Less than 10 days remain until Arvell Reese, Francis Mauigoa, and the New York Giants’ seven-man draft class officially begin their NFL careers.
Barring disaster, Reese and Mauigoa will respectively start at linebacker and right guard against the Cowboys next Sunday. But what about the rest of the Giants’ rookies? Are we about to see Malachi Fields emerge as the NFL’s next star young receiver?
For this list, we’re keeping things simple. We’ll look at each player's expected role in 2026 and how much they'll see the field. We’ve listed each player in order based on where they were drafted.
Round 1, Pick 5: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
Reese is one of two Giants rookies working through a position change, having moved to linebacker after playing edge at Ohio State. As you’d expect from a No. 5 pick, he’s expected to start and play most of the defensive reps in Week 1.
Prediction: His final numbers won’t jump off the page, but Reese has a solid rookie season and erases the concerns about his position change. He earns some down-ballot Defensive Rookie of the Year votes, though he flies under the radar compared to the Jets’ David Bailey and the Commanders’ Sonny Styles.
Round 1, Pick 10: Francis Mauigoa, G, Miami
Mauigoa almost exclusively played right tackle at Miami, though he’s since shifted to right guard. He’s the only newcomer on the Giants’ starting offensive line, and he handled himself well during the preseason.
Prediction: Mauigoa looks right at home on the interior and quickly turns heads. By the time December rolls around, he’ll be considered arguably the Giants’ best rookie.
Round 2, Pick 37: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Deonte Banks’ unexpected resurgence makes it easy to forget about Hood, and the depth chart will reflect it. To his credit, Hood gave it his all in competing for a starting role this summer.
Prediction: Hood works his way into the defensive back rotation, though not to the extent we may have expected entering training camp. Fans will spend the offseason divided on whether he’ll contribute in 2027.
Round 3, Pick 74: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
By now, you know the story with the Giants’ receiver corps. Fields and Malik Nabers were always considered the two locks to make the 53-man roster, and he caught a touchdown from Jaxson Dart in the preseason opener.
Prediction: Fields finishes third among Giants receivers in catches and receiving yards, though the caveat is that much of the Giants’ passing game revolves around Nabers, Isaiah Likely, and Theo Johnson. Although he flashes as a rookie, Fields’ presence doesn’t stop the Giants from using a Day 2 draft pick on a receiver next spring.
Round 6, Pick 186: Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn
Remember when speculation mounted about Jamison-Travis earning additional snaps following Roy Robertson-Harris’ season-ending Achilles tendon injury? The sixth-round rookie was instead a non-factor throughout training camp and the three-game exhibition slate.
Prediction: Jamison-Travis is typically a gameday scratch, even if the Giants need another defensive lineman. He enters next summer on the roster bubble.
Round 6, Pick 192: J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois
We’re not talking about Davis as a Week 1 starter, which means that all went well this summer. No offense to the former Illinois standout, of course. But when the offensive line returns four of five starters, you don’t want to hear much about a projected backup.
Prediction: Unlike Jamison-Travis, we’ll see Davis dress as a backup. The only way he sees regular playing time is if the injury-prone Andrew Thomas lives up to his reputation.
Round 6, Pick 193: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
Draft analysts touted Kelly as a sixth-round steal, and he’s made the most of his brief time in New York. He’s a former All-Big 12 linebacker who regularly found himself in the backfield, recording 43.5 tackles for loss, 31.5 sacks, and nine forced fumbles in 53 games at BYU and FCS Weber State.
Prediction: Kelly primarily plays special teams and quickly becomes a fan favorite, as hard-hitting gunners often do. He gains traction as a potential breakout candidate for 2027.
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