The New York Giants can go a multitude of different directions with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the burning question on John Harbaugh's mind is which is the right direction. It's hard to mess up your approach when your roster has this many holes, and you're taking a blue-chip talent.
Caleb Downs or Sonny Styles are the frontrunners to be the pick, but guys like Jeremiyah Love and Carnell Tate will complicate things. Taking a skill position guy to add even more juice to the offense is one thing, but a running back like Love is a luxury pick the Giants cannot afford to make right now.
And that's exactly what Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine believes. While labeling dream draft scenarios for all 32 teams, his answer for the Giants centered around Love. He thinks the Giants should pass on him and should address one of their bigger needs by taking someone like Tate at 5.
"The Giants fight the urge to take a running back with the fifth overall pick and select a difference-maker at a premium position. They have too big of a need at tackle or wide receiver to go another direction with Francis Mauigoa and Carnell Tate on the board"Alex Ballentine
There is no issue with Love as a talent, as you can truly argue he's the best player in this draft. The issue is that Big Blue still has scars from drafting Saquon Barkley this early, and there's no incentive to draft him this high when the RB tandem of Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy is more than serviceable.
Jeremiyah Love has no place in any Giants' dream NFL Draft scenario
Ballentine pinpointed Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa and Tate as alternatives the Giants should consider on offense. The Giants just brought back Jeremaine Eluemunor and have Andrew Thomas at left tackle, so interior OL is a bigger need than OT, and WR is deep enough where they can wait.
Here's where Ballentine's response falls flat though. Did he watch the 2025 Giants' defense? For as awful as Shane Bowen was, Dennard Wilson can't just click his heels together and turn this defense around overnight. He's right about WR and OT, but a defensive game-changer is a much bigger need.
I'm sure if you polled 100 Giants fans on who they wanted them to take, most would say Styles or Downs for that reason. For as talented as Love is, it would be foolish for the front office to pass on a shot to improve a horrible unit, especially if Harbs wants to take this team back to its roots of having elite defenses.
Besides, there's no guarantee the Heisman Trophy finalist and reigning Doak Walker Award winner is available because of the Cardinals and Titans picking before the G-Men. But if Love is still on the board, don't put it past Harbaugh to get intrigued, even if he ultimately goes in another direction.
Drafting Love is a short-term dream, but in terms of long-term outlook, it's pretty clear what the Giants need to do: draft anyone else.