Big Blue View
Can Fairchild be a long term answer at guard?
The New York Giants offensive line wasn’t bad in 2025, and had achieved what many fans were calling for and was “league average”.
But then injuries took their toll and the lack of depth was revealed. That isn’t particularly uncommon, as the overwhelming majority of offensive lines around the league have limited (at best) depth. That shouldn’t mean that the Giants should settle for an average line with limited depth, however.
The team might not be able to use a high draft pick on their offensive line thanks to their need at quarterback and the various ways in which the draft board could fall.
They could, however, look to add a high upside developmental player like guard Dylan Fairchild out of Georgia.
Prospect: Dylan Fairchild (53)
Games Watched: vs. Alabama (2024), vs. Texas (2024), vs. Ole Miss (2024), vs. Tennessee (2024)
Height: 6-foot-5 (estimated)
Weight: 315 pounds (estimated)
Best traits
Fairchild is a good-sized guard prospect with solid quickness and agility to go with an NFL-ready frame. He was primarily a left guard for the Georgia Bulldogs, but has also spent time at right guard as well.
Fairchild has solid initial quickness and is rarely tardy off the snap, which allows him to get into position quickly to block athletic interior rushers. He also has enough lateral agility to mirror against speed or redirect to pick up delayed pressure.
He has plenty of size and power at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, and has the play strength you’d expect from a player his size. He’s able to generate movement as a run blocker as well as hold up against power. He has the competitive toughness to sustain his blocks, even if he’s initially beaten.
The quickness and agility which allow him to be a capable pass protector also allows him to be an effective pulling guard. He’s a relatively easy mover for a guard his size. Fairchild has decent foot speed as well and is an effective blocker in space at the second level or on screen plays.
Worst traits
Fairchild suffers from inconsistent leverage and technique which impact multiple areas of his game.
He has a tendency to lose his leverage in various situations, letting his knees straighten over the course of longer reps or even just popping upright at the snap. Fairchild has solid play strength, but loses his ability to anchor when he loses his leverage and also fails to create movement when he plays upright. He has a particular tendency to lunge when blocking downhill on man-gap plays, which can lead to inaccurate blocks or outright whiffs. Likewise, he can be put on skates if he’s forced to anchor against power when his hips rise.
Fairchild also has inconsistent hand usage which is partially tied to his leverage issues. He has a tendency to let his hands drift...
