If the first offseason under new head coach John Harbaugh taught New York Giants fans anything, it’s that he has a type (don't we all). The pre-draft build-up to the 2026 NFL Draft couldn't have made it more obvious if it tried.
Harbaugh spent months looking at Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in a way that didn’t exactly leave much room for second-guessing. At a certain point, it felt like he was more than willing to ignore positional value entirely if it meant getting his guy and building the offense around the potential second coming of Saquon Barkley, which, to be fair, was a vision a lot of fans weren't necessarily on board with -- especially with what that would mean for fan favorite Cam Skattebo.
But the Arizona Cardinals ruined Harby's good time by taking Love at No. 3. The 63-year-old might've lost his top choice, but the hours he spent watching South Bend tape certainly didn't go to waste. While watching Love -- and fellow teammate (and also first-round pick) Jadarian Price -- torch opponents, there was someone on the outside helping pave the way.
That would be Malachi Fields, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound wide receiver who spent his Saturdays sparring with opposing defensive backs and linebackers to create holes for the ground game. Harbs clearly became so enamored with Fields' dirty work that the G-Men traded back into the third round to get him.
And the connection between the two Notre Dame stars paid off instantly at OTAs.
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The 22-year-old wideout caught Giants team reporter Dan Salomone's attention at OTAs, making sky-high catches look routine. But he's so much more than a big-bodied weapon in the passing game, as Harbs pointed out:
"He was a blocker, I mean, look at him. He better be. He's got no excuse not to be. He was at Notre Dame, and that's how Coach does it there. Marcus [Freeman] has got those guys playing physical."
By missing out on a running back, Harbaugh might've stumbled into the perfect weapon that fundamentally alters the ceiling of this passing attack. The G-Men have spent years playing without a true go-up-and-get-it receiver. Fields changes things.
The early OTA clips of him going up and making one-handed grabs are going to get attention, and they should, but that’s not really the part that changes things. He gives second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart a much-needed security blanket as a pass-catcher while also being a willing and able run-blocker.
This is the part where it starts to connect back to what Harby originally wanted for his new-look offense. If Big Blue is serious about leaning into a more physical identity, it doesn’t just stop with the running backs or the offensive line. It shows up in all the little moments, including where receivers either sustain a block on the outside or don’t.
So no, Harbaugh couldn't land Love. But the more time he spent watching him torture defenses, the harder it became to ignore what Fields was doing out there, and that’s how they ended up trading up for a guy they might’ve otherwise passed on. A big thanks to Jeremiyah Love for helping Big Blue land a potential offensive cornerstone.
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