Harbaugh 'Really Pleased' with Budding Schoen Partnership as Giants Draft Nears

New Giants head coach John Harbaugh is impressed with GM Joe Schoen's draft process and the team's free agency moves so far.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:27pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting overlapping planes and shapes in navy, green, and orange hues, representing the collaborative process between the Giants' front office and new head coach John Harbaugh as they prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft.The Giants' front office collaboration with new coach John Harbaugh has been a study in blending philosophies and processes ahead of a critical NFL Draft.NYC Today

In his first season with the New York Giants, head coach John Harbaugh is pleased with how his partnership with general manager Joe Schoen has developed as the team prepares for the upcoming NFL Draft. Harbaugh praised Schoen, assistant GM Brandon Brown, and new senior VP of football operations Dawn Aponte, saying the Giants' front office has operated at a 'really high level' in blending Harbaugh's priorities with the team's existing player evaluation and roster-building methods.

Why it matters

Harbaugh's successful integration with the Giants' front office is a critical early step as the team looks to turn things around after a disappointing season. The new coach's ability to work collaboratively with Schoen and the existing staff will be key to the Giants' success in the draft and free agency as they aim to build a roster that fits Harbaugh's preferred playing style.

The details

Harbaugh, who spent 18 seasons as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, said he was initially unsure how the partnership with the Giants would play out, but has been impressed with the team's preparation and player evaluation process. Schoen, in his second year as Giants GM, said the communication between the two has been 'great' as they've worked to align Harbaugh's preferences with the team's existing methods. The Giants have brought in several former Ravens players, and Harbaugh has been pleased with how the blending of his desired roster construction with the Giants' approach has gone so far.

  • Harbaugh signed a 5-year, $100 million contract to become the Giants' head coach in January 2026.
  • The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for late April.

The players

John Harbaugh

The new head coach of the New York Giants, who previously spent 18 seasons as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

Joe Schoen

The general manager of the New York Giants, who is entering his second season in that role.

Brandon Brown

The assistant general manager of the New York Giants.

Dawn Aponte

The newly-hired senior vice president of football operations and strategy for the New York Giants.

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What they’re saying

“I thought we did a really good job of it. It's still a work in progress, for sure, but I'm really pleased with the way it operated.”

— John Harbaugh, Head Coach, New York Giants

“Our communication was great. Coach had obviously been in Baltimore for 18 years and did things a certain way. So we introduced our process. Here's how we go about things. And he thought it was great, the process that we had in place. He was open to how we do things.”

— Joe Schoen, General Manager, New York Giants

What’s next

The Giants and Harbaugh will continue to work together to finalize their draft strategy and player evaluations ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in late April.

The takeaway

Harbaugh's smooth integration with the Giants' front office, including his embrace of the team's existing player evaluation and roster-building processes, is an encouraging sign for the franchise as they look to rebound from a disappointing season and build a roster that fits the new coach's preferred playing style.