The New York Giants selected Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Fields is an extremely talented playmaker who will enter his rookie season with significant expectations. The former Notre Dame receiver could quickly emerge as a top option for star quarterback Jaxon Dart, bolstered by five seasons of college experience and multiple flashes of NFL-level potential.
At 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, Fields is a solid route runner with the potential to develop into a star in New York. The talented wideout could ultimately compete with veteran Darius Slayton for the No. 2 receiver role, and a strong showing throughout training camp would go a long way toward securing that spot.
Fields recorded 2,479 yards and 16 touchdowns across five seasons at Virginia and Notre Dame.
Giants analyst Connor Hughes recently spoke with an anonymous offensive coach about Fields’ projected role on the depth chart, noting the significant praise the rookie continues to receive ahead of his first NFL season.
“He’s more versatile than him,” the coach said. “Slayton isn’t as complete as he is.”
Fields is an athletic receiver with impressive speed for his size. Slayton will need to be at his best this summer to secure the No. 2 spot, especially with Fields arriving at training camp fresh off his strongest collegiate season.
Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III could also provide competition for Slayton. Both are young receivers who signed one-year deals with the Giants this offseason.
Fields could enter training camp as the fourth or fifth receiver on the depth chart, but it should not be long before the rookie carves out a much larger role in New York’s offense.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Offensive coach: Giants’ Malachi Fields could unseat Darius Slayton
Reporting by Jake Boico, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
