Mansoor Delane, New York Giants
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Mansoor Delane of the LSU Tigers speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
The New York Giants have done a good job addressing their needs so far in free agency, especially at replacing players they lost.
Despite cutting ties with longtime defensive captain Bobby Okereke, the Giants were able to land former Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds on a three-year, $36 million contract to lead their defense.
Wan’Dale Robinson wanted to reunite with former head coach Brian Daboll with the Tennessee Titans, so New York went out and signed wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin to one-year deals, replacing Robinson in the aggregate.
Another former Giant to depart for the Titans, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. New York reportedly offered the same contract, but Flott opted to take his talents South.
The Giants pivoted to a one-year deal with former Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome, but is that enough in the secondary?
Giants Could Be Eyeing LSU CB Mansoor Delane
According to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, cornerback is an underrated need for the New York Giants, and fans should expect there to be more buzz at the position leading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
Particularly, surrounding LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.
“The 2021 first-round pick (Newsome) has the talent to occupy the starting spot opposite Adebo (who needs to play better in his second season in New York), but the Giants can’t feel totally comfortable with that duo,” wrote Duggan.
“There are some veterans on the market with warts, such as L’Jarius Sneed and Marshon Lattimore. Based on the state of the position, expect more chatter about the Giants using the fifth pick on a corner such as LSU’s Mansoor Delane.”
The prospects most often mocked to the Giants at No. 5 overall haven’t really included a cornerback. Ohio State stars Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and Carnell Tate are the names you’ll see the most.
Heck, even Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is more commonly mocked than a cornerback, but it’s hard to deny Duggan’s point about the positional need.
Paulson Adebo earned a 58.4 Pro Football Focus grade in 2025, ranked 74th out of 114 qualified corners. For the contract he’s on, that’s not exactly a positive return on investment.
The newest addition to the room, Newsome, didn’t grade out well either. He was PFF’s 85th-best cornerback, 11 spots behind Adebo.
If the Giants want better play out of their secondary in 2026, selecting Delane may be the best way to go.
Should the Giants Just Sign Another Cornerback?
As Duggan mentioned, there are a couple of big-name free agents still available that could fill the New York Giants need at cornerback, such as L’Jarius Sneed and Marshon Lattimore.
But both players may be too pricey for the Giants’ blood, considering their cap situation.
Duggan posted on his X account that New York, officially, has about $19 million in cap space. But that’s before factoring in the signings of Isaiah Likely, Newsome, Austin, and Mooney.
Translation: the Giants can’t really spend anymore unless they restructure another contract, or release another player.
That makes the Delane pick all the more enticing. Not only would they (hopefully) be getting a starting caliber corner, but he would be on a cost-controlled rookie contract.
There’s still plenty of time between now and the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Giants could still make another move in free agency to address their cornerback situation.
But Duggan usually has his finger on the pulse when it comes to Big Blue, and his report is certainly something worth noting.