SOUTH BEND — Malachi Fields, the former Notre Dame wide receiver, is headed to the Big Apple.
The New York Giants took the Virginia graduate transfer in the third round (74 overall) of the NFL Draft on Friday night, April 24.
Fields is the first Irish wide receiver drafted since Northwestern transfer Ben Skowronek, a seventh-round pick in 2021. Chase Claypool, who went in the second round (49th overall) to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, remains the highest-drafted Notre Dame wideout since Will Fuller went 21st overall in 2016.
According to spotrac.com, Fields’ draft slot comes with an expected four-year contract value of $7.2 million, including a signing bonus of $1.7 million.
The Giants, building around quarterback Jaxson Dart and former LSU receiver Malik Nabers, gave the Cleveland Browns two extra picks (a 2026 fifth-rounder and a 2027 fourth-rounder) to move up 31 spots and secure Fields.
First-year Giants coach John Harbaugh drafted another big-framed Notre Dame receiver, Miles Boykin, in the third round (93rd overall) in 2019 for the Baltimore Ravens.
Fields is listed at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds. Boykin, who recently announced his retirement after playing parts of five seasons for the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, played at 6-3 and 231 pounds.
The Giants also have former Irish boundary receiver Beaux Collins (6-3, 206) on their roster. The former Clemson graduate transfer appeared in the first nine games last season (two catches, 25 yards) after making the club as an undrafted free agent.
Collins missed the second half of the year with brain and neck injuries.
Fields, who impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl, was the 10th wideout taken in this year’s draft. His 4.61 time in the 40-yard dash was the second-slowest among wide receivers who ran at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Five receivers were snatched up in Round 1 on Thursday night: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Makai Lemon (USC), KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) and Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana).
On Day 2, four more receivers went ahead of Fields: second-rounders De’Zhaun Stribling (Mississippi), Denzel Boston (Washington) and Germie Bernard (Alabama); and third-rounder Antonio Williams (Clemson).
Notre Dame football transfer history in NFL Draft
Before Fields’ selection, just four former transfers had been drafted out of Notre Dame since 2020: two in the sixth round and two in the seventh.
Navy transfer Alohi Gilman was the highest such selection for the Irish. He went 186th overall to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 after playing two seasons at safety for Notre Dame.
Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard was a sixth-round pick (189th overall) of the Indianapolis Colts in 2025.
Fields’ catch radius and 165-reception career, including 36 grabs for 630 yards and five touchdowns, boosted his draft stock well above that of previous Irish transfer additions.
With Fields off the board, offensive guard Billy Schrauth and tight end Eli Raridon are next in line for Notre Dame’s 2026 draft class.
Six tight ends were taken in a 21-pick span on Friday night after just one tight end. Only Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq (16th overall) was drafted in the first 53 picks.
Both star running backs for Notre Dame, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, became first-round picks on Thursday night. Love went third to the Arizona Cardinals, while Price landed with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at No. 32.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Malachi Fields becomes Notre Dame football’s highest-drafted transfer
Reporting by Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
