The Giants.com crew members discuss one thing that is standing out to them at OTAs.
John Schmeelk: In my years covering the Giants, I have learned one of the worst things anyone can do is take too much out of spring practices. No one is wearing pads and there is no contact. Players are only just learning the offense and defense. The team is competing against itself and not even at full speed. But there are some things you can glean from OTAs. Even without pads and contact, I have taken great pleasure in watching the two fronts go against each other.
The edges are immensely talented. Abdul Carter has shown all his crazy athleticism going around the edge. Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux have looked like themselves. Arvell Reese's athleticism, speed, and burst have been otherworldly. The way I have seen defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson use him and others on blitzes has been fun. There have been practices where Giants defenders have been all over the backfield.
Then there have been other practices where the offensive line has held up well and kept the pockets clean for the quarterbacks. Francis Mauigoa is only a rookie but has looked strong alongside returning veterans Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz and Jermaine Elumunor. I can't wait for the pads to come on in the spring to see these two groups really engage with each another in 1-on-1 and team situations.
View the top photos from the first week of OTAs at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
WR Malachi Fields (0), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6),New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
OLB Brian Burns (0)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Darnell Mooney (17), WR Malachi Fields (0)
CB Colton Hood (12)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72), Head Coach John Harbaugh
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49), LB Arvell Reese (52)
WR Malachi Fields (0)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
RB Devin Singletary (26)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
WR Darnell Mooney (17)
QB Jameis Winston (19)
CB Dru Phillips (22)
TE Isaiah Likely (9)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6),New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6),New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
New York Giants 2025-2026 cornerback Paulson Adebo (21)
Abduk Carter (3)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
WR Calvin Austin III (82)
WR Malachi Fields (0)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Ryan Miller (9)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49), CB Dru Phillips (22)
WR Gunner Olszewski (80)
TE Chris Manhertz (85)
New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
New York Giants 2025-2026 linebacker Brian Burns (0)
New York Giants 2025-2026 punter Jordan Stout (15)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Dante Miller (25)
New York Giants 2025-2026 wide receiver Darnell Mooney (17)
New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Dante Miller (25)
New York Giants 2025-2026 tight end Theo Johnson (84)
New York Giants 2025-2026 wide receiver Darnell Mooney (17)
New York Giants 2025-2026 wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80)
New York Giants 2025-2026 wide receiver Malachi Fields (0)
New York Giants 2025-2026 fullback Patrick Riccard (45)
Calvin Austin III
Calvin Austin III
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Eric Gray (20)
Tremaine Edmunds (49)
New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Jevon Holland (8), New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Tyler Nubin (27)
New York Giants 2025-2026 linebacker Arvelll Reese (52)
New York Giants 2025-2026 linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Isaiah Likely (9)
Defense
Head Coach John Harbaugh
Head Coach John Harbaugh
Head Coach John Harbaugh
CB Deonte Banks (2)
DL Bobby Jamison-Travis (97)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Abdul Carter (3)
OLB Abdul Carter (3)
Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers coach Charlie Bullen
LB Caleb Murphy (33)
OLB Brian Burns (0)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
WR Jalin Hyatt (13)
WR Gunner Olszewski (80)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
CB Dru Phillips (22)
S Jevón Holland (8)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
S Jevón Holland (8)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr. (61), QB Jaxson Dart (6)
CB Deonte Banks (2)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
S Jevón Holland (8)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
TE Isaiah Likely (9)
TE Isaiah Likely (9)
Head Coach John Harbaugh
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6)
QB Jaxson Dart (6), S Jason Pinnock (25)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72), Head Coach John Harbaugh
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
WR Dalen Cambre (83)
LB Jack Kelly (51)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
New York Giants 2025-2026 running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29)
New York Giants 2025-2026 Qusterback Brandon Allen (12)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
LB Jack Kelly (51)
New York Giants 2025-2026 quarterback Jaxson Dart (6)
LB Tremaine Edmunds (49)
New York Giants 2025-2026 wide receiver Beaux Collins (81)
New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Beau Brade (34), New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Jevon Holland (8), New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Tyler Nubin (27)
Isaiah Likely (9)
New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Tyler Nubin (27)
LB Arvell Reese (52)
New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
LB Arvell Reese (52)
New York Giants 2025-2026 head coach John Harbaugh
New York Giants 2025-2026 tight end Theo Johnson (84)
New York Giants 2025-2026 safety Jevon Holland (8)
New York Giants 2025-2026 linebacker Arvelll Reese (52)
T Jermaine Eluemunor (72)
Head Coach John Harbaugh
ILB Darius Muasau (53)
LB Cam Jones (47)
OLB Zaire Barnes (46)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
ILB Micah McFadden (41)
New York Giants 2025-2026 tight end Tanner Conner (48)
New York Giants 2025-2026 linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Dan Salomone: The Giants needed a lot of things based on recent seasons, but the ability to make a contested catch was high on the list. Judging from the first handful of OTAs, they may have found that with both tight end Isaiah Likely and wide receiver Malachi Fields.
The veteran free agent signee and third-round pick have produced the top offensive plays of the spring so far with a pair of one-handed grabs, whetting the appetite for what is to come this fall. Both standing at 6-4 and 220+ pounds, they offer a big catch radius to a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart.
"He's just a ball player," Dart said of Likely. "He's kind of unorthodox in some ways that he moves, but he's extremely savvy and smart. And so, it's awkward for guys to cover him because he's able to just, as a big guy, his stature, just able to bend and move in some ways, makes it really hard for defenders. He has a great mind of the game. Against zone coverages, he's able to find zones. And you saw him in Baltimore, too, on scramble drills, just his instincts taking over and making really good plays with [Ravens quarterback] Lamar [Jackson]. It's been great, and super happy to have another playmaker like him out there."
Fields, meanwhile, has shown his ability to play above the rim, which was part of the reason the Giants traded up to get him. He is also eager to show his blocking skills once the pads come on this summer.
"He was a blocker, I mean, look at him," coach John Harabugh said at rookie minicamp. "He better be. He's got no excuse not to be. He was at Notre Dame, and that's how Coach does it there. Marcus [Freeman] has got those guys playing physical. How about on the slants? You saw him cross the corner's face on three or four slants. Real strong. So it's a good start for him."
Matt Citak: It has been only a handful of practices with team drills this spring, but one thing has been abundantly clear during each day of OTAs thus far: the Giants have significantly upgraded their linebacker corps. A major part of it is rookie Arvell Reese, who has already made his presence felt in his first week of practices with the veterans on the team.
Reese was all over the field in team drills as he showed off a little bit of everything that led to him being the fifth overall pick in the draft. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine, which had him tied with Sonny Styles for the fastest of any player at the position this year. Well, Reese displayed that speed on numerous occasions last week. During 11-on-11s, the rookie ran step for step with Devin Singletary on a wheel route down the field to force an incompletion. Later in practice, he identified a screen pass immediately and was in the face of Tyrone Tracy Jr. as soon as the running back caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Reese was recognized for his speed and high football IQ last season at Ohio State as he earned consensus All-American honors. While it's only been a few spring practices, the rookie has already displayed those same traits at the next level.
The 20-year-old isn't the only one getting his Giants career off to an encouraging start. One of the first moves the Giants made in free agency was bringing in veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. During the beginning of OTAs, it's been easy to see why. The first thing you notice about Edmunds is his length. When he steps onto the field, the veteran linebacker looks like one of the biggest guys out there. Edmunds has also gotten his Giants tenure off to a strong start with some great coverage through the first three practices. The 6-foot-4 linebacker put his arms up and was able to break up a pass on one of the first plays of OTAs as he immediately put that length to good use. Similar to Reese, Edmunds has also sniffed out a few screen passes, getting into the running backs' faces as soon as they catch the ball. We already knew this was going to be the case, but after just one week of OTAs, it is clear that the Edmunds-Reese combination at linebacker will give the Giants the franchise's most athletic pair of LBs in a long time.
View photos of the New York Giants' 2026 roster as it currently stands.
CB Paulson Adebo
DL Darius Alexander
QB Brandon Allen
WR Calvin Austin III
CB Deonte Banks
RB Damon Bankston
DL Anquin Barnes Jr.
LB Zaire Barnes
DL Ben Barten
CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
CB Korie Black
S Beau Brade
OLB Brian Burns
WR Dalen Cambre
DB Elijah Campbell
OLB Abdul Carter
WR Beaux Collins
TE Tanner Conner
QB Jaxson Dart
OL J.C. Davis
LB Tremaine Edmunds
OL Jermaine Eluemunor
OL Joshua Ezeudu
OL Daniel Faalele
TE Thomas Fidone II
WR Malachi Fields
OLB Trace Ford
DL Leki Fotu
WR Xavier Gipson
DL Chauncey Golston
RB Eric Gray
CB Art Green
DL Shelby Harris
WR Isaiah Hodgins
S Jevón Holland
CB Colton Hood
OL Bryan Hudson
WR Jalin Hyatt
DL Bobby Jamison-Travis
TE Theo Johnson
LB Cam Jones
CB Nic Jones
OLB Khalid Kareem
LB Jack Kelly
OL Jake Kubas
S Raheem Layne
TE Isaiah Likely
TE Chris Manhertz
LS Ben Mann (Photo: Joe Sullivan/Boston College Athletics)
OL Francis Mauigoa
OL Marcus Mbow
ILB Micah McFadden
RB Dante Miller
WR Ryan Miller
WR Darnell Mooney
ILB Darius Muasau
OLB Caleb Murphy
WR Malik Nabers
OL Evan Neal
CB Greg Newsome II
S Tyler Nubin
WR Gunner Olszewski
OL Lucas Patrick
CB Rico Payton
CB Dru Phillips
DL Zacch Pickens
S Jason Pinnock
DL DJ Reader
LB Arvell Reese
FB Patrick Ricard
DL Sam Roberts
DT Roy Robertson-Harris
G Jon Runyan
K Jason Sanders
K Ben Sauls
OL Ryan Schernecke
(Photo: Chris Sponagle/Kutztown University)
C John Michael Schmitz Jr.
RB Devin Singletary
RB Cam Skattebo
WR Darius Slayton
G Aaron Stinnie
P Jordan Stout
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
T Andrew Thomas
RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.
LS Zach Triner
DL Josh Tupou
S Ar'Darius Washington
QB Jameis Winston
K Dominic Zvada
