EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants' first draft with John Harbaugh as the head coach had a very John Harbaugh feel:
They drafted a physical player in linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall. He is 20 years old, ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 241 pounds and describes his own play as "violent." They grabbed a massive 6-5, 329-pound road-grading offensive lineman in Francis Mauigoa with their second pick, No. 10 overall. The cornerback they selected early in Round 2 at No. 37, Colton Hood, Harbaugh called a "pit bull" because of the way he plays and competes. Third-round pick Malachi Fields is a big-bodied pass catcher at 6-4, 223 pounds, who general manager Joe Schoen said can be their "power forward" in the wide receiver room. Fields said he takes pride in his blocking, and it's one of his strengths. It's a draft haul that reeks of Harbaugh's influence. And that doesn't even account for the three sixth-round selections who followed the same trend -- a massive nose tackle in Bobby Jamison-Travis, another physical offensive lineman in J.C. Davis and Jack Kelly, who Scout's Inc. called "a thickly built linebacker."
It was the latest step in the reshaping of the roster for Harbaugh this offseason with big and physical players.
"Definitely a priority," he said after the 2026 draft. "It's important."