Not only did Saturday formally mark the return of Pat McAfee’s field goal contest and incredibly controversial officiating, but it gave New York Giants fans their first real opportunity to start thinking about 2027.
No, we’re not saying to wave the white flag on John Harbaugh’s crew just yet. This weekend offered a full slate of college football games, from the thrilling finish in Michigan’s unexpected victory over Western Michigan to the late-night drubbing that Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers gave Dabo Swinney’s Clemson squad.
Unless you had an emotional or financial investment in the Florida Gators’ 66-21 rout of the woeful Florida Atlantic Owls, then we’re not sure why you’d have watched when there were so many other options available. But if you did tune in to the action in Gainesville, you got an excellent look at Gators running back Jadan Baugh — and you’re not alone in thinking that he’d make perfect sense for the Giants.
The New York Giants must consider Florida running back Jadan Baugh in the 2027 NFL Draft
Enough has been said about the Giants’ current running back situation that there’s no need to restate the obvious. There’s a growing sense that neither Cam Skattebo nor Tyrone Tracy Jr. could fit into the team’s long-term plans, and it’s too early to know about the recently signed Najee Harris.
The Giants opted not to take a running back this past draft, which made sense considering how many other spots warranted addressing. Tracy had flashed throughout his first two seasons, and Skattebo ran well before suffering a season-ending leg injury last October.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper recently predicted that Baugh will be the first running back taken next spring, and Saturday night only helped his case. Taking advantage of a dreadful FAU defense, the junior running back finished with 160 yards and three touchdowns on 11.4 yards per attempt.
Baugh totaled 1,380 yards from scrimmage (1,170 rushing, 210 receiving) and 10 touchdowns last year.
“He moves the chains when he needs to, but he also has the breakaway speed, vision, burst and overall shiftiness to hit home runs,” Kiper wrote. “And Baugh is impossible to bring down, with 81 forced missed tackles last season.”
Prior to Lamar Jackson’s arrival, Harbaugh emphasized utilizing receiving backs in his offense; Ray Rice’s 369 catches rank fourth in Ravens history and are the second-most of any player drafted during the Harbaugh era, trailing only Mark Andrews’ franchise-record 484 receptions.
Skattebo is the lone running back on the Giants’ 53-man roster with multiple years of team control remaining. Tracy Jr. is a free agent after next season, and Harris and Devin Singletary are slated to hit the open market in March. Assuming that the Giants are open to taking a running back in the first round, Baugh would have an immediate path to playing time and, potentially, starting reps.
However, the Giants’ draft spot could complicate things. Taking a running back with a top-10 pick rarely works out for the team itself, as they learned with Saquon Barkley. The Falcons didn’t finish with a winning record in any of Bijan Robinson’s first three seasons, and questions are already mounting about the Raiders’ investment in Ashton Jeanty.
Those wanting to see Baugh against a power opponent will get their chance on Sept. 19, when the Gators hit the road to play Auburn. Otherwise, feel free to watch Florida host FCS Campbell next Saturday evening.
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