What the Draft Told Us About John Harbaugh’s Real Plan for the Giants

The Giants have finally traded in their 'patchwork quilt' past for a cohesive vision

That's right, “Har-ball” is the identity that new head coach John Harbaugh envisioned for the New York Giants. It’s a notable development because, rather than letting the team identity develop organically, Harbaugh took a more proactive approach, devising a plan for how he wanted the team to look and then giving his input to general manager Joe Schoen to make it all come together.

“I think we have a bunch of Giants, figuratively and literally. We have guys that we really like that are going to make a difference,” Harbaugh said after the 2026 draft concluded.

“Clear vision is probably a good way to say it because we have a clear understanding of how each of these guys fits in.”

The Giants’ having had a vision of what they wanted in the past is something that, again, wasn’t always present. Prior head coaches spoke of wanting to be fast, physical, tough, disciplined, and winners.

But when it came to finding the pieces to bring those expectations to life, the Giants became more of a patchwork quilt than a cohesively blended work of art, where players complemented not just the scheme but also each other’s skill sets.

So what exactly do all the additions tell us about how Harbaugh sees this team?

A Bigger, Better Passing Game

Jan 28, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; American Team wide receiver Malachi Fields (0) of Notre Dame grabs a pass during American Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

We previously noted how the Giants, on offense, have gone with taller and more physical receivers to help second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart take his development to the next level, particularly on pass attempts of 20+ air yards.

The size and physicality of receivers will also matter in other areas. Last year, the Giants’ receiving target ranked 19th in the league in yards after the catch (1,767) according to data pulled from PFF, while the number of dropped passes (24) tied for 19th in the league.

Their reception percentage (64.2%) ranked 25th in the league, not a very promising looking stat, either.

By adding taller receivers like tight end Isaiah Likely and third-round draft pick Malachi Fields, the Giants now have guys with a larger catch radius who are capable of hauling in balls that aren’t necessarily on target.

Focus on the Defense’s Back End

Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood (8) at the Vol Walk before a NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on November 1, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The strength of the Giants’ defense the last two years has been its pass rush. But for as good as it’s been–New York’s average time to sack over the last two seasons is 3.65 seconds, 15th in the league–it can be a lot better.

One way to make it better is to improve the coverage on the back end by adding guys who can hold their coverage long enough for the front guys to penetrate and get to the quarterback.

Again, over the last two years, the Giants have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 67.1% of their pass attempts, 28th in the league, and a wild stat considering the Giants’ 84 sacks over that period have them tied for 13th over that span.

It also hasn’t helped that the Giants have managed only 14 interceptions over that same two-season span, which ranks 31st in the league. Thus, clearly, Harbaugh, when he looked at the defense, saw a glaring need to upgrade the back end to help get more out of the pass rush.

Improving the Running Game

Fullback Patrick Ricard | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Giants were rumored at the start of the offseason to be eyeing adding a power running back, be it Kenneth Walker III in free agency or Notre Dame’s Jermiyah Love in the draft, to the offense.

Neither came to fruition, as the Giants, realizing they weren’t just one player away from a Super Bowl run, not only declined to make a pitch for Walker, but they also didn’t add any veteran depth to the running backs room other than for fullback Patrick Ricard after Harbaugh insisted that he liked the running backs room as it was.

As for Love, the Cardinals grabbed the runner at No. 3 in the draft order, leaving people to wonder if he had fallen to the Giants, would they have taken him?

General manager Joe Schoen told reporters after the first round selection of Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese that Reese had been their highest-ranked non-quarterback on their board, so it’s certainly not a stretch to assume that Love may not have been as much of an option as some initially thought might be the case, even if he had been there.

What the Giants did instead was to address the blocking up front. Per TruMedia (via the Locked On Giants podcast) over the last two seasons, New York had just 17.7% of its rushing plays go for 10+ yards, 29th in the NFL, with 32.5% of its rushing plays going for zero or negative yardage.

Not surprisingly, the Giants, per Sports Info Solutions (SIS), ranked 30th against stacked boxes last year, posting a 40% success rate despite seeing a stacked box on just 34% of their rushing attempts. Getting stouter in run blocking, then, was a big priority for Big Blue.

By selecting Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa in the first round and then Illinois offensive lineman JC Davis in the sixth, the Giants took an all-important step toward upgrading the interior of their offensive line, which has been their weak spot.

More Athletic O-line

Apr 24, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants draft pick Francis Mauigoa poses for a photo during the introductory press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

Keeping with the offensive line topic, the Giants have also started to gravitate toward more athletic offensive linemen, which should help their screen game moving forward.

Last season, the Giants, according to SIS, ran screen passes on 10% of their pass plays, 12th in the league, but only had a 42% success rate, which was 23rd. Overall, on screen plays, the Giants also allowed a 17.6% pressure rate per PFF advanced metrics, which ranked 19th in the NFL.

Putting in place a more athletic offensive line, particularly in the interior, should help the 'Giants' rushing game do much more moving forward as they continue to evolve the offense into what Harbaugh, senior offensive assistant Greg Roman, and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy envision.

The Desired Result

Harbaugh inherited a Giants roster with a lot of talent, but no clear identity. After coming in and assessing what he had, he was able to put it all together and push for a roster that can be competitive in fulfilling the vision he has for the team.

The roster is still not a complete product–no roster gets completely fixed in one offseason. But there is certainly enough that’s been done to suggest this roster will be far more competitive than it has been in the last two seasons, now that it has an identity and a direction.

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