Top 2026 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch This College Football Season for Giant’s Fans
Our Super Bowl the past 10 seasons as a Giant’s fan has been….the NFL Draft. It’s a long ways away, but with College football week 1 starting, it’s good to know who to keep an eye on out there as we mindlessly watch hours of ball. I, like many others, follow mainly the NFL, but tying some draft prospects to certain big games can add some interest on weekends where I can convince my young children to leave me alone (Jk love you guys).
Who Should Giant’s fans care to keep an eye on for the upcoming NFL Draft?
I am organizing this list by potential positional need next year for the New York Giants and also by games most likely to be viewed by a normal human being. Elite prospects from the Texas vs Ohio State game this Saturday would be a perfect example. I will not be researching draft prospects from Bowling Green, unfortunately for Freddie and Frieda Falcon.
DISCLAIMER: I hope we draft 32nd in the NFL draft, I always do….but just in case the hardest schedule in the NFL and a 38 year old quarterback say otherwise….I’d like us all as fans to enjoy college football knowing who to watch for.
Positions the Giants May Need in the 2026 NFL Draft:
1) Offensive Line: The Giants need to bolster their offensive line. We are riddled with “bridge” vets that are getting us to the next season, but we need to start grooming a fresh crop of maulers. That along with our one foundational piece, Andrew Thomas, spending more time in street clothes than Giant’s blue.
Francis Mauigoa is the next franchise cornerstone offensive tackle to get drafted in the NFL.
-Francis Mauigoa- Miami: Going to be a top 5 pick in this year’s NFL draft. If he’s on our radar, that means our schedule has defeated us. If we land Francis, with a franchise quarterback, franchise wide receiver, franchise left tackle, and franchise right tackle…. there’d be happy tears flowing. He’s a franchise pillar, and a potential Andrew Thomas replacement if the man never stays healthy.
Week 1 Matchup: Miami vs Notre Dame 7:30 pm Sunday. Electric factory on ESPN.
-Kadyn Proctor- Alabama: Nimble. That sweet sweet nectar of being able to move your feet at a pace unlike Evan Neal could ever imagine. Francis is 1a….but hopefully we’re good enough to miss out on him. Kadyn is a good second option.
Week 1 Matchup: Alabama vs Florida State 3:30 pm on ESPN
-Spencer Fano- Utah: I searched the web for reasons to not put this guy on this list, but he is a consensus top 3 guy. I assume experts know slightly more than me. But if we were making decisions based on punchable faces…he’d be the top pick in the draft. Running game stud supposedly, we shall see.
Week 1 Matchup: Utah vs UCLA 11:00 pm on FS1
2) Defensive Tackle: This is HIGHLY dependent on the performance and progression of Darius Alexander. If he becomes a force in the run game to compliment and provide depth for our future gold jacket man, Dexter Lawrence, then it may be more of a mid to late round depth selection. If Alexander does not progress as we’d like… then here are a few young studs to stalk (strange wording I’m aware):
Peter Woods being an absolute monster in the picture seen above. He’d look good next to Dexter.
-Peter Woods- Clemson: He’ll be a top 15 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Alma Mater sharer of Sexy Dexy…he’d be an absolute hammer to add to our already horrifying defensive line to sure up our depth and make sure we’re better in the run game. He’s clearly top dog at this position in my mind and from the picture of his bicep.
Week 1 Matchup: Clemson vs LSU 7:30 pm on ESPN.
-Caleb Banks- Florida: Physical beast on the interior. That’s all.
Week 1 Matchup: Florida vs LIU 7pm on wherever the hell they put Long Island University games at.
-Zane Durant- Penn State: Smaller in stature, but explosive. Could be a good addition to the interior while providing the flexibility to bounce outside when needed. Wouldn’t be my choice.
Week 1 Matchup: Penn State vs Nevada 3:30 pm on wherever they televise Nevada games.
3)Cornerback: One of the more obvious points of need for the Giants, this must be addressed in the first three rounds of next year’s draft. Giant’s fans still tapping our feet waiting on Banks to progress into the shutdown corner we thought he’d be…if neither him nor Cor’Dale Flott transform into a formidable cornerback option, then you’ll see the Giants utilize a high draft pick to strengthen this part of the team.
Malik Muhammad- the top cornerback prospect of the 2026 NFL draft.
-Malik Muhammad- Texas: The natural. Great instincts and is a day 1 starter ready to make an impact for any team that drafts him. He is 1a for our secondary options.
Week 1 Matchup: Texas vs Ohio State 12:00pm on FS1
-Jermod Mccoy- Tennessee: Best in zone coverage and would be a good fit for our scheme (i think)…but not as athletic as I’d like. Still a great option for late first round or second round.
Week 1 Matchup: Tennessee vs Syracuse 12:00pm on ESPN
-Avieon Terrell- Clemson: Athletic freak with a little more rawness to his game. Sort of Banks like which scares me but more refined. Back of the first to top of the 2nd round option if the draft started tomorrow.
Week 1 Matchup: Clemson vs LSU at 7:30pm on ESPN
With the hardest schedule in the NFL and honestly one of the hardest schedules I have seen as a Giant’s fan…no matter how much the team has improved, we may find ourselves in the top 10 picking again. 2026 could be starting with our franchise QB at the helm, a Micah Parsons close on defense, and a top 5 WR in the NFL suiting up for us to start a fresh year. Now add one more solid top 10 piece onto our foundation of talent, and you have a Super Bowl contender…guaranteed.
Go Big Blue!
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