The New York Giants weren’t done after turning in their final selection of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Like the 31 other teams, the Giants immediately began working the phones to recruit rookies who weren’t drafted to sign as free agents. Scouts and coaches alike played on relationships formed during the draft process to lure rookie free agents to the Giants.
University of North Carolina cornerback Thaddeus Dixon was one of the first undrafted free agents to sign with the Giants, and also one of the most predictable. Dixon was coveted by the Giants, who brought him in for a ‘30’ visit back in early April. The Giants were one of just two teams to show such interest in Dixon, with the Los Angeles Chargers being the other.
The Giants guaranteed Dixon $282,500 for the 2026 season. That is a full year’s practice squad salary of $247,500 for a rookie, and a $35,000 signing bonus.
Dixon has had a winding road to the NFL, starting his college career as a JUCO player, spending 2021 and 2022 at Long Beach City College in Long Beach, California. From there he transferred to the University of Washington in 2023, and then to UNC for the 2025 season.
Dixon has solid size for the cornerback position at 6-foot, 195 pounds, with 31½-inch arms. He has light, quick feet, to go with the fluid hips that give him man-coverage upside. He’s an easy mover in space with a compact and efficient backpedal as well as the ability to transition from his backpedal to driving on the ball or running with little lost energy. He showed solid ball skills at the JUCO level, hauling in five interceptions in his two years at Long Beach City College. That production dipped at Washington, however he still had two interceptions and 16 passes defensed to go with 46 tackles (three for a loss) and a forced fumble. Dixon’s production slipped again at North Carolina, though he also only played in seven games and UNC as a whole struggled in Bill Belichick’s first season as head coach.
He did, however, have something of a rebound at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, where he was one of the top cover corners in attendance. Dixon was reportedly sharp in zone coverage as well as crisp in man coverage.
(As an aside, the Senior Bowl figured heavily into the Giants’ draft this year, with the team citing the performances of cornerback Colton Hood and wide receiver Malachi Fields as being factors. In addition to Dixon, Hood, and Fields, linebacker Jack Kelly and offensive lineman J.C. Davis both competed at the Senior Bowl.)
Dixon likely went undrafted for a couple reasons. From a traits perspective, while Dixon has an explosive lower body (39.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-5 broad jump), he has merely average speed on tape and there instances of him struggling to recover and run down offensive players if he’s initially beaten. He also missed five games with an upper-body injury after landing awkwardly while diving for an interception against Clemson. He then suffered a hamstring injury during the draft process and was unable to fully test at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
Perhaps more importantly, Dixon also comes with some off-field questions. He has, reportedly, been pulled over multiple times for speeding since transferring to UNC, and was also reportedly cited for reckless driving.
Dixon’s ‘30’ visit with the Giants was likely in part to check on his status after his hamstring injury, but also for the Giants’ coaches to get to know him. He was considered a draftable — and perhaps even mid-round — talent based on his on-field traits. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had a fifth-sixth-round grade on Dixon in his draft guide. Dixon has the potential to be a UDFA gem for the Giants if they can get the most out of him.
He’s a player to watch over the spring as the Giants work through their offseason program and into training camp and the preseason. His experience and upside as a man coverage corner could give him a shot at a roster spot.