5 Combine Questions that Will Shape the Giants Draft Board

There is no doubt that the New York Giants' 2026 NFL Draft big board is already taking shape under new head coach John Harbaugh, as he looks to build a team with the identity he believes will get them back into the playoffs.

There is also no doubt that their board will adjust based on what happens over the upcoming week spent in Indianapolis, the site of the annual combine.

There are many questions going into the week, and the answers will start to crystallize as the Giants' braintrust figures out how to elevate a roster that won only 4 games last year. Here are some of the more pressing ones

Question 1: How many X-receivers emerge as elite talents?

Many believe that the Giants are interested in adding another high-level receiver through the draft. But do they want to use the fifth overall pick on a receiver only two years after drafting Malik Nabers to be their top receiver?

That would be a lot of draft capital spent on two players at a luxury position. That said, the reason such a move would make sense is that the Giants don't just need any high-level receiver; they need a high-level receiver who can play the X.

They need a pass catcher who stands 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4 and weighs 200+ pounds, with the speed and physicality to free up Nabers once he returns from his ACL injury and rehab.

Adding such a depth piece would let Nabers play in a similar fashion as when he had Wan'Dale Robinson lining up next to him.

That being said, the Giants may feel comfortable passing on a receiver at pick five, but only if the combine reveals enough big, athletic receivers to fill the role in later rounds.

Question 2: Other than Caleb Downs, which safeties will show they have the athleticism to be playmakers at the next level?

The Giants' secondary has underperformed, especially given past investments and free-agent losses.

There is no Julian Love or Xavier McKinney. The remaining safeties can fill specific roles, but aren’t the all-purpose players the Giants are used to.

Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is widely viewed as special, but he isn’t the only highly capable safety in this draft.

The combine testing can expose other highly capable safeties and give the Giants the confidence they need to pass on taking Downs at No. 5 overall and instead fill the pick with a player at another position.

Question 3: How many inside linebackers exhibit the athleticism to be every-down players?

If the “evaluation bowl season” is any indication, there are a lot of inside linebackers who could fill the need for the Giants. Regardless of whether the Giants retain Bobby Okereke or re-sign Micah McFadden, the team needs to add a linebacker with size, sideline-to-sideline speed, and coverage ability.

Even if the Giants don’t draft a linebacker in the first round, depending on what the testing reveals, perhaps they will feel comfortable in selecting one later in the draft if enough prospects show three-down ability.

Question 4: Are there more high-level offensive guards or offensive tackles that emerge?

The Giants have decisions to make about starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and starting right guard Greg Van Roten, both of whom will be unrestricted free agents. They might even be considering running it back another year with starting left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and starting center John Michael Schmitz.

We know that priority is typically given to offensive tackles in the first round of the draft. While we have seen several tackles go off the board in the first round, the Giants may consider pulling the trigger on an elite-level tackle if one remains available in the second round.

What is certain is that the more offensive tackles fall, the more high-end, elite-level offensive guards will be available to draft on Days 2 and 3. The Giants' brass may look to pounce at that time.

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.

Question 5: How deep does the list of cornerbacks with elite speed go?

If the Giants are looking to add defensive backs on the perimeter, the question might be just how long they can wait to add a cornerback with the size and speed they tend to covet at the position.

There are a lot of intriguing prospects, but as always, the clock will hurt or help many of them. The Giants may feel better about taking later-round corners with athletic upside, or even taking corners they believe in who dropped because they did not run well at the combine.

Those issues arrive all the time. Cor’Dale Flott was a third-round selection and is now set up for a nice payday from the Giants or another organization willing to pay for a long, athletic corner. If they do lose him, what is the plan to replace him?