Who are the five must-see players at NY Giants camp in West Virginia?

Editor's note: This is Part 25 of 26 in Art Stapleton's New York Giants  summer series Q&A

You never want to look too far into the future in the NFL, and that has applied to the Giants far too many times over in the past decade-plus. Head coaching changes. Constant roster turnover without many second deals for draft picks.

When you lose as much as Big Blue has, staying in the moment and avoiding the pitfalls of the recent past becomes a never-ending quest for a franchise.

The presence of John Harbaugh as head coach represents a new beginning for the Giants, of course, and there is reason to believe that this is just the start of a promising future - and with that level of optimism, it's not too early to look ahead and prepare for what's coming down the road, even if the focus remains on Sept. 13 and opening night at MetLife Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys.

For now, there are far more questions than answers as Harbaugh prepares to kick off his first training camp here in West Virginia at the Greenbrier on July 28.

But we hope to set the table for the summer and beyond with 26 questions that will define the 2026 Giants season.

26 QUESTIONS: See our growing list of Giants questions for 2026 season

Question #25: Who are the five must-see Giants players in training camp?

Jaxson Dart, QB

Dart's presence in the spring garnered headlines on a much wider scale than anticipated, and with that comes the pressure to deliver - both internally, which is always present for Dart, and externally from those ready to make a judgment on the Giants' quarterback after every play.

To win more games consistently, there needs to be an element of a traditional downfield passing game to complement what Dart did best last year as he grabbed hold of the starting job, quickly assuming the role as team leader and face of the franchise as QB1. The Giants prioritized eye discipline and footwork with Dart, and matching the two given route concepts and the ask on certain plays allows for more decisive play from the pocket.

Chemistry with his receivers. How often Dart leaves the structure of the play call and why. His rapport with OC Matt Nagy and QB coach Brian Callahan will be examined seemingly every down in camp.

Malik Nabers, WR

Obviously, the latest development in Nabers' status and the speculation regarding his availability over the next month and into the season took a promising turn Thursday, July 23. By not placing Nabers on the PUP list to open camp, the Giants have told us they see light at the end of his rehabilitation tunnel, a finish line that is more likely to come in August than October based on where he is today.

His situation is layered - encouraging, but layered given the circumstances.

Not going on the PUP list to begin camp means the Giants believe Nabers will pass his physical and be able to participate in practices to some degree. That could be in walkthroughs to start as he progresses through rehab workouts with the training staff. If Nabers was on PUP, his activities are limited to rehab with the training staff and no on-field interaction with the team.

It’s probably unrealistic to expect Nabers in team drills - whether that’s 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 - in the early stages of camp. He’ll more likely build up on the side for a period of time, then gradually participate in individual and position drills. This decision allows Nabers to work with the quarterbacks and other members of the offense while continuing to build up in his recovery.

We're going to be looking for a Nabers update daily, so stay tuned.

Odell Beckham Jr., WR

The surreal has become reality for Beckham and the Giants, and however long it lasts, the promise of spectacular one-handed catches and breathtaking slants to the house aside, this homecoming comes with expectation and doubt all the same.

Beckham wants more than anything to bring his NFL career full circle by catching passes from Dart and providing a generation of Giants fans who never had the chance to say thank you and good-bye with that opportunity all these years later.

The signing of Beckham was not for nostalgia, but because the Giants owed it to themselves to find out if their former first-round pick has enough juice left in his game to offer despite not playing all of last season.

Will Beckham have the explosiveness and breakaway speed that made him so dangerous as a playmaker in his 20s? That's unlikely, although at 33 years old he appears to be in his best shape in a long while. He's always been a nuanced route runner, has great hands and still has an ability to go up and get the football in traffic.

Every move he makes this camp will be analyzed and evaluated, and his health will be paramount in not only making this roster, which is the goal, but having an impact on the 2026 Giants.

Arvell Reese, LB

All eyes will be on Abdul Carter as everyone expects a breakout in Year 2, but the newcomer who will draw the most attention is the 20-year-old Reese. The Giants saw Reese as the best off-ball linebacker in the Class of 2026, the perfect blend of power and speed with a vision of eventually turning him into a defensive weapon that can alter the game in different areas.

They also love his potential as a pass rusher, like the rest of the league, but he's here because of who he is now.

What Reese can become is a bonus.

Reese is just scratching the surface of what he can be. He has the highest ceiling of any player in this class, and there is no question Harbaugh sees him as embodying similar qualities that made many of his defenders during his tenure in Baltimore great.

Now we wait until the pads come on, when Reese will be charged with turning the volatile nature of his game into power with knockback reminiscent of a former era. If he can do that in camp, expect Reese to be right there garnering hype for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Colton Hood, CB

Here's what secondary coach D...

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →