The One Thing Giants Can’t Afford to Get Wrong in NFL Draft

With the 2026 NFL Draft kicking off tonight, the NY Giants have plenty of needs. But if they want to protect Jaxson Dart they must invest in the trenches.

New York Giants offensive line members break the huddle. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The one good thing about what the New York Giants have done ahead of this year’s NFL draft that gets underway in Pittsburgh Thursday night is that they have set themselves up to go in any number of directions to truly take the “best available” player.

But among the (as of now) eight draft picks Big Blue currently has, if there is one thing they cannot get wrong, that is addressing the trenches on the offensive side of the ball.

O-line not getting enough love

There has been much discussion about the Giants’ areas of weakness, including receiver, defensive line, and linebacker, and rightfully so given how the Giants' defense has not ranked in the top half of the league overall since 2020, when the unit finished 12th overall (349.3  yards per game) and tenth against the run (111.4 yards per game).

Defense aside, there hasn’t been much discussion about the team’s offensive line, which is the unit that, if the team wants to really ensure quarterback Jaxson Dart’s success for years to come, needs a little more love than it got in free agency.

The lack of discussion about the offensive line is likely tied to two things. First, the Giants seemed to strike gold when they decided to go the veteran route two years ago by bringing in Jon Runyan, Jermaine Eluemunor, and Greg Van Roten to a unit that already had left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz.

Those moves caused general manager Joe Schoen to declare “mission accomplished” as far as the upgrade of the offensive line.

The second factor is that New York was able to re-sign tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, who had been a free agent this offseason, to ensure that four-fifths of PFF’s fourth-best pass-blocking offensive line (87.6 pass-blocking efficiency rating) from the regular season last year.

However, a closer look at the data, via PFF, reveals that last year’s starting interior of Runyan, Schmitz, and Van Roten were directly responsible for 37.6% of the team’s pressure and 7.1% of their sacks.

Giants need to stock up on O-linemen

For the time being, the Giants are sticking to the script of rolling with a veteran offensive line group. Schoen added Daniel Faalele, who projects as the starting right guard over the still unsigned Van Roten, and  Lucas Patrick, who fills the Austin Schlottmann role as the backup guard and center.

They also brought back Evan Neal, Joshua Ezeudu, and Aaron Stinnie for Harbaugh and new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren to have a better look at.

That, however, is not enough, not when one looks down the line and sees how most of the entire interior offensive line, including the starters, are only signed through this season.

This is why the Giants MUST address the offensive line early and often. New York has often been guilty of not ensuring their cupboard is stocked with sufficient young depth in development to where when there is an opening, the drop off at any given position isn’t as catastrophic.  

If that doesn't change, the Giants better hope that their projected starting veteran line finds a magic potion that keeps them healthy this year.  

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