Giants name rookie numbers, sign seven

The Giants did the very first rookie-camp thing teams do every spring — hand out temporary jersey numbers, get the new guys on the field, and keep filling the back end of the roster. On May 8, New York assigned numbers to its seven draft picks and announced seven undrafted rookie signings ahead of rookie minicamp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. That sounds small, but it’s the first concrete look at how the 2026 class is actually entering the building. ### Which rookies got numbers? The draft class is set for minicamp like this: linebacker Arvell Reese in No. 52, offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa in No. 65, cornerback Colton Hood in No. 12, wide receiver Malachi Fields in No. 0, defensive lineman Bobby Jamison-Travis in No. 97, offensive lineman J.C. Davis in No. 74, and linebacker Jack Kelly in No. 51. The Giants were explicit about the catch — these are initial minicamp numbers, and they often change later. (giants.com) ### Why do the numbers matter at all? Mostly because this is the first visual shorthand for the class. Fans can finally match the names to the bodies on the practice field, and coaches can run a clean camp without waiting for the regular-season roster to sort itself out. The fun detail is Fields getting No. 0 — the kind of number that jumps out immediately when a rookie receiver walks onto the field. (giants.com) ### Who are the headliners here? Reese and Mauigoa are the obvious ones. The Giants used two top-10 picks on them — Reese at No. 5 and Mauigoa at No. 10 — so rookie minicamp is the first chance to see how the team wants them to look and move in Giants gear. Hood went in Round 2 at No. 37, and Fields followed in Round 3 at No. 74, so this isn’t a tiny class at the top. New York invested real draft capital here. (giants.com) ### Who are the seven undrafted signings? The Giants added running back Damon Bankston from New Mexico, defensive tackle Anquin Barnes Jr. from Colorado, defensive tackle Ben Barten from Wisconsin, cornerback Thaddeus Dixon from North Carolina, long snapper Ben Mann from Boston College, offensive lineman Ryan Schernecke from Kutztown, and kicker Dominic Zvada from Michigan. Bankston was the last addition, pushing the undrafted total from six to seven on the morning camp opened. (giants.com) ### Why sign that group right now? Because rookie minicamp is basically a live sorting hat for the bottom of the roster. The Giants already made their seven draft picks, but teams use this weekend to test extra depth, special teams options, and a few specialists who could stick around. That’s why a long snapper and a kicker show up here alongside linemen and defensive backs — these camps are about finding useful roster edges, not just celebrating draft weekend. (giants.com) ### Did any draft picks already sign? Yes — four of them. Fields, Jamison-Travis, Davis, and Kelly signed rookie contracts on May 7, one day before the number reveal and minicamp work. That means part of the class is already under contract and on the field, while the rest of the rookie onboarding keeps moving. (giants.com) ### What actually starts now? Practice. The Giants’ rookie minicamp opened May 8, and the team’s tracker showed the rookies taking the field for practice No. 1 that morning. Later this month, the rookies are scheduled to join veterans for the first of 10 OTAs, so this weekend is the first step, not the whole process. (giants.com) ### Bottom line This is the low-glamour part of roster building, but it matters. The Giants now have their seven draft picks in numbers, seven undrafted rookies in the building, and rookie minicamp underway. Basically, the class stopped being a list on draft night and became an actual football group on May 8. (giants.com 1) (giants.com 2)