The 2026 college football season is just around the corner, and with it comes Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List” on The Athletic. Feldman scours the college ranks to find the freakiest athletes in the country, giving us a handy watch list for the coming season.
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh might himself be a “Freaks List” reader. He said earlier this year that athletic traits are important to him.
“They have to have — to be successful as a football player, you have to have certain traits,”
he said. “So being big is a trait, being long is a trait, being athletic is a trait. Being physical, having strong hands, those are traits. Being fast is a trait. Being able to change direction, being fluid, being extremely coordinated. Some people just have a knack, you can say. Add athleticism to that as well.”
As things stand now, we’re anticipating that the Giants could have pressing needs at wide receiver, defensive tackle, defensive back, and interior offensive line next year.
Of course, needs today might not be needs in a month, but with the college season approaching, we can use the Freaks List as a good guide of players to watch.
Wide receivers
The Giants wide receivers are pretty big question mark going forward. We hope that Malik Nabers can build off of his rookie season and that Malachi Fields can prove the Senior Bowl hot takes that he’s a Top 5 receiver correct. However, most of the Giants’ receiving corps is on one-year deals, and the team could look to a freakish athletic talent around Jaxson Dart.
As it so happens, this looks like it could be an amazing year for wide receivers.
Nyck Harbor (WR, South Carolina) – No. 1 Freak
We just can’t quit Nyck Harbor… But when a guy is as unique an athlete as Harbor, it’s understandable. This is his third time topping Feldman’s Freaks List in four years.
And he could be high on the Giants’ radar this year. As great as Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith could be (and he’s the No.2 Freak), the Giants shouldn’t want to be in position to draft him in April. Harbor, on the other hand, could in the conversation for the Giants anywhere on the first two days.
To be this big and this blazing fast is truly rare. NFL scouts who came through Columbia this offseason measured him at 6-foot-6, 243 pounds with over 35-inch arms. His wingspan is 82 1/2 inches. He ran a 10.1 in the 100 and 20.20 in the 200 for the Gamecocks track team, where he’s competing in the NCAAs against runners 60 and 70 pounds lighter than him.
Harbor, who just turned 21 in July, has continued to blossom as a receiver. He caught 30 passes last season for a team-leading 618 yards and six TDs. His 20.6 yards per reception ranked third in school history. He finished the season with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games — the first of his career — against Texas A&M and Clemson.
KJ Duff (WR, Rutgers) – No. 12 Freak
A local boy and an under-the-radar prospect at this point. Duff is right in the Giants’ back yard, and he has unique size as well as an impressive sophomore season in 2025.
One of the most impressive players the Scarlet Knights have ever had, the 6-6, 225-pounder is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he made 60 catches for 1,084 yards and seven TDs. He also led the country with 22 contested catches, according to PFF. This summer, Duff ran a 4.16 shuttle time, which backed up some impressive agility. He did a 10-3 broad jump.
Duff’s is definitely a name to keep an eye on for the Giants, and a second 1,000-yard season could have him rising up draft boards in the spring.
Ryan Coleman-Williams (WR, Alabama) – No. 38 Freak
Coleman-Williams absolutely exploded onto the scene as a 17-year old Freshman, but he had a sophomore slump last year. He also lacks the absurd size of Harbor or Duff, but he’s still an incredible athlete in his own right.
He has some similarities in his game and frame with Malik Nabers. That could be a mark in his favor if the Giants want to double down on that skill set.
By all accounts, he’s had a fantastic offseason and seems primed for a big season. He’s up to 185 pounds on his 6-0 frame after arriving in Tuscaloosa at 160. He improved his squat to 465 and his power clean to 295. His jump numbers are elite (44-inch vertical, an 11-2 broad jump) and he hit 23.1 mph on the GPS.
Defensive line
The defensive line could be a real need in 2027 and beyond. Even if Darius Alexander and Bobby Jamison-Travis step up in 2026, the Giants could be well-served to add to their line in next year’s draft.
A’Mauri Washington (iDL, Oregon) – No. 3 Freak
Washington caught my eye in a big way last year, and he was one of the first players I featured in this year’s Summer Scouting. Washington is a massive nose tackle with explosive power and surprising movement skills for his frame.
He came in at No. 4 last year and went on to have a strong season for the Ducks, making a career-high 33 tackles with 4.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 22 pressures and eight passes broken up, which tied for most among all FBS D-linemen. This offseason, Washington trimmed down to 327 pounds from 338 and clocked a 20.7 mph. In addition, he vertical jumped 35 inches, did a back squat with 765 pounds and power cleaned 365. He also did a Hatfield squat with 855 pounds for two reps, video of which went viral.
“We limited even how much A’Mauri can squat now,” coach Dan Lanning told The Athletic in late July. “He can probably squat more than we’re even putting on the bar. He’s strong enough.”
Washington could be in the conversation for the first defensive tackle off the board, but this also looks like a good year for defensive linemen. He certainly bears watching as a long-term successor to Dexter Lawrence.
Junior Poyser (DT, Wisconsin) – No. 46 Freak
I’ll freely admit that I didn’t watch Poyser last year at Buffalo, but I’ll definitely be paying attention this year at Wisconsin. He has a squatty frame, but his short shuttle and lower-body power are promising. Even if he doesn’t put up numbers behind the line of scrimmage, he has the potential to be stout at the point of attack.
The Ontario native made third-team All-MAC last year at Buffalo after recording 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks. At 6-2, 325, Poyser moves surprisingly well. He ran a 4.55 shuttle time this summer, which would’ve been the fastest among defensive tackles at the 2026 NFL combine. He also vertical jumped 31 inches, broad jumped 9-0 and did 30 reps on the bench with 225, which would’ve tied for second at the combine among DTs.
Defensive back
The Giants might be deeper than anticipated in the defensive secondary this year if Tae Banks, Greg Newsome, Colton Hood, Ar’Darius Washington, and Tyler Nubin all hit this year. However, Banks, Newsome, and Washington are all on one-year contracts, while Dru Phillips, Nubin, and Jevon Holland are all free agents after this year.
The Giants should probably pay attention to both the safeties and corners this year.
Brenten “Inky” Jones (DB, OSU) – No. 29 Freak
Jones is a former walk-on who was brought to Fields’ attention by Jeremiah Smith and Sonny Styles. If freaks like that are singing your praises, you have to be a special athlete. We’ll have to see what kind of role Jones has, but his special teams upside should catch the Giants’ attention at any rate.
The Buckeyes have walk-ons who are Freaks. Last summer, both Jeremiah Smith and Sonny Styles stumped for Inky to be on this list. And with the numbers this guy keeps putting up, he definitely belongs on here. At 6-2, 216 pounds, Jones is a giant corner and gunner on special teams. He is a product of the Buckeyes program. His top end speed is 23.52 mph. Jones, a standout basketball player in high school who set his school’s record in the 400, broad jumped 11 feet this offseason and clocked a 1.47 10-yard split. He bench pressed 385 pounds and squatted 555.
He might also have upside as a convert to the “STAR” corner/safety hybrid position.
Dylan Robinson (CB, Washington) – No. 68 Freak
Robinson is a first-year starter this year and has uncommon size for a cornerback. The Giants want to run a match quarters defense featuring aggressive press-man coverage pattern matching coverage rules (essentially turning zone coverage into press-man in certain circumstances). Robinson has the length to be a press-man corner, but the question is whether he has the movement skills.
The 6-3, 210-pound Robinson, a terrific high school sprinter who started five games as a freshman, made his first start in place of Tacario Davis against Ohio State’s spectacular group of receivers and held up well. This offseason, he clocked 23 mph on the GPS to go with a 38-inch vertical jump, a 10-3 broad jump, a 500-pound squat, a 345-pound bench and a 315 clean.
Offensive line
The Giants should be set at three of the five spots on the offensive line, and hope to be set at center if John Michael Schmitz earns an extension. But the left guard position could be a question to be addressed in the draft. This year’s offensive line class isn’t generating much excitement, but there are a few interesting interior linemen to watch.
Kobe Asamoah (OG, Rutgers) – N0. 85 Freak
Another local product who could interest the Giants this year. Asamoah has played right guard for Rutgers, but he could potentially transition to left guard at the next level. At the very least, he has the size, power, and athleticism the Giants prize in their linemen.
The Scarlet Knights went into Ohio State’s backyard to get a key offensive cog in Asamoah, who first cracked their starting lineup late in his true freshman season of 2022. He’s started 25 games at right guard the past two seasons and has emerged as one of the better linemen in the Big Ten. Asamoah has some impressive measurables and strength numbers. The 6-2, 310-pounder’s got excellent length with a 6-10 wingspan, 34-inch arms and 10 5/8-inch hands. This offseason, he squatted 605 pounds and performed pull-ups at 305 pounds with an additional 105 pounds attached.
Kade Peiper (iOL, Iowa) – No. 8 Freak
Peiper is a bit undersized, at least per Feldman’s numbers. However, he’s a true freak athelte and it’s hard to go wrong with an Iowa lineman. Peiper’s frame and athelticism could also translate to center if he has the football IQ and communication skills.
It’s almost a given that we’re going to have a Hawkeye O-lineman on here. The 6-3, 298-pound former Nebraska state champion shot putter was named a first-team All-American last year by PFF after starting 13 games at right guard in 2025. Last year, Pieper came in at No. 22 on the Freaks List after setting an Iowa record (4.13) for fastest short shuttle among offensive guards. Among guards, he also posted the vertical jump record at 37.4 and the best 10-yard dash at 1.52. This offseason, he set the program record for heaviest squat by a guard, doing 680 pounds.
