With the Giants picking inside linebacker Arvell Reese (fifth) and offensive guard Francis Mauigoa (10th) on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, let’s take a look at the winners and losers from these selections.
Reese also has outside linebacker potential, but the Giants are already well stocked there. And Mauigoa mostly played right tackle at Miami, but the Giants just re-signed right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
• Greg Newsome and Paulson Adebo: John Harbaugh passed on cornerback Mansoor Delane at No. 5 and saw him go sixth to the Chiefs (who traded up three spots). So for now, Newsome and Adebo remain the Giants’ starting outside corners. Not an inspiring duo.
• Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin: The Giants still have major questions in their secondary, with Newsome and Adebo, plus these two safeties. Caleb Downs was widely speculated to be the Giants’ pick at No. 5. Instead, they passed on him twice and saw him go 11th to the Cowboys, who moved up one spot. An interesting decision there by Harbaugh.
• Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy: So much for Harbaugh spending big this offseason on Kenneth Walker or drafting Jeremiyah Love at No. 5. Neither happened, as Love went third to Arizona on Thursday. So Skattebo and Tracy remain the Giants’ running back duo. Plus, this tandem got some blocking help with the addition of Mauigoa — presuming, that is, he can capably slot in as the Week 1 starting right guard.
• Micah McFadden: He isn’t a proven starter. But now, he definitely will not get the chance to start next to the newly signed Tremaine Edmunds in Harbaugh’s first Giants defense. Harbaugh picking Reese bumped McFadden down the depth chart, as he returns on a one-year contract after missing almost all of 2025 with a foot injury.
• Malik Nabers: The Giants’ star wide receiver was not happy about seeing his team pass on Downs — and then watching him head to Dallas. Nabers will now have to deal with Downs twice per season, instead of having him bolster the Giants’ defense.
Plus, the underwhelming Darius Slayton remains the Giants’ top outside receiver opposite Nabers, though that could change Friday night with the 37th pick. Carnell Tate went fourth on Thursday and then Harbaugh passed on Jordyn Tyson at No. 5 to take Reese. Tyson went eighth.
Makai Lemon, KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper were the other first-round receivers. The Giants need someone to help draw coverage attention away from Nabers, now that Wan’Dale Robinson is with the Titans.
• Daniel Faalele: He will never get a shot to be the Giants’ right guard, now that Mauigoa has arrived. It’s worth noting that Mauigoa played just 10 total guard snaps in college — all at right guard in 2025. Faalele, one of Harbaugh’s old Baltimore’s pals, briefly sat atop the Giants’ offseason right guard depth chart. Now, that job belongs to Mauigoa.
John Harbaugh must end this tiresome NFL Draft cycle for the Giants | Politi
Giants’ Day 2 blueprint: Best available NFL draft prospects to fill biggest needs
NFL Mock Draft Round 2: Eagles give Vic Fangio a chess piece; Giants land DB to replace bust
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.