and with Ohio State’s Caleb Downs and LSU’s Mansoor Delane rising up draft boards, that trend could continue in North Jersey.
It’s no secret the DB room needs reinforcements. Cor’Dale Flott could be on his way out. Paulson Adebo didn’t live up to his $18 million AAV billing last year. And Deonte Banks is borderline unplayable. Add in Jevón Holland’s lackluster first year with the team and Tyler Nubin’s second-season regression, and it’s not hard to see why addressing the secondary is a pressing matter.