Giants Rookie Progress Report: How Every Pick Performed This Spring

The New York Giants rookies got their first full taste of NFL-style practices, a mix of intense classroom work and on-field reps during which they demonstrated to the coaching staff how well they retained the information and what still needs to be addressed.

So how did Big Blue’s Class of 2026 fare this spring? Let’s run down the list.

LB Arvell Reese

Reese automatically steps into a starting role alongside veteran Tremaine Edmunds at the inside linebacker spot. The rookie lined up at the weakside linebacker position and was active, at times bursting into the backfield to cause disruption.

“Arvell has been amazing,” outside linebacker Brian Burns said. “I always speak to when he said he wants to be seen, not heard. And he's embodying that every day.

“He don't speak out too much, don't talk back or nothing like that. He just does what he's told, works hard, and it’s showing up on the film, and he's earning the respect of the older guys for sure. I really appreciate him coming in like that.”

G Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa

Also a lock for a starting job, Mauigoa worked at right guard and has been a typical rookie filled with questions and enthusiasm for the challenges ahead of him.

“He just wants to learn,” said offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, who lines up alongside Mauigoa on the starting unit.

“He asks a bunch of questions. He’ll watch film, he'll ask me a question, and he’ll ask for my opinion and be talking to (left guard Jon) Runyan and (center John Michael) Schmitz, but he’s also a really confident guy. Also, a really hard worker and doesn't take BS from anyone.”

Eluemunor shared that Mauigoa, who famously pledged that he was “ready to die” to protect Jaxson Dart, has already shown that he’s not afraid to go against the very best.

“A lot of the time when me and (outside linebacker Brian) Burns are going at it and he’s sliding out to him, he’s not afraid to get in Burns face or get in (outside linebacker) Abdul’s (Carter) face,” he said.

“He lets them know that when we put pads on and, like, if it were a game, he would be waiting for him right there, waiting for him to spin back inside so he can smack him. It's like that young-guy energy that you kind of feed off.”

Offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren said that Mauigoa’s biggest challenge is adjusting to the faster speed of playing inside at guard but that with repetition, the rookie will adjust.

“Repetition is the mother of all learning. And how many reps can we get to get you so comfortable?” Bloomgren said.

“The nice thing is he did take guard reps. He did take center reps at Miami. So it's not his first rodeo, but obviously this is a pretty big stage for it.”

CB Colton Hood

It’s been a bit of a slow go for Hood, the team’s second-round pick who missed at least one practice that was open to the media this spring due to an undisclosed reason. Hood, in fact, hasn’t seen as many first-team reps as one might have thought would be the case.

But that doesn’t mean that the rookie is all that far behind.

“He's doing a great job for us. He's intelligent. He looks like he has all the skill sets there,” said Gints defensive backs coach Addison Lynch of Hood.

“He is just getting the nuances of playing in the NFL against some of these vet receivers, the different moves, the different splits. But he's right where we want him.”

Lynch echoed what head coach John Harbaugh said after Hood was drafted: the rookie is expected to compete for a starting job.

"Everybody's competing for their role. So it's gonna be good,” Lynch said.

WR Malachi Fields

The Giants have some sorting out to do at the receiver spot as far as what the depth chart looks like, but rookie Malachi Fields has certainly made a strong push so far for a healthy dose of game snaps.

Fields, a jump-ball specialist, put his height and physicality on display this spring, expertly boxing out defenders on intermediate and deep passes.

The other thing that Fields brings to the table, though not necessarily on display during spring practices given their non-contact nature, is his downfield blocking ability for the running game.

“I definitely think I was someone who always wanted to be a part of going and getting a block, covering up a guy in the backfield,” Fields said.

“Those dudes do the same thing in pass protection. They pick up the blitzing linebackers and stick their nose in there. I can only return the favor when they have the ball in their hands.

DL Bobby Jamison-Travis

Jamison-Travis, the first of the team’s three sixth-round picks, primarily worked with the third-team defensive line.

While not unexpected, it was still something of a surprise that he didn’t, at the very least, get second-team reps, especially once Roy Robertson-Harris went down with an Achilles injury and Shelby Harris was either missing from the practices or didn’t do much in the team drills.

One thing Jamison-Travis has taken to is getting his hands up when he’s been stonewalled. In fact, that appears to have been a point of reference for the Giants defenders. Last season, the Giants finished with 16 batted balls, tying them for the fourth-most according to PFF data.

It would, obviously, be better if the defensive front could get to the quarterback, which they did 182 times, according to PFF (eighth-most last year). But that said, getting their hands up and knocking down passes is no small consolation prize, and it’s something Jamison-Travis did at Auburn, where last season he tied for 10th most batted balls at the line of scrimmage with two.

OL J.C. Davis

Rarely does a Day 3 offensive lineman blossom into a major contributor as a rookie, and J.C. Davis, the second of the Giants’ three sixth-round picks, doesn’t appear likely to break that trend.

But the thing to like about Davis, who was primarily a left tackle at Illinois, is his versatility, as he could play any position along the offensive line except center.

Therein lies the objective for Davis and the Giants: to figure out where his best position is going to be at this level.

Harbaugh said after the draft that Davis could play guard and tackle, but the young man is probably still a year away from being ready for that kind of duty at the NFL level.

LB Jack Kelly

Kelly might just be the surprise of the draft class. Already he’s being penciled in as a core special-teamer, but during the spring he was clearly ahead of veteran Darius Muasau on the depth chart, Kelly getting reps with the second-team defense, where he was paired with Micah McFadden.

Kelly has already demonstrated a nonstop motor on the field, which, while not a bad thing, is also something to watch for, as younger players can sometimes be a little too amped out there, which can lead to excessive aggressiveness.

To be clear, Kelly hasn’t demonstrated that as an issue this spring, instead having made a handful of smart plays, particularly against the run.

When the time comes, though, don’t be surprised if Kelly gets a few snaps with the defense in addition to his anticipated heavy special teams load.

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