The 2026 NFL Draft is just hours away. Finally! The New York Giants, with two picks in the top 10 after trading Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, are hoping for a draft haul that will jump start the John Harbaugh era and catapult them toward contention in the NFC East.
Let’s review everything you need to know to be ready for the next three days.
The Giants have eight selections in the draft after the Lawrence trade:
Whenever I get asked what the Giants need most in the draft, my answer is that they need more difference-making players, regardless of position. That remains true.
While head coach John Harbaugh said the Giants don’t want to go to the draft buffet hungry, he also acknowledged that the Giants have needs and those will impact what they do over the next three days. Let’s look at those needs.
After the trade of Lawrence, this is the biggest need on the roster. The Giants also watched defensive tackles Rakeem Nunez-Roches and D.J. Davidson leave in free agency. They have had free agent vists recently from D.J. Reader, Bonito Jones, and Shelby Harris. The only signing, though, has been journeyman Sam Roberts.
Unfortunately, there are no defensive tackles considered worthy of being top 10 picks, and few considered to be all-around impact players. Still, at some point you have to expect the Giants to add one or more defensive tackles in the draft.
Below, links to Chris Pflum’s Prospect Profiles on several of the top defensive tackles:
McDonald is likely the best defensive tackle in the class, but he is considered a late-first to early-second round pick. Without a trade down with one of their first-round picks, likely No. 10, the Giants probably won’t be in position to draft him. He would be a major reach at No. 10.
The need here is probably bigger than the Giants want to admit, especially after all of the high draft capital GM Joe Schoen has invested into the position.
Malik Nabers, the 2024 first-round pick, is coming off a serious knee injury. His availability for the start of the 2025 season is in question.
Wan’Dale Robinson, the leading receiver in Nabers’ absence, signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
The Giants added Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin on one-year contracts, and still have Darius Slayton. All three of those players, though, may not be Giants after 2026. There is a need for high-level reinforcements, especially with a second-year quarterback the team is trying to build around.
There are, of course, also rumors that the Giants might sign Odell Beckham Jr. He, though, is a 33-year-old receiver with a long injury history who did not play last season. Expectations for what the Giants might be able to get from Beckham if he signs need to be tempered. He is not the answer to the team’s wide receiver need.
The Giants have been connected to wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson at the top of the draft, with attention focusing heavily on Tyson as the draft approaches.
If the Giants don’t land Tate or Tyson there should be some options available on Day 2.
The offensive line has been an almost constant issue for the Giants dating back to their last Super Bowl victory in the 2011 season. The 2025 line was better than most have been during that time, but Giants should understand by now that keeping a quality offensive line is always a moving target.
The Giants re-signed veteran right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, who had the best year of his career in 2025. They have yet to re-sign Greg Van Roten, who started at right guard the past two seasons. Left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and center John Michael Schmitz are in the final years of their contracts.
The Giants did sign Daniel Faalele, Lucas Patrick, Aaron Stinnie, Evan Neal, and Josh Ezeudu. All have started NFL games, with Faalele starting at right guard for Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens the past two seasons. Even though the Giants might be able to get by with they currently have for 2026, long-range planning demands that the Giants add some young talent to the interior of the offensive line to join Marcus Mbow and perhaps Jake Kubas.
Nominal No. 1 cornerback Paulson Adebo did not play up the level in 2025 that earned him a three-year, $54 million contract in free agency last offseason. The Giants lost cornerback Cor’Dale Flott in free agency after the 2022 third-round pick had a breakout season.