Giants and John Harbaugh add cornerback to list of targets in NFL draft news
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New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh has a massive decision to make in round one of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The New York Giants are officially taking a close look at LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to the latest news and rumors from NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Ian Rapoport
#LSU CB Mansoor Delane, who impressed with a 4.38 40-yard-dash during his Pro Day, is visiting the #Dolphins on a Top 30 tonight and tomorrow and then the #Giants on Wednesday into Thursday.
“LSU CB Mansoor Delane, who impressed with a 4.38 40-yard-dash during his Pro Day, is visiting the Miami Dolphins on a Top 30 tonight and tomorrow and then the Giants on Wednesday into Thursday,” Rapoport relayed on April 6.
This pre-draft news jives with an earlier Giants theory that Big Blue might prioritize the cornerback position in round one.
NFL media scouting expert Lance Zierlein labeled Delane as “one of the top cornerbacks in a CB-rich draft.” In fact, the LSU star is the No. 1 cornerback prospect in 2026 by most assessments, with some leaning toward Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, who is returning from injury.
Before this year’s top-30 visits began, early Giants draft rumors predicted Delane might be the pick at No. 5 overall. Then, as players like Sonny Styles and Jeremiyah Love climbed up the board, Delane sort of fell out of that range.
However, public speculation does not determine selection order on draft night. We’ve seen prospects go much higher than expected and much lower than expected. And if Delane is truly viewed as the No. 1 cornerback, he’s a candidate to come off the board very quickly on night one.
Latest NFL Draft Rumors Imply Giants Could Trade Down & Target LSU CB Mansoor Delane
Mansoor Delane NFL draft rumors connect Giants in latest news
GettyLSU cornerback Mansoor Delane (right) is meeting with the New York Giants before the 2026 NFL Draft.
There’s another potential route the G-Men could go when it comes to targeting Delane. NorthJersey.com beat reporter Art Stapleton discussed this on April 6, but it’s also implied when sifting through recent NFL big boards and draft rankings.
And that’s trading down to target a cornerback like Delane.
“I’ll post my full ‘likeliest to be Giants’ rankings at some point this week, I guess, but here’s intel gathered in Phoenix,” Stapleton posted on April 6. Listing “Sonny Styles, Jeremiyah Love or Arvell Reese” as his top candidates for the No. 5 pick if the Giants stay put.
The veteran beat reporter then added that “in [a] trade down” scenario, he’d also include safety Caleb Downs, guard Vega Ioane, tackle/guard Francis Mauigoa, and the top cornerbacks — although he noted that he’s “not certain on [the] stacking of the CB list.”
In other words, if the Giants go cornerback, Stapleton would rank those odds as more likely in a “trade down” scenario. He just wasn’t willing to choose between Delane and McCoy, among others.
Giants Cornerback Need Is Underratedly Strong Amid Draft Visit News
Cornerback might be the most underrated need on the roster. Hardly anyone is talking about the position at No. 5 overall, and the Giants only signed Greg Newsome and lesser-known DBs Jason Pinnock, Ar’Darius Washington, and Elijah Campbell to address the secondary this spring.
Newsome is the only true cornerback of those four, and he’s hardly a guaranteed starter at this point in his career.
There’s also the lingering question of whether Deonte Banks’ questionable tendencies will blend with John Harbaugh’s coaching preferences. Not to mention veteran Paulson Adebo was unable to quell injury concerns in 2025.
This CB room feels both underwhelming and incomplete. Barring major strides in development under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, cornerback could be a problem area for the Giants this season.