With their rookie minicamp taking place over the weekend, most of the attention was on Arvell Reese, Francis Mauigoa and the rest of the 2026 draft class. However, the Giants were also getting their first look at their undrafted free agent signings and will be weighing up whether any of them have the potential to fill a role this season.
New York announced seven signings, which was considerably fewer than last season. In 2025, wide receiver Beaux Collins was the only undrafted rookie to make the initial roster, and he barely played before suffering a season-ending neck injury in November. Perhaps a smaller group will be indicative of a more focused approach and will lead to them uncovering some useful pieces this time.
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Let’s break down some of the potential contributors from this year’s signings:
North Carolina CB Thaddeus Dixon
Dixon was probably the best-known player from the group brought in by the Giants. Many experts expected him to be a late-round pick, as he was ranked 227th overall by Scouts Inc. Had it not been for injuries, he probably would have been drafted, as he missed the second half of last season due to an arm/shoulder injury and then was unable to work out during the pre-draft process due to a hamstring issue.
Prior to that injury last season, Dixon had been playing well with six pass breakups in seven games. He had transferred to North Carolina from Washington, where he had broken up 10 passes to earn an All-Big 10 honorable mention. Clearly, he has the on-ball production that could give him a chance to compete in a re-tooled cornerback room.
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Michigan K Dominic Zvada
Zvada was another player many draft analysts felt had a chance to be drafted, with some listing him as the best available kicker. Having gone undrafted, the All-American Zvada’s decision to join the Giants is a curious one because New York already invested in the kicker position this offseason, when they brought in former All-Pro Jason Sanders in free agency.
Over the course of his college career, Zvada made seven field goals of 50 yards or longer, so he obviously has a big leg so could perhaps challenge Sanders, or step in for him if he gets injured again having missed all of last year.
Ultimately, he has a reasonable shot of kicking at the NFL level this year, but it might not be with the Giants.
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Boston College LS Ben Mann
New head coach John Harbaugh’s background in special teams made it predictable that the Giants would make plenty of moves to address their specialist roles in his first year. Having brought in Sanders and made Jordan Stout the league’s highest paid punter, the long snapper was the only role New York was yet to address before now.
Mann, who spent three years at Yale before transferring to Boston College, has a very real shot of earning a roster spot. His only current competition is veteran Zach Triner, who was on four different teams last season and only played in one game.
Kutztown OL Ryan Schernecke
When assessing which undrafted rookies are most likely to contribute, it always makes sense to follow the money. Schernecke was reportedly given a contract that contained $282,500 of guaranteed money, which tied Dixon for the highest amount among all of the undrafted signings. That’s a surefire sign that they have every intention of retaining him on the practice squad at the very least.
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Kutztown is a Division II school, so it will be a big jump in talent level for Schernecke. However, he has plenty of experience with 45 career starts and showcased his size (6-foot-7, 318 pounds) and strength (30 bench press reps) during the pre-draft process.
New Mexico RB Damon Bankston
Bankston, who ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, had a productive season last year as he racked up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 total touchdowns. With starter Cam Skattebo still on his way back from a serious injury, Bankston could have a shot to compete for a reserve role.
One other area where Bankston could contribute is in the return game. He averaged over 36 yards per kickoff return with two touchdowns last season. If he can impress in that area, it might be his best route to a roster spot.
