EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For two days in early May, the New York Giants' 2026 draft picks took the field for rookie minicamp -- their first chance to practice while wearing their new helmets and jerseys.
It was an opportunity for coach John Harbaugh, the Giants and reporters to get a first impression of the newcomers. Based on size and presence alone, first-round picks Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa stood out -- even in a setting that Harbaugh admitted was a "rehearsal type" and not overly competitive.
Linebacker Reese impressed with his combination of size (6-foot-4, 243 pounds) and movement, especially when dropping into coverage.
"Shoot, I mean, you see how big he is?" cornerback Colton Hood said. "He came up here and probably looked like the Hulk, you know what I'm saying? Just his physical abilities, and not just that, but he's a smart football player. He knows football. That's why he's going to be a problem for sure."
Harbaugh noted that Reese moves like a smaller guy. He flips his hips well. It was surprising to see how much he dropped into coverage throughout the minicamp -- even if his performance came against several players who won't be on NFL rosters this season.
It wasn't hard to recognize which guy was a top-five pick from the way he was put together and moved on the field.
"You saw it on tape, or you saw it at the [pro day] workout at Ohio State," Harbaugh said. "When you see it in person in your kind of setting, it's more."
Harbaugh also thought Reese picked things up quickly and didn't get an assignment wrong throughout the two days.
Mauigoa, the 10th selection, took his place at right guard, where the Giants said he would begin his rookie season. It's a big change considering he played almost exclusively at tackle for the University of Miami.
At 6-5, 339 pounds, Mauigoa looks physically ready for the NFL. It's not hard to envision him having an instant impact in the run game. Harbaugh even said he "looked like a natural at guard."
Still, there is plenty to learn, such as when Mauigoa referred to veteran tackle Jermaine Eluemunor as "Jerome." It might be minor, but there is a learning curve to this all.
Hood, the second-round corner out of Tennessee, made the play of the day when he arrived at the same time as the ball during a rep on Saturday. He was playing zone coverage and converged with tryout running back Miles Davis. The ball ricocheted off Davis and into Hood's arms for a bang-bang interception returned for a touchdown.
How did he come away with the ball?
"I took it from him," Hood said.
That's when defensive backs coach Addison Lynch called for Hood to do his eponymous celebration -- the Hood. The cornerback obliged and pantomimed putting a hood over his head. Get used to seeing that this coming season.
Another thing to get used to is Hood being used in press-man coverage. That is where Harbaugh said the Giants "loved him."
Then there was Malachi Fields, the third-round receiver whom the Giants traded up for. Fields used his 6-4, 218-pound frame to make catches in the middle of the field throughout practice.
"Did you see him on the slants [Saturday]?" Harbaugh said. "He made every catch [Friday]. Made one high catch over the top of the corner one time."
Fields' size stood out as well.
Sense a common thread with this draft class?
The former Notre Dame wide receiver did drop a couple of passes during Saturday's practice -- reminiscent of rookie minicamp in 2019, when wide receiver Darius Slayton couldn't catch anything. Turns out, dropping passes has been a problem for Slayton throughout his career.
The difference here is that Fields had a minuscule 1.6% drop rate last season for the Irish and was among college football's best at making contested catches with 10.
Some quick observations:
DT Bobby Jamison-Travis: He was playing the nose tackle position. Sometimes guys can be a soft 300-plus pounds coming out of college (see: 2022 fifth-round pick D.J. Davidson). Jamison-Travis does not fit in that category.
OL J.C. Davis: The Giants are starting him out at tackle. He was at left tackle at rookie minicamp. Davis looks raw. It could take some time.
LB Jack Kelly: Kelly was at inside linebacker during drills. Kelly moves well and has more athleticism than expected.
