The New York Giants might be in the middle of a 7-27 stretch over the past two seasons, but you couldn't tell by the vibes of the early offseason.
I guess that's what happens when you upgrade from Brian Daboll to John Harbaugh. Seriously, since Harbs took over as the head coach, it's been one smart decision after another. The staff he's building out packs some serious punch, making it easy to imagine how the rest of the offseason, particularly the draft, is going to go.
The G-Men are armed with the fifth pick in the 2026 Draft after blowing their chances at the No. 1 spot by winning their last two games. While it felt like the end of the world at the time, the dust has settled and now it's excitement over who general manager Joe Schoen and Harbs take at five over anything else.
Will they draft an offensive lineman or a wide receiver to help their second-year quarterback, Jaxson Dart? Or will they shock everyone and go defense? Maybe a kicker? Alright, definitely not a kicker. But while Giants fans wait anxiously for April to come around, here are some names they should keep an eye out for.
Giants' fifth-overall pick is playing mock draft four-way tug-of-war
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) - CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
"The Giants could add a receiver later in the draft -- it's a deep class at the position -- but Delane would immediately be their most talented cornerback." - Daniel Jeremiah's analysis
Jeremiah clearly understands the G-Men, specifically Dart, need receiver help. However, he thinks the wideout class is deep, and any time you can get the top player at their position (at a premier position), you send it. Plus, Harby has selected a defensive back in the first round in three of his past four drafts, so I guess you could call it trendy.
Related: Prominent NFL insider just read John Harbaugh’s mind in latest mock draft
Mansoor Delane is the best cornerback prospect in the draft, and it's not relatively close. He's a press corner, which is perfect for Dennard Wilson's aggressive system. He's not the biggest (6-foot, 190 pounds), but what he lacks in size he makes up for with high football IQ and elite-level ball skills.
Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN) - WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
"Taking a first-round wide receiver wouldn't be new to recently hired coachJohn Harbaugh; in Baltimore, he used four Day 1 picks starting in 2015 on the position (Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Hollywood Brown and Breshad Perriman). ... Tate would bring fantastic route running and reliable hands to MetLife Stadium." - Mel Kiper Jr.'s analysis
Kiper went a couple different places in his analysis, but his main talking points were:
- John Harbaugh has drafted four receivers in the first round as HC
- Dart needs help -- he can't solely rely on Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo coming back from injury
- Carnell Tate is a pretty darn good receiver
This isn't the first time Tate has been mocked to the Giants, and it won't be the last. He's got a great frame (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), and the production (51 catches, 875 yards, nine scores) to back up the pedigree. The 21-year-old is a natural ball-tracker with polished route-running abilities.
He'd be a terrific complement to Leek.
Blake Brockermeyer (CBS Sports) - OT Spencer Fano, Utah
"Spencer Fano plays with good technique and excellent feet, and I believe he can handle either tackle spot. He didn't allow a sack this season and gave up only six hurries. His best days are still ahead, but I like his power at the point, his ability to move people in the run game and the athleticism to pull and clear defenders at the second level." - Blake Brockermeyer's analysis
Harby and Schoen would need to believe Fano is one heck of a right tackle if they're selecting him fifth overall, because he's certainly not playing left... unless worst-case scenario happens. Andrew Thomas holds down the blindside, leaving Dart's right side open.
Currently occupied by upcoming free agent Jermaine Eluemunor, bringing in the Utah mauler makes the pill of losing the 31-year-old a lot easier to swallow. The 6-foot-6, 308-pounder is an athletic freak for his size. He's got some quick feet and uses a sturdy, wide base to push defenders into the second level.
Dalton Wasserman (PFF) - WR Jordyn Tyson - Arizona State
Wan'Dale Robinson is slated to hit free agency after recording his first 1,000-yard season, leaving the Giants in need of another dynamic weapon to pair with Malik Naberson the outside. Jordyn Tyson brings some injury concerns, but he has posted a receiving grade of at least 83.0 in each of his past two seasons at Arizona State." - Dalton Wasserman's analysis
Wasserman's assessment is rooted a bit more in analytics, but what else would you expect from Pro Football Focus? Regardless, Tyson is a very intriguing option. Not only is he arguably the best technical WR prospect of the draft, but he was also Skattebo's former teammate at ASU, which is freaking awesome.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver wins big with his exceptional separation and body-control abilities. It's what's helped him catch 136 passes for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Similar to Tate, Tyson's name comes up frequently in mocks.
So folks, there you have it, Big Blue Nation. Four major publications. Four completely different prospects. It's anyone's guess what the Giants will do when their name is called come April, but with such great options for them to choose from, dare I say it almost feels impossible for them to screw it up.