New York Giants 2026 preview: Jaxson Dart, Abdul Carter fuel optimism for future

A new era begins: John Harbaugh takes over after the Giants' 4-13 season, leading a roster with significant offseason turnover.

Young core offers hope: Jaxson Dart, Abdul Carter and Cam Skattebo all impressed as rookies and provide a foundation for the rebuild.

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Another disappointing season in New York brought an end to the Brian Daboll era, with the Giants turning to former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh after a 4-13 campaign.

There are reasons for optimism, particularly after the flashes rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed in 2025, but the sheer amount of roster turnover this offseason underscores that this remains a major rebuilding project. Here is our 2026 preview of the New York Giants.

Key Free Agency/Trade Additions

Position	Player	2025 PFF Grade
WR	Calvin Austin III	54.6
WR	Darnell Mooney	52.5
WR	JuJu Smith-Schuster	56.7
WR	Odell Beckham Jr.	N/A
C	Lucas Patrick	63.9
G	Daniel Faalele	56.8
TE	Isaiah Likely	56.4
FB	Patrick Ricard	68.6
DI	Shelby Harris	61.9
DI	DJ Reader	68.9
DI	Leki Fotu	41.8
DI	Sam Roberts	83.0
EDGE	Khalid Kareem	67.2
LB	Tremaine Edmunds	65.8
S	Jason Pinnock	49.8
S	Elijah Campbell	29.8
CB	Greg Newsome II	54.3
S	Ar’Darius Washington	58.7
P	Jordan Stout	53.9

The Giants signed five players who were with John Harbaugh in his final season in Baltimore, and tight end Isaiah Likely has the chance to make the biggest impact. The 2022 fourth-round pick is coming off the lowest-graded season of his career, though he entered the year recovering from an injury that likely affected his play. In 2024, he ranked seventh among tight ends with 1.71 yards per route run. If the Giants can get that version of Likely, he'll give Jaxson Dart a reliable target over the middle.

The Giants also added five wide receivers to bolster the depth behind Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton. Calvin Austin III projects as the primary slot option after lining up inside on 357 of his 627 offensive snaps last season. He averaged 1.21 yards per route run from the slot, ranking 39th among receivers with at least 30 slot targets.

2026 NFL Draft Class

Position	Player	2025 PFF Grade
LB	Arvell Reese	76.5
G	Francis Mauigoa	82.6
CB	Colton Hood	79.2
WR	Malachi Fields	75.8
DT	Bobby Jamison-Travis	78.2
OT	J.C. Davis	87.8
LB	Jack Kelly	68.7

The Giants owned two top-10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and used the first on Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. He projects primarily as an off-ball linebacker, but his pass-rushing ability gives the Giants plenty of flexibility in how they deploy him. Reese rushed the passer on 119 snaps in his final season at Ohio State, generating 27 pressures, including 14 sacks and quarterback hits.

The Giants used the No. 10 overall pick on Francis Mauigoa, who started at right tackle at Miami but appears set to move inside to guard. One of the best pass protectors in college football, Mauigoa earned an 87.0 PFF pass-blocking grade while allowing just 15 pressures on 557 pass-blocking snaps last season.

Reasons for optimism

There was plenty to like about the Giants' 2025 draft class, with several rookies making an immediate impact. Jaxson Dart earned a 68.1 PFF grade, the second-best mark among rookie quarterbacks, while his 5.2% big-time throw rate led all rookies with at least 100 dropbacks and ranked ninth among all quarterbacks.

Running back Cam Skattebo also impressed. His 80.5 PFF grade led all rookie running backs, and he proved incredibly difficult to bring down, averaging 4.1 yards per carry with 3.04 of those yards coming after contact.

On defense, edge defender Abdul Carter wasted no time making his presence felt. His 84.5 PFF pass-rush grade ranked 10th among all edge defenders, while his 66 pressures ranked 11th at the position during the regular season.

Reason for pessimism

Including Patrick Ricard at fullback, the Giants are projected to have 10 new starters between offense and defense. Given how well they have drafted in recent years, combined with the arrival of Super Bowl-winning head coach John Harbaugh, there is reason to believe the franchise is headed in the right direction. At the same time, the sheer scale of the roster turnover illustrates just how much work was needed. It would not be surprising if the rebuild still requires another season before the Giants are ready to make a serious push for the postseason.

Breakout Candidate

Tyler Nubin put together a promising rookie season in 2024, earning a 65.8 PFF grade across 789 snaps. His overall production dipped in Year 2, though he did improve in coverage, raising his PFF coverage grade from 58.1 to 60.0. Entering his third NFL season, don't be surprised if Nubin generates more buzz, particularly if he can recapture the level of run defense he showed as a rookie.

Key roster battles

Paulson Adebo struggled in his first season with the Giants, earning a 57.9 PFF coverage grade, but he still appears locked into one of the team's starting cornerback spots. The bigger question is who lines up opposite him. The Giants signed Greg Newsome II to a one-year deal after he split the 2025 season between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. Newsome enjoyed a strong start to his career, earning PFF coverage grades above 70.0 in each of his first three seasons, but he has failed to reach 60.0 in either of the past two years.

Former first-round pick Deonte Banks is also in the mix, but after posting a career-best 50.3 PFF coverage grade through three NFL seasons, he'll need a significant turnaround under the new coaching staff to earn a starting role. The Giants also drafted Colton Hood with the No. 37 overall pick, and he may ultimately be the long-term answer. After allowing just 28 receptions on 451 coverage snaps in college, it would not be surprising if he wins a starting job from Day 1.