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The New York Giants selected Malachi Fields with the 74th in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the 10th wide receiver off the board. Fields is the highest receiver drafted from Notre Dame since Chase Claypool went 49th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers six years ago.

Fields spent just one season at Notre Dame after four years at Virginia, where he was voted a captain during his final season. Fields’ production at Notre Dame didn’t match his output at Virginia, which included back-to-back 800-yard seasons. But Fields still led Notre Dame in yards per catch (17.5), plus finished second in receptions (36), yardage (630) and receiving touchdowns (5).

At 6-4, 222 pounds, Fields was a contested catch specialist, boxing out cornerbacks like he was grabbing an offensive rebound. He finished with one less contested catch per Pro Football Focus than first-round pick Carnell Tate and one more than Makai Lemon.

Fields’ game isn’t speed, evidenced by his 4.61 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. But the Giants didn’t draft him to run by defensive backs. He’s there to elevate over them, something Fields did on his signature catch of the season, a one-handed 35-yard grab at Pittsburgh.

‘The Beast’ breakdown

Fields ranked No. 58 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Bruglar said about Fields in his annual NFL Draft guide:

“Fields is a big-bodied receiver who presents a large target for his quarterback, using his athleticism and catch radius. He has the talent to be a solid No. 2 receiving option, and his game closely resembles that of Michael Pittman.”

Nick Baumgardner grades the pick

A huge wide receiver at 6-4, 220 pounds, Fields is a big man who can sink and move in and out of breaks like a little man. Very agile and under control at his size. He does lack physicality despite his size, however. Grade: B+

How he fits

The future of the Giants’ wide receiver position was barren except for 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers. The Giants will be able to dump wide receiver Darius Slayton after this season, while Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin are on one-year contracts. So Fields has a direct path to being the No. 2 receiver in the near future. Those veterans will prevent the Giants from leaning on Fields as a rookie, but he should carve out a role due to his unique body type.

Depth-chart impact

The opportunity will be there for Fields to vault up the depth chart, which lacks defined roles behind Nabers. Slayton and Mooney figure to battle for the No. 2 receiver spot, with Austin penciled in as the starting slot receiver. Fields is a wild card on the depth chart. The 6-foot-5, 218-pounder brings a different element to the offense. Even if Fields has a limited role, he should be able to make an impact in the red zone and as a possession receiver.

They also could have picked …

The alternatives were endless, but clearly the Giants coveted Fields since they traded their fourth-round pick (No. 105), fifth-round pick (No. 145) and a 2027 fourth-round pick to move up to No. 74 to take him. Defensive tackle continues to stick out as a need that hasn’t been addressed. Missouri’s Chris McClellan, who visited the Giants before the draft, went three picks after Fields. But the Giants obviously only had eyes for Fields based on the price they paid to move up to land him.

Fast evaluation

Coach John Harbaugh said Fields was at the top of their board at the start of Day 2. It came to a point where they determined the value was too good to pass up. But for a team with so many holes, it’s questionable to give up picks, especially with the 2027 draft considered particularly strong. The Giants currently only have five picks in 2027, having dealt their fourth-round pick in this trade and their seventh-round pick in last year’s Darren Waller pick swap.