There is a clock ticking for the New York Giants and their new head coach John Harbaugh. The inexorable process that is leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft is under way. And while the Giants have their next head coach, they need to get a coaching staff together.<\/p>\n
January 14th was the hard deadline for underclassmen to declare for the upcoming draft. The Panini Senior Bowl also released its final (barring withdrawals or late invites) roster with declarations made. Senior Bowl practices will be begin on January 27th, and the Giants will want the overall structure of their coaching staff in place when they descend on Mobile.<\/p>\n
Coaches take a much more active role in scouting starting at the Senior Bowl, and having offensive and defensive coordinators in place is crucial for helping the team focus their efforts efficiently.<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t know yet what schemes the Giants will call in 2026, but we do know the players that will be at the Senior Bowl and take a quick look at some of the players to watch.<\/p>\n
Ja\u2019Kobi Layne (WR, USC)<\/strong> – If the Giants opt to pass on a receiver in the first round, Lane is an intriguing name for the second round. He probably won\u2019t be a star or a \u201cWR1\u201d if Malik Nabers goes down or isn\u2019t ready, but he is a big, physical receiver who can tilt 50\/50 balls in his favor, keep the chains moving on third down, or be a factor in the Red Zone.<\/p>\n Jalon Kilgore (S, South Carolina) <\/strong>– Kilgore is an interesting option for the Giants with Dane Belton entering free agency. He was best described as a \u201cnickel defender\u201d for the Gamecocks, lining up all over their Back 7, though he\u2019s listed on the Senior Bowl roster as a safety \u2014 indicating that\u2019s where the NFL views him. Kilgore is a good athlete at 6-foot-1, 211 pounds (unofficial), with enough speed to cover ground in zone coverage as well as hip fluidity to cover in the slot.<\/p>\n J.C. Davis (OT, Illinois)<\/strong> – Davis is a stoutly built tackle (listed at 6-foot-5, 335 pounds), and the NFL may ask him to move to guard. However, he\u2019s also been a remarkably dependable blocker for Illinois, with upside in both run blocking and pass protection. He isn\u2019t on the national radar yet and lands as a fourth-round prospect on Pro Football Focus\u2019 draft board and a fifth-rounder on the Consensus Big Board. However, he could climb dramatically if he has a good week of practice.<\/p>\n Caleb Banks (iDL, Florida)<\/strong> – Banks has a real chance to be a first round draft pick. He\u2019s a powerful defensive tackle (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) who also has some pass rush chops and upside. He missed most of the season with an injury, but he returned for Florida\u2019s final two games and has a golden opportunity to put him right back in the conversation for the top interior defenders in the draft.<\/p>\n Davison Igbinosun (DB, Ohio State)<\/strong> – Igbinosun played cornerback almost exclusively for the Buckeyes, however is listed as a \u201cDB\u201d on the Senior Bowl roster, which could be a sign that the NFL thinks the 6-foot-2, 195 pounder has the versatility to play multiple positions. He was very good in both man coverage and run defense last year, allowing a completion percentage of just 42.6, with 10 passes defensed and 2 interceptions, as well as amassing 53 tackles.<\/p>\n Cole Payton (QB, North Dakota State)<\/strong> – Payton has a chance to make himself a lot of money down in Mobile. Payton is a dense quarterback at 6-foot-2, 233 pounds, and finished the year with 2,719 yards with 16 passing touchdowns and four interceptions, as well as 777 rushing yards (136 carries, 5.7 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns on the ground. The depth chart at quarterback is wide open after now that Dante Moore has gone back to college, and Payton could climb draft boards. If not, he may be an option as a developmental backup quarterback for the Giants.<\/p>\n Emmaneul Pregnon (OG, Oregon)<\/strong> – We\u2019ve highlighted Pregnon a few times already in Oregon\u2019s various games, and the spotlight remains on for the Senior Bowl. He could be a real option for the Giants at the top of the second round to plug a hole at guard and continue to build their offensive line. He\u2019s big, powerful, and an effective run blocker and pass protector.<\/p>\n Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)<\/strong> – If the Giants want to look for an option at nose tackle to play behind Dexter Lawrence, Hunter could draw their eye. The 6-foot-4, 330 pounder is a rock in the middle of a very good Texas Tech defense. He\u2019s almost impossible to move one-on-one, and also has the power to collapse the pocket as a pass rusher. Hunter doesn\u2019t have Dexter Lawrence\u2019s explosiveness, but he did generate 20 hurries this year, as well as a pair of sacks and 4 hits.<\/p>\n Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)<\/strong> – Rodriguez probably won\u2019t be the first defensive player drafted this year, but he was voted the best defensive player in the country as well as the best linebacker. The Bednarik, Nagurski, and Butkus award winner has mediocre size (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) but he absolutely stuffed the stat sheet, to the tune of 128 tackles, 11.0 tackles for a loss, one sack, seven forced fumbles, six passes defensed, and four interceptions.<\/p>\n Chris Jonson (CB, San Diego State)<\/strong> – Johnson\u2019s is a name to know as the process unfolds. The 6-foot, 195 pound corner was a black hole this year, allowing a passer rating of 16.1, with nine passes defensed, and four interceptions \u2014 two of which he returned for a touchdown. He also had 49 total tackles and three tackles for a loss in addition to his work in coverage. He\u2019s an instinctive and fluid corner who can play man and zone, and is a willing run defender as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is a clock ticking for the New York Giants and their new head coach John Harbaugh. 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