2026 NFL Scouting Combine Preview: Dawn of a New Giants' Era

The New York Giants are set to overhaul their franchise-building approach, a long-overdue update.

Gone are the days of the general manager having the final say over the roster, and gone are some outdated salary cap practices in which the Giants, for whatever reason, have been reluctant to take advantage of all the mechanisms available to optimize salary cap dollars.

New head coach John Harbaugh made sure of that being the case when he finalized the details of his new five-year contract with the team.

In Harbaugh, the Giants finally appear to have a head coach who not only knows what a winning program should look like, but also has a track record of success in building one.

That’s undoubtedly why the Giants team ownership threw all of the keys in the 63-year-old Harbaugh’s direction, playing their full trust in him to fix a Giants roster that in 2025 wasn’t horrible, but which was also not fully optimized.

Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen skipped the college All-Star games to focus on building Harbaugh’s 20+ member assistant coaching staff.

So this trip to Indianapolis for the annual NFL combine will offer Harbaugh his first in-person look at some of the top draft prospects who could, in a couple of months, find themselves as Giants.

With the combine underway, the official start of the offseason arrives. It’s hopefully going to be a productive one for the Giants, so let’s get into it.

2025 Season in Review

New York Giants TE Theo Johnson's reaction after a loss to the Detroit Lions sums up how most felt about the 2025 season. — New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson's reaction after a loss to the Detroit Lions sums up how most felt about the 2025 season. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

We can sit here and shout it from the rooftop that the Giants' 2025 roster wasn’t that bad.

Still, at the end of the day, the results told a different story: the Giants only managed one more win in 2025 than the year prior, and two of their four wins came against teams at the end of the season who appeared to be tanking.

The 2025 Giants weren’t helped by season-ending injuries to key players, including receiver Malik Nabers, running back Cam Skattebo, and inside linebacker Micah McFadden.

Dexter Lawrence also struggled with injuries, reducing his impact. And who among the Giants marquee free agents--cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, to name a couple--packed a punch in their first season as Giants?

There were disappointments in the player development area when guys like receiver Jalin Hyatt, offensive lineman Evan Neal, cornerback Deonte Banks, and a string of linebackers, just to name a few, didn’t make the impact that the team was hoping to see.

But nestled within the disappointment were a few bright spots, most notably the young foundation that includes Nabers, Skattebo, quarterback JAxson Dart, left tackle Andrew Thomas, tight end Theo Johnson, running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., and defensive lineman Darius Alexander, among others.

The pieces are clearly there, and while they need a few more added to the mix, what they really need is for a coaching staff to really pull them all together and shape that lump of clay into a budding masterpiece.

That’s where Harbaugh and his highly experienced assistant coaching staff come into play. There should be no more taking a chance at letting things develop organically and seeing what comes of it.

This staff has a plan, and with the right additions and shrewd moves, the Giants can become the next Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, or New England Patriots—teams that turned things around with new coaching staffs.

2026 Draft Position

The 2026 NFL Draft logo | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For the ninth time since 2015, the Giants hold a spot in the top 10 of the draft order, showing how far the franchise is removed from its glory years.

Sadly, despite a premium pick, the Giants haven’t improved, posting just two winning seasons (2016 and 2022) in that span.

So here the Giants stand again with yet another top 5 draft pick, this year making it the second of general manager Joe Schoen’s tenure; the Giants’ first pick has fallen in the top five (note: they drafted sixth overall in 2024).

Unlike past years under Schoen, when the Giants had at least three picks in the top 100, this year they have only two: No. 5 and No. 37. They traded last year’s third-round pick to move up for quarterback Jaxson Dart.

Unlike in past years under Schoen, the Giants won’t have comp picks to rely on, so if they want to acquire more picks, they will have to explore trades.

Overall, here is where the Giants' draft picks currently stand for 2026:

Round 1, No. 5
Round 2, No. 37
Round 4, No. 105
Round 5, No. 143
Round 6, No. 185
Round 6, No. 191 (from Miami)
Round 6, No. 192 (from Dallas)

Help Wanted/Needed

A four-win team could theoretically use help across the board, but since it’s rare that a team attempting to reload can address all of its needs, let’s zero in on the most pressing areas, starting up front.

Offensive Line

The Giants are paper-thin on the interior. Guards Aaron Stinnie, Greg Van Roten, Evan Neal, Josh Ezeudu, and Austin Schlottmann are all set to hit free agency.

The Giants' interior offensive line has been a sore spot the last two seasons. Last year, the guards and centers allowed 75 total pressures. So don’t be surprised if they make a major push to beef up that interior while also looking to add some developmental young depth at tackle.

Cornerback

The Giants hoped to land a CB1 when they selected Deonte Banks in the first round of the 2023 draft, but that hasn’t panned out. They tried again with signing unrestricted free agent Paulson Adebo in free agency last year, but that, too, hasn’t materialized.

Adebo’s 92.1 NFL coverage rating ranks 34th out of 69 cornerbacks who had a minimum of 400 coverage snaps last year, and his five pass breakups were less than what pending UFA Cor’Dale Flott recorded. Granted, Adebo was injured, but when he was in there, one didn’t exactly think of a CB1 while watching his game.

Linebacker

Micah McFadden is an unrestricted free agent coming off an injury, and Bobby Okereke is a possible cap cut. This is a deep class at linebacker, and a staple of a John Harbaugh team has always been a solid man in the middle.

Tight End

The Ravens under Harbaugh practically lived in 12 personnel on offense. With only Theo Johnson and Thomas Fidone under contract for 2026, the Giants will definitely be adding to this position–the question is whether it will be in free agency or the draft, the latter of which is said to have some very good prospects.

Receiver

Malik Nabers will return from his torn ACL, though it may take time before he regains his rookie form. Meanwhile, Wan’Dale Robinson could prove too expensive for the Giants, and Jalin Hyatt hasn’t worked out, so the Giants still need help at this spot.

Who Makes The Call and Recent Draft Hits and Misses

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach John Harbaugh will be the key voices in the team's war room, with Harbaugh's voice reportedly carrying more weight. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

For the first time in years, the Giants' general manager will reportedly not have the final say over who makes the final call on draft day.

That responsibility will presumably fall on head coach John Harbaugh’s shoulders. The coach is expected to consider the various opinions of those in the team’s war room.

Schoen, in the four seasons he’s called the shots on draft day, has had a mixed bag. He’s done reasonably well with the later rounds, but when it comes to the first three rounds, where a team should have its starters and key role players, the results have been up and down.

In the first round, Abdul Carter (OLB), Jaxson Dart (QB), Malik Nabers (WR), and Kayvon Thibodeaux (OLB) have been hits. Deonte Banks (CB) and Evan Neal (OT) have been whiffs.

Defensive tackle, safety Tyler Nubin, and center John Michael Schmitz have flashed, but need to be more consistent.

Receiver Wan’Dale Robinson has gotten better each year since returning from a torn ACL as a rookie, but it’s fair to wonder if his 2025 production, in which he hit 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, is sustainable.

The third round has been another case of hit-and-miss. Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott has arguably been the best of the team’s third-round picks under Schoen.

Defensive lineman Darius Alexander has shown promise, as has slot cornerback Dru Phillios, but the jury is still out on both. Receiver Jalin Hyatt and offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu have both been unable to pan out for the team.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Or send us a question for our weekly Saturday morning mailbag.

Final Thoughts

The advent of the John Harbaugh era has infused the Giants organization with much-needed excitement after it has lost its way over the last decade-plus.

Being an experienced head coach, Harbaugh knows what a winning team looks like, what he wants in a team identity, and most importantly, how to make it all happen.

Certainly, any changes to roster-building philosophies can’t hurt, given the league's evolution and what’s necessary to consistently remain at the top, which is why this offseason's roster-building process is going to be one of the most exciting in years for the Giants.