Giants to interview defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for head coach

The Giants did not look in-house for a general manager but they might for a head coach.

Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will join four other known candidates to interview for the head coach vacancy, a source confirmed to The Post. The Yale-educated Graham is well-respected by ownership, the front office and players.

Just last year, Graham turned down a head coach interview with the Jets to remain in place as Joe Judge’s assistant head coach. Now, in what is sure to consist of some awkward questions, he will interview to replace Judge at the helm.

“I’m here because of Joe,” Graham said on Jan. 6. “I trust in Joe’s vision.”

The Giants’ search is expected to boil down to Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who is considered the early favorite because he was atop new GM Joe Schoen’s short list after their four shared seasons in Buffalo, versus former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who has been in touch with co-owner John Mara and Schoen. All nine GM candidates came from outside the organization.

Daboll, Flores, Graham and Judge all worked together on the Patriots staff from 2013-16. Graham actually was Flores’ defensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2019 before he became Judge’s first major hire.

Most of Judge’s former assistants remain under contract through 2022, though it is customary for teams to allow coaches to interview elsewhere when things are in flux. Graham’s contract is thought to be longer given the raise he received last offseason to stay on board.

Of the five candidates lined up to interview with the Giants, four are defense-minded: Graham, Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. If the Giants go with Daboll, convincing Graham to stay as a defensive coordinator could be seen as a double-win. ESPN first reported Graham would be interviewing for the coaching job.

“I like what he’s building with us as a defensive unit,” safety Xavier McKinney said of Graham on Jan. 6. “I like what he preaches. I hope he comes back.”

Frazier interviewed Saturday with Schoen, Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch over Zoom. Quinn will be in East Rutherford on Monday for his turn, according to Sports Illustrated. If the Bills win Sunday against the Chiefs, then Daboll and Frazier will be prohibited from conducting second interviews until the week of Jan. 31.

There only are two vacant defensive coordinator positions (Seahawks and Ravens) right now. That could be one reason why activity has been quiet around Graham, while Thomas McGaughey has interviewed to be special teams coordinator with the Chargers and Panthers. McGaughey has spent eight seasons as a Giants assistant under three head coaches and many players view him as a worthy future NFL head coach.

The Giants ranked No. 21 in total defense and No. 23 in scoring defense last season, but those numbers are deceiving given the taxing demands placed on Graham’s unit by the offense’s ineptitude.