April 27, 2026, 12:01 p.m. ET

The New York Giants came out of the 2026 NFL draft with seven players they feel will add to the team’s vision of becoming winners again.

Before the draft, general manager Joe Schoen promised to take the best available players and even suggested the team could trade back for more picks, something he’s never done in his four years on the job.

He kept his promise for the most part on the former, but not on the latter. In the end, the team used eight picks to take seven players, and it’s anyone’s guess if they are better today than they were last Thursday morning.

Here’s our pick-by-pick grade for the Giants’ 2026 draft class.

Round 1, Pick 5: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Many felt that Arvell Reese should have been off the board within the first four picks, and the Giants would have no shot at him. But, as fate would have it, he fell right into their laps at No. 5. Schoen did the right thing and snatched him up even though the team’s plan for him is not optimal.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

Reese might be better suited as an outside linebacker due to his athleticism and pass-rushing prowess rather than on the inside, where head coach John Harbaugh said he will be lining Reese up. That drew much criticism from the peanut gallery, who made the argument that if the Giants were looking for an inside linebacker, why didn’t they simply take Reese’s OSU teammate, Sonny Styles, who went two picks later to Washington?

The Giants contend that Reese is the better player and is not only the best outside linebacker in this draft, but the best on the inside as well. Time will tell.

They got a special athlete who can play anywhere on the field and make an impact. You don’t get a chance at players such as Reese, so taking him here was the right move.

Grade: A

Round 1, Pick 10: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami

Giants Nation wanted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who was still on the board. Instead, they grabbed the best tackle in the draft in Sisi Mauigoa. Two problems with this pick, however. Downs went to Dallas, of all places, with the very next pick, and the Giants plan to play Sisi at guard, not tackle.

Again, taking a player who is great at their natural position and moving him is a Mets-like move, and look where they are right now. If Mauigoa can’t beat out Jermaine Elumunor for the right tackle job, then he wasn’t the right pick here. Of course, they can bump him outside down the road or, in a pinch, since left tackle Andrew Thomas hasn’t been able to stay healthy for 17 games.

Mauigoa is a physical player who will bring an immediate upgrade to the Giants’ line. But that would be as a tackle. Can he do that from the guard spot? He played zero games at guard in college, and this summer will be getting trained up for his new assignment. Let’s hope he can make the switch.

Grade: B

Round 2, Pick 37: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

Colton Hood should not have been on the board when the Giants were on the clock, so this is an immediate steal. He’s a player with a high motor and top skill set and should come right in and challenge for a prominent role. Hood was born to play corner in the NFL, and the Giants have one simple task: To let him fulfill his destiny. He’ll do the rest.

The Giants’ current cornerback unit stinks. Hood will go a long way in changing that. He’s energetic, physical, and upbeat. He is exactly what this dormant defense needs.

Grade: A+

Round 3, Pick 74: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

If Malachi Fields turns out to be a fraction of some of the players he’s being compared to (Mike Evans, Calvin Johnson, Plaxico Burress, A.J. Brown), Schoen will be doing cartwheels down Paterson Plank Road. It would have been worth the draft capital he surrendered in the trade-up to get him. The selling point was Fields’ massive catch radius and penchant for winning on contested balls. He’ll be a go-to guy for quarterback Jaxson Dart when there are no clear open receivers. The combination of Fields with wideout Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely is going to cause problems for defenses.

Fields was a late climber in the draft. His tape is very impressive, and I’m guessing a lot of scouts may have forgotten about him after he transferred to South Bend from Virginia last year. He went from a No. 1 option at Virginia to just another pair of hands for Notre Dame. Underutilized. The Giants didn’t forget, though.

Grade: B+

Round 6, Pick 186: Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn

After watching an army of players march past them in Rounds 4 and 5, the Giants finally got back to business in Round 6 with three quick picks, the first being Bobby Jamison-Travis. He’s a big body from a big program who will be in the mix for the interior of the defensive line. The Giants like what he brings to the table and won’t ask him to be more than a rotational player. If they can get that out of him, this is a win.

There’ll be a lot of pressure on the unit in the wake of the Dexter Lawrence trade, but scheme and numbers could help ease that.

Grade: B

Round 6, Pick 192: J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois

You can’t have enough tackles, especially when your top one, Andrew Thomas, has a history of injuries. J.C. Davis is another big body from a big-time program who the Giants hope to develop.

You never know with offensive linemen sometimes. This young man could end up being a steal. He has the demeanor that befits all Harbaugh linemen.

Grade B

Round 6, Pick 193: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU

For some reason, Jack Kelly was still on the board, despite being what every NFL team hopes to find in the draft. He is a dynamo who can do many things, including getting after the passer. He was the fourth-ranked linebacker at this year’s NFL Combine, and his athletic scores are off the charts. Kelly will be on the Giants’ roster as a backup and a special teamer.

Kelly is being called this year’s Cam Skattebo, which, if it is true, will be a home run for the Giants.

Grade: A

Overall Grade: B+

The first draft of the John Harbaugh era is over, and now comes the hard part — getting these guys on the field and making it all work. The positives are that they got players that fit their vision and want to be Giants. The negatives are that they plan on using some of those players in spots where they may not succeed at first. Not optimal.