The path to the 2026 NFL Draft is officially underway. Things got started last week with the week of practices leading up to 2026 Senior Bowl.
The New York Giants made news with both GM Joe Schoen and GM John
Harbaugh skipping the week of practices leading up to the Senior Bowl as they work to fill out the coaching staff.
The Giants aren’t behind the rest of the NFL in the process, but it will be interesting to see how the Senior Bowl figures in their draft this year. The Senior Bowl always starts the process of clarifying big boards, as some players help themselves, other hurt their stock, and the practices surface under-the-radar prospects. And both the Giants and Ravens have a tendency to draft players who performed well at the Senior Bowl.
ESPN’s Matt Miller released a 2-round “Post Senior Bowl” mock draft on Monday morning, and it’s interesting that neither of the Giants’ selections participated in Mobile.
5. New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Giants are fascinating to project in many ways. They have a good young nucleus in QB Jaxson Dart, RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers and edge Abdul Carter, along with established stars in OT Andrew Thomas, Edge Brian Burns and DT Dexter Lawrence II — but something is clearly missing. Could loading up on offense be the answer? Tate would be the perfect complement to Nabers given his precise route running and workmanlike ability to win catches in traffic. Tate’s tape reminds me of Justin Jefferson at LSU, and he enters the league with a similar body type and skill set.
So although the Giants could consider a right tackle or defensive back here, pairing Tate with Nabers to give Dart more playmakers is the move.
37. New York Giants – D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
As far as I’m concerned, Ponds is one of the best pure football players in this class. He’s the best nickelback available and was a consistent playmaker for the Hoosiers, with seven career interceptions.
Chris’ thoughts
There are a few ways the Giants could go at the top of the draft, and it absolutely will be informed by free agency. That said, unless the Giants break the bank and go get George Pickens or Alec Pierce, wide receiver should be something of an “evergreen” pick here. Even if the Giants re-sign Wan’Dale Robinson, his presence shouldn’t preclude them from adding a “WR1b” if the opportunity presents itself.
The big question is whether the Giants re-sign Jermaine Eluemunor. If they do, I’d be surprised if they draft a tackle highly. If they don’t, then tackle is firmly in play here and Utah’s Spencer Fano could be the pick with Miami’s Francis Mauigoa off the board (third overall, Cardinals).
My belief is, and has been, that while Jaxson Dart is capable of creating Mahomes-like magic to put up points with backups, he shouldn’t be forced to. Yes, the Giants put up points on some of the best defenses in the NFL last year, but Dart had to put himself at considerable risk to do so — to the point of a full-blown moral panic among Giants fans for his “reckless” play.
If the Giants are able to maintain their offensive line’s level of play and get the playmakers to make sure Dart doesn’t feel like he needs to risk life and limb to make plays for his teammates, they should do so.
As far as Tate himself is concerned, I don’t think comparisons to Justin Jefferson are unrealistic. He does share traits and an overall profile with Jefferson, as well as Tee Higgins and A.J. Green. That caliber of player is absolutely worth the fifth overall pick and could make the Giants’ offense truly fearsome.
Now, on to D’Angelo Ponds at 37th overall… That’s a terrible pick by Miller.
I absolutely believe that Ponds is one of the best football players in the country and this draft class. Yes, he’s tiny at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, but that also never stopped him from being an impact player and one of the driving forces behind Indiana’s turnaround. His size allows him to be lightning quick and incredibly hard for offenses to block.
Size is not a skill set, but Ponds’ size also isn’t why I think this is a terrible pick. No, I think it’s a terrible pick because the Giants already have Dru Phillips.
Phillips was one of the best nickel defenders in the NFL as a rookie, and while he struggled in a largely dysfunctional defense in the first half of the season, he returned to form in the second half of the year under Charlie Bullen.
Instead, I would absolutely look to either Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter (49th to the Vikings) or Arizona State right tackle Max Iheanachor (50th to the Lions) with this pick.
Hunter might be the best nose tackle in the draft, a fantastic run defender, and is also a disruptive pass rusher. He would immediately slot into the Giants’ iDL rotation with Dexter Lawrence and Darius Alexander, and give the Giants plenty of options to make offenses’ lives miserable.
Iheanachor is very new to football, but he has a prototypical frame, elite athleticism, and has already make remarkable improvement over the last three years. He’s a natural right tackle and should be on the Giants radar at the top of the 2nd round even if they re-sign Eluemunor and has the potential to be the best offensive tackle to come out of this draft with some development.
