Now that NFL combine week is underway, the New York Giants are right in the thick of another crucial draft season. For the fourth time in the last five drafts, the Giants are picking inside the top 10, so Joe Schoen will clearly have his work cut out for him in the scouting department these next two months.
Beyond the days of evaluating physical performance, the G-Men are already meeting with countless draft prospects, as Schoen and John Harbaugh are off to a hot start in that area. And clearly, their work is resonating, as one of the top defensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft had some praise for Harbaugh and the Giants.
While talking to the media, Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter revealed that he met with Big Blue at the combine. But he doubled down afterward by revealing that it would be a "blessing" to play for Harbaugh and had nothing but good things to say about him, which is a great sign for this team.
To have a draft prospect openly admit he wants to play for the Giants (and a coveted one at that) is just proof of how far this franchise has come. Having a Super Bowl-winning head coach at the helm has increased the appeal of playing for the Giants beyond belief, which Hunter seems to be aware of.
Lee Hunter basically confirmed the Giants have come a long way from the Brian Daboll era
This was nothing we saw when Daboll, or even Joe Judge, was at the helm, so I won't doubt what Harbs is saying in those meetings. With that said, playing in the NFL is achieving a dream come true for most of these guys, so most of them wouldn't turn down an opportunity with any team.
That makes me put Hunter's words in perspective a bit more, but it's still exciting. Like everyone in the tri-state area, he is ready to see what the 63-year-old is able to do with this Giants' team, but they have plenty of work to do at the combine to fill their laundry list of major needs with fun, young talent.
Hunter is one of the more experienced prospects in this draft class, but he is a monster. The First Team All-American DL will be 24 at the time he makes his NFL debut, so he could step in and instantly contribute inside for the Giants alongside Dexter Lawrence II if he isn't traded and Darius Alexander.
The 6-foot-4, 330-pound DL is an athletic freak who moves incredibly well for his size. He's a good run stuffer with solid pass-rushing chops, so even though he isn't garnering a ton of first-round attention, Hunter would be fantastic value for the Giants to bring in early on Day 2.
And if he loves Harbaugh as much as he says, Schoen better do his homework on the guy and make it happen.