The New York Giants have a rich history of first-round draft selections dating back to the 1970s. Over the decades, the team has selected a wide array of talent at multiple positions — from Hall of Fame legends to Pro Bowlers and promising young stars. Here’s a look at the Giants’ first-round draft picks from 1970 through 2025:
1970s: The Early Years
- 1970: Jim Files, LB
- 1971: Rocky Thompson, RB
- 1972: Eldridge Smalls, CB & Larry Jacobson, DT
- 1973: No Pick
- 1974: John Hicks, G
- 1975: No Pick
- 1976: Troy Archer, DT
- 1977: Gary Jeter, DT
- 1978: Gordon King, OT
- 1979: Phil Simms, QB
1980s: The Foundation of Champions
- 1980: Mark Haynes, CB
- 1981: Lawrence Taylor, LB (Hall of Fame)
- 1982: Butch Woolfolk, RB (NJ native)
- 1983: Terry Kinard, S
- 1984: William Roberts, G
- 1985: George Adams, RB
- 1986: Eric Dorsey, DE
- 1987: Mark Ingram, WR
- 1988: Eric Moore, G
- 1989: Brian Williams, C
1990s: The Transitional Period
- 1990: Rodney Hampton, RB
- 1991: Jarrod Bunch, RB
- 1992: Derek Brown, TE
- 1993: No Pick
- 1994: Thomas Lewis, WR
- 1995: Tyrone Wheatley, RB
- 1996: Cedric Jones, DE
- 1997: Ike Hilliard, WR
- 1998: Shaun Williams, DB
- 1999: Luke Petitgout, OT
2000s: New Stars and Super Bowl Success
- 2000: Ron Dayne, RB
- 2001: Will Allen, CB
- 2002: Jeremy Shockey, TE
- 2003: William Joseph, DT
- 2004: Phillip Rivers, QB (Traded for Eli Manning)
- 2005: No Pick
- 2006: Mathias Kiwanuka, DE
- 2007: Aaron Ross, CB
- 2008: Kenny Phillips, CB
- 2009: Hakeem Nicks, WR
2010s: Building a New Core
- 2010: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE
- 2011: Prince Amukamara, CB
- 2012: David Wilson, RB
- 2013: Justin Pugh, OT
- 2014: Odell Beckham Jr., WR
- 2015: Ereck Flowers, OT
- 2016: Eli Apple, CB
- 2017: Evan Engram, TE
- 2018: Saquon Barkley, RB
- 2019: Daniel Jones, QB / Dexter Lawrence, DT / Deandre Baker, CB
2020s: The Current Era
- 2020: Andrew Thomas, OT
- 2021: Kadarius Toney, WR
- 2022: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE / Evan Neal, OT
- 2023: Deonte Banks, CB
- 2024: Malik Nabers, WR
- 2025: Abdul Carter, DE / Jaxson Dart, QB
Legacy and Impact
The Giants’ first-round picks have included some of the most iconic names in NFL history — none bigger than Lawrence Taylor, whose dominance redefined defensive play. The franchise has also found key contributors for their four Super Bowl championships, such as Phil Simms, Jason Pierre-Paul, Odell Beckham Jr., and Saquon Barkley. As the Giants enter the next chapter with recent selections like Malik Nabers and Jaxson Dart, fans hope the tradition of first-round success continues into future seasons.
