Anthony Rivardo
As the 2026 NFL Draft draws near, the New York Giants have hosted more wide receivers for top-30 pre-draft visits than any other position group, a possible sign of their draft day intentions. History has shown that general manager Joe Schoen’s top-30 list is essentially a preview of his draft card; the vast majority of his selections over the last four years have been players whom the teams hosted in these private meetings.
The volume of wide receiver talent visiting the Giants’ headquarters this spring is an indicator of which direction the Giants might go in the 2026 NFL Draft. Building around QB Jaxson Dart and giving him playmaking weapons is a top priority as he enters the second season of his career. The Giants could find him another target early in the draft.
The Giants’ Wide Receiver Top-30 Visit List
Headlining the visitor list is Ohio State standout Carnell Tate, who many experts view as the draft class’s WR1, and he could be the perfect Z receiver to complement Malik Nabers’ explosiveness. The Giants have also met with KC Concepcion (Texas A&M), Makai Lemon (USC), and Ted Hurst (Georgia State).
Some analysts argue for Lemon as the draft class’s top receiver, and he seems like a lock to go in the first round coming off a 2025 season that culminated in a Fred Biletnikoff Award.
Concepcion is considered a late-first or early-second-round pick. The Giants hold the No. 37 pick in this draft, where Concepcion could be an option. His YAC and punt return abilities will make him attractive to new HC John Harbaugh.
Hurst is an intriguing Day 2/Day 3 prospect. The 6-foot-3 Georgia State product has a rare blend of size and speed. He was a standout prospect at the Senior Bowl.
This flush list of wide receivers coming in on Top 30 visits suggests that Schoen is looking to find a long-term, cost-controlled weapon to grow alongside Jaxson Dart.
The Giants Need More Long-Term Answers in the Receiving Corps
The Giants worked hard to overhaul their receiving corps in free agency this offseason. However, they don’t have many long-term solutions at the position. Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III signed just one-year contracts. Darius Slayton has two years left on his deal, but there is an out in the contract at the end of this season.
Malik Nabers and newly signed TE/slot receiver Isaiah Likely are the Giants’ only long-term solutions at wide receiver currently on the roster. They should look to add another wideout through the NFL Draft, and their top-30 visit list suggests they will.
Joe Schoen’s Scouting Blueprint
Joe Schoen’s draft history provides the context needed to understand why these visits carry so much weight. In the Schoen era, the Giants have notoriously favored prospects they’ve had visits with. From blue-chip picks to Day 3 sleepers, the correlation between a top-30 visit and a call on draft day is remarkably high. Take their 2025 NFL Draft class, for example:
| Round | Player | Top-30 Visit? |
| 1 | Abdul Carter | Yes |
| 1 | Jaxson Dart | Yes |
| 3 | Darius Alexander | Yes |
| 4 | Cam Skattebo | Yes |
| 5 | Marcus Mbow | Yes |
| 7 | Thomas Fidone II | No |
| 7 | Korie Black | Yes |
Even in the later rounds in 2025, the visit tracker remained relevant. Marcus Mbow and Korie Black were both identified as high-character targets during the visit process, allowing the Giants to confidently pull the trigger on Day 3.
The Giants ended up drafting players from the positions that made up the majority of the top-30 visits last offseason, like EDGE (they met with at least three EDGEs), running back (five), quarterback (six), defensive tackle (three), and OL (two). Keeping an eye on their top-30 visits this offseason can give insight into their 2026 draft plans.
With the Giants currently meeting with a heavy volume of wide receivers like Carnell Tate and KC Concepcion for their 2026 visits, history suggests they will be drafting a wide receiver at the end of April.
By filling his visit schedule with wideouts, Schoen is essentially conducting a final stress test on a group that could define the second year of the Jaxson Dart era. If a player like Tate or Concepcion lands in New York, it won’t be a coincidence—it will be the culmination of a deliberate scouting process.
Weaponizing the Offense for Jaxson Dart
Ultimately, this focus on receivers is about providing Jaxson Dart with the infrastructure required for a sophomore breakout. In 2025, Dart showed flashes of brilliance with 2,272 passing yards and 15 touchdowns — and that was all achieved with Malik Nabers sidelined.
As Nabers works his way back from an ACL tear, the Giants should add some insurance to the position, preparing for their WR1 to have to knock off some rust or, at the very least, miss some summer practices.
Adding a polished route-runner like Carnell Tate—who recorded zero drops in 2025—would immediately transform the Giants’ passing attack into a multi-dimensional threat.
The message sent by these pre-draft visits is loud and clear: 2026 is the year to surround Dart with playmakers and spark his breakout.
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