Jaguars' 2026 NFL draft class receives low grades from experts
Experts give low grades to Jaguars' 2026 NFL draft class; GM defends selections.
John Harbaugh's first draft with the Giants has concluded, highlighting key winners and losers. Notable picks include Arvell Reese from Ohio State at No. 5.
Mentioned in this story
John Harbaugh’s first Giants draft is complete.
So let’s break down the winners and losers.
First, a recap of the picks:
• Round 1 (No. 5): ILB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
• Round 1 (No. 10): RG Francis Mauigoa, Miami
• Round 2 (No. 37): CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
• Round 3 (No. 74): WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
• Round 6 (No. 186): DT Bobby Jamison-Travis, Auburn
• Round 6 (No. 192): OT J.C. Davis, Illinois
• Round 6 (No. 193): LB Jack Kelly, BYU
(The Giants moved from No. 105, at the top of Round 4*, to No. 74 for Fields. They also traded away a* fifth rounder — No. 145 — and a 2027 fourth rounder as part of the move.)
WINNERS
• Jaxson Dart: The Giants got him much-needed interior line protection, though Mauigoa will have to prove he can consistently excel at guard in the NFL. They also got Dart a big-bodied playmaker with a huge catch radius — Fields. No, the Giants didn’t come away with a high-profile weapon like , or . But the Mauigoa and Fields picks should help Dart’s development.
The top pick was Arvell Reese, an inside linebacker from Ohio State, selected at No. 5.
The article discusses various players who emerged as winners and losers, but specific names beyond Arvell Reese are not provided in the excerpt.
Arvell Reese played as an inside linebacker at Ohio State.
The article analyzes the implications of Harbaugh's draft choices, but specific impacts are not detailed in the excerpt.
Experts give low grades to Jaguars' 2026 NFL draft class; GM defends selections.
Cincinnati Reds crush Detroit Tigers 9-2, led by Sal Stewart's big night!
Caitlin Clark returns as Fever beats Liberty 109-91 in preseason
Luka Doncic will miss Game 4 against the Rockets due to injury.
Check out the grades and analysis for each 49ers pick in the 2026 draft!
Braves can't overcome errors, lose 8-5 to Phillies
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
• Malik Nabers: The Fields pick also will perhaps take coverage attention away from Nabers — something the Giants needed with Wan’Dale Robinson gone. Nabers isn’t a clear-cut winner because (as he made quite clear Thursday) he isn’t exactly looking forward to playing against new Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, who Harbaugh passed on twice.
• Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin: The Giants are rolling with this shaky safety duo — they both struggled in 2025 — after passing on Downs at No. 5 and No. 10 in Round 1. Then they saw the Cowboys jump from No. 12 to No. 11 and draft Downs. How will all this turn out for both teams?
• Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy: So much for Harbaugh spending big this offseason on Kenneth Walker or drafting Love at No. 5. Neither happened, as Love went third to Arizona on Thursday. So Skattebo and Tracy remain the Giants’ running back duo. Plus, this tandem got some blocking help with the addition of Mauigoa — presuming, that is, he can capably slot in as the Week 1 starting right guard.
LOSERS
• Greg Newsome and Paulson Adebo: There’s a very good chance Hood will replace one of them as an outside cornerback to begin the 2026 season. Newsome was a low-profile free agent signing this offseason. Adebo was a big-money addition last offseason who struggled in 2025. But he was a Joe Schoen signing, so Harbaugh has no loyalty to him. Nor should he. Bottom line: The Giants needed answers at cornerback with Cor’Dale Flott gone.
• Daniel Faalele: He will never get a shot to be the Giants’ right guard, now that Mauigoa has arrived. It’s worth noting that Mauigoa played just 10 total guard snaps in college — all at right guard in 2025. Faalele, one of Harbaugh’s old Baltimore pals, briefly sat atop the Giants’ offseason right guard depth chart. Now, that job belongs to Mauigoa.
• Micah McFadden: He isn’t a proven starter. But now, he definitely will not get the chance to start next to the newly signed Tremaine Edmunds in Harbaugh’s first Giants defense. Harbaugh picking Reese bumped McFadden down the depth chart, as he returns on a one-year contract after missing almost all of 2025 with a foot injury. Reese will play weak-side linebacker initially, rather than outside linebacker/edge rusher.
• Darius Slayton: The Giants drafted him in Round 5 in 2019, and he definitely outplayed his draft slot as a solid but not spectacular receiver. But he is prone to drops and very clearly is not a long-term answer at the No. 2 outside receiver spot opposite Nabers.
With the arrival of Fields (and considering how much the Giants invested in the move up to get him), Slayton could soon be pushed aside. Will the Giants deal him before the trade deadline? Maybe. At the very least, they surely will cut him after 2026.
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.