The New York Giants must consider selecting LSU Tigers' star cornerback Mansoor Delane in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the 2025 NFL regular season starting to come to a close, the New York Giants are now beginning to shift their focus to the 2026 offseason.
At 2-11 this year, it may seem as if the Giants are far away from being a competitive team in the near future.
However, with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showing promise this year and wide receiver Malik Nabers set to return from injury in 2026, general manager Joe Schoen and the organization are a few pieces away from taking this team to the next level.
In order to get the franchise over the hump, a good starting point for the Giants would be to select LSU Tigers’ cornerback Mansoor Delane in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
After spending the last three seasons with the Virginia Tech Hokies, Delane would ultimately transfer to LSU prior to the 2025 season. This ended up becoming a perfect move for both the Tigers and Delane, as he’s quickly become one of the best defensive backs in college this season.
Delane currently holds a PFF defensive grade of 91.2, which is the third-best rating across the FBS level. Part of his success this year has been due to his elite coverage skills, which have been on display all season. The senior cornerback has allowed 13 receptions on 35 targets for 147 yards, while also racking up nine pass breakups and two interceptions.
One of the main concerns that Delane will face before the 2026 NFL Draft is his size and whether it will work at the professional level. At 6-foot, 190 lbs., the highly-touted defender has an average build for a defensive back, but some scouts believe that it could limit his potential in the NFL.
It’s clear that the Giants must rebuild the team’s current secondary unit, especially with cornerback Cordale Flott set to hit the free agent market this offseason. New York’s cap situation heading into the offseason puts Schoen in a rough spot, as he must make a decision on both Flott and wide receiver Wan’dale Robinson.
Selecting Delane in the first round of the upcoming draft would give the team a young playmaker who has the potential to become the team’s top cornerback in the future. In 2023, Schoen selected cornerback Deonte Banks with the hope that he could be an elite defensive back.
However, Banks has struggled since his arrival in New York, making the position a key need in 2026.
In addition to Delane filling a need on defense, the Giants are in a perfect spot to trade down in the 2026 NFL Draft and still select the LSU standout, who is currently projected to be a mid-round pick.
There are multiple teams that will be searching for a franchise quarterback this offseason, giving the Giants the opportunity to move down in the draft.