NFL coaching hire grades: Giants win Harbaugh sweepstakes

Dan Wilkins, theScore's senior NFL writer, breaks down every head coaching hire made throughout this year's cycle. Check back for updates.

That didn't take long. The Giants landed the first in-person interview with John Harbaugh following his departure from the Ravens. And while the initial meeting appeared to end without a deal, the organization evidently deployed a full-court press to make sure no other teams could swoop in. Harbaugh had been scheduled to speak with the Tennessee Titans until news broke late Wednesday night that he's finalizing an agreement to become the next head coach in New York.

Sealing the deal with a coach of this caliber is, of course, a monumental win for the Giants. Harbaugh's resume speaks for itself: His incredible 18-year run with the Ravens included a Super Bowl title, 12 playoff appearances, and 180 regular-season wins, good for 14th all time. Long having been considered one of the best leaders in football, the 63-year-old feels like a dream hire to revitalize a Giants organization that's flirted with irrelevance for well over a decade. New York has made the playoffs just twice in the 14 years since its most recent Super Bowl title.

Perhaps even more exciting than getting Harbaugh is what it means for the trajectory of the Giants: A legendary coach with his pick of open jobs chose them for his second act. Harbaugh must be able to see a path to getting this team back into contention sooner rather than later. With an impressive core of young talent at key positions, it's easy to understand why. A young offense built around Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and Andrew Thomas presents some exciting possibilities. And when it comes to laying the foundation for a great defense, you'd be hard-pressed to find a pass-rush group with more upside than one featuring Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Dexter Lawrence.

The timing is critical here, too. Harbaugh's ability to put together a strong coaching staff was a major element of his status as this cycle's top candidate. Giving him the opportunity to start that process while other teams are still in the early stages of interviews helps his chances of delivering in a big way. Could Todd Monken follow Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York as the offensive coordinator? A proven play-caller with a knack for scheming players open could really benefit Dart's development heading into Year 2.

We'll see what this move means for Joe Schoen. The Giants keeping their incumbent general manager to lead this coaching search seemed like the one factor that could get in the way of this match. Maybe Harbaugh is more amenable to inheriting a personnel staff than other coaches of his stature might be. Or perhaps it's only a matter of time before Schoen follows Brian Daboll out the door.

Either way, the Harbaugh sweepstakes have a winner, and it's an exciting day for Giants fans. The team's time as the NFC East's punching bag is likely over. That division is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Grade: A

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.