Joe Schoen defied the odds by retaining his role as the New York Giants' general manager through regime changes. Without a doubt, his main selling point to John Mara was the team's recent draft success.
He's found budding stars like Malik Nabers, Abdul Carter, and Jaxson Dart in recent drafts. But all of those players were first-round selections. A closer look at Schoen's late-round picks reveals an alarming trend that casts a shadow over his resume.
In PFF's recent "all-seventh-round" team, the Giants didn't have a single player among the 24 listed. Schoen has consistently struggled to find value in the later rounds of the draft, leaving him a step behind the rest of the NFL.
Giants' seventh-round whiffs are a symptom of a bigger problem
Schoen's low hit rate with seventh-round picks is undeniable. But a look back at his picks in the final round shows that he's rarely even on the clock. The Giants have made just four seventh-round picks since 2022.
- TE Thomas Fidone (2025)
- CB Korie Black (2025)
- DL Jordon Riley (2023)
- DB Gervarrius Owens (2023)
None of these players are key contributors on the current team. Most of them probably won't even make the roster in 2026. But most seventh-round picks fail to make meaningful impacts for their teams. What's more concerning is how few picks the Giants have made.
Many teams regularly pick multiple times in the seventh round. The Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh's former team, is well known for this. Those picks are often acquired through the league's compensatory pick formula or as throw-ins in trades.
They may seem inconsequential, but PFF's all-seventh-round team shows that there's value to be found at the end of the draft. It's a volume game. Most of those players will be off the roster in a few years, but you can find a gem every once in a while.
Just think of what it would mean for the Giants to have a player like Jaylen Watson, Jordan Mailata, or Rasheed Walker. These late-round stars have developed into full-time starters throughout their careers.
In throwing away the opportunities to make these picks, the Giants lose their chance at finding some of these gems.
Hopefully, Harbaugh will bring some of the Ravens' drafting DNA with him to New York. This change, however marginal it may seem, could make a major difference in the long-term construction of the Giants' roster.
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