One of the most exciting parts of the upcoming offseason for New York Giants fans will be seeing how new head coach John Harbaugh shapes his roster.
Harbaugh will have significant say over personnel, and while Joe Schoen will certainly have input, Harbaugh will be the one making final decisions.
The Giants will be a bit cash-strapped. According to Over the Cap, they’re expected to have just under $7 million in cap space before any cuts or restructures.
That means the draft, in all likelihood, is where New York will be making their major additions in the first year of the Harbaugh era.
Giants Mock Draft Lands Carnell Tate at No. 5 Overall
In ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller’s first mock draft after the Senior Bowl, he projects the New York Giants to select Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate.
“The Giants are fascinating to project in many ways. They have a good young nucleus…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,” wrote Miller.
“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.”
Tate had a phenomenal season with the Buckeyes in 2025, helping pull attention away from superstar Jeremiah Smith and giving Julian Sayin an elite target in the passing game.
The junior hauled in 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns, not eye-popping numbers, but still productive in an Ohio State offense that had a lot of mouths to feed.
New York must do everything they can to put second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart in a position to succeed, and drafting Tate would do just that.
As Miller pointed out, the Buckeye wideout is a perfect complement to Malik Nabers, and the duo would have the chance to develop into one of the best one-two punches across the entire league.
Drafting Tate could also ease the Giants’ concerns about potentially losing wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency.
Giants Mock Draft Lands Indiana CB D’Angelo Ponds
With the New York Giants second-round selection, Miller has Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds as the 37th overall pick.
New York’s defense is arguably the side of the ball that needs the most work, and what better defense to pluck from the college ranks than the one that just won the National Championship?
“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,” continued Miller.
With cornerback Cordale Flott set to hit unrestricted free agency, New York could really use an addition to their secondary.
After spending big in free agency last offseason on cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, the Giants can add a younger piece in the draft to grow with the rest of their veteran backend.
After a hypothetical draft like this, New York can start to get excited about what’s in store for the 2026 season.
Giants Mock Draft Lands Elite Playmakers on Offense & Defense