INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL scouting combine serves as a pivotal moment for head coaches and their teams to shift focus towards assessing draft prospects after a lengthy season. Coaches are always keen on this, given that general managers and scouts have already spent months evaluating players through various channels like film study, personal insights, and on-site visits.
This year is no different for the Giants, but there’s an interesting twist. John Harbaugh is now the head coach of a team that pursued him vigorously, ultimately signing him to the largest coaching contract in history—a five-year deal worth $100 million.
So far, Harbaugh has been busy putting together his first coaching staff for the Giants. After spending 18 years with the Ravens, this marks his debut representing the Giants. This week, he’s not only interviewing prospects but also engaging with various NFL executives at a series of events.
General manager Joe Schoen and Harbaugh are set to meet with the press on Tuesday. Their partnership seems to be off to a solid start, as the two have collaborated on multiple recruitment efforts across different areas of football operations.
The Giants’ owner is not pleased with external perceptions suggesting that Schoen’s role has diminished or that he’s limited to just scouting. He’s operating this offseason similarly to how he did in the previous four years, although he initially focused on a thorough head coaching search that quickly identified Harbaugh as the top target after he became available.
Shane has assisted Harbaugh in building the coaching staff, enhancing the training department, and bringing on Dawn Aponte as the senior vice president of soccer operations and strategy. Aponte, who previously worked with Shane at the Dolphins, will have the same responsibilities that Kevin Abrams held for over two decades. Notably, Aponte reports directly to Harbaugh, not Schoen, which could spark interesting discussions.
Schoen has led an extensive NFL draft meeting involving personnel and scouts. As has become customary, he’ll be interviewing players at the combine this week, and there’s little doubt he’ll be staying on after the draft; a contract extension is expected.
The Giants hold seven draft picks, starting with the fifth overall in the first round, alongside picks in the second, fourth, and fifth rounds. They also have three sixth-round picks, but none in the seventh round. Last year, they traded a third-round pick to the Texans to move up in the first round for QB Jackson Dart.
This year, they could use their top picks to secure another offensive weapon—perhaps players like Carnel Tate, Jordyn Tyson, or Makai Lemon—or an additional blocker, such as Spencer Fano or Francis Mauigoa. There are also intriguing defensive prospects, including Ohio State linebackers Arbel Reese and Sonny Stiles and safety Caleb Downs.
For the first time under Schoen’s management, Harbaugh’s influence will be central to all player evaluations for the Giants.
“I think it’s important for me to have a clear vision for the team I want to create, aligning that with what I see on tape and sharing it with everyone involved,” Harbaugh mentioned. “We’ve come to a mutual understanding. While people may debate decision-making authority, what really matters is our agreement on the players we want to draft or sign.”
Harbaugh and his staff have conveyed to Schoen and the scouts the specific traits and physical characteristics they are seeking in players for this draft. Now it’s up to Schoen and his scouting team to align those preferences with the strengths and weaknesses of the available draft choices. That, ultimately, is what this week is primarily about.
