The New York Giants had clear goals in the 2026 NFL draft. Namely, filling gaps on the defensive side of the ball and strengthening the offensive line. By all counts, they answered most of those questions in the draft and will answer the remaining questions throughout the offseason.
The biggest surprise of the Giants' draft was ending up with two top-10 picks thanks to the Dexter Lawrence trade.
The Giants made several other moves during the draft as well, and now that everything is completed, ESPN reached out to NFL coaches, scouts, and executives to get their take on various scenarios and gain new information about all 32 teams.
Jeremy Fowler compiled the information into a single place, and what they uncovered wasn't much of a surprise.
The Giants' secondary lacked any real depth, so drafting Colton Hood was not a surprise. Had the Kansas City Chiefs not traded up to select Mansoor Delane, it's possible he could have been the pick at 10, but Hood was already on their radar, too. Taking him in the second round was a no-brainer.
Before the draft, the wide receivers' room had plenty of bodies, but the talent gap among those bodies was real. Fields won't be WR1, but with the news that Darius Slayton underwent core muscle surgery, Fields has the opportunity to become more than a depth piece.
Slayton is expected to be back in time for training camp, giving Fields some time to earn the trust and respect of Jaxson Dart.
General manager Joe Schoen, head coach John Harbaugh, and the entire Giants' staff that had a hand in this draft class have provided clarity on what this team will look like in 2026. It's going to be a fun year for Giants fans.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: NFC assistant coach impressed by New York Giants draftee Malachi Fields
