There are really only three things an offense can do to help its quarterback: build out the offensive line, invest in the ground game, and add weapons in the receiving room.
Luckily for the New York Giants, the offensive line appears to be in good shape -- hinging on one question mark at right guard (all eyes on you, Greg Van Roten) -- leaving the running back and wide receiver rooms ripe for the upgrading. At first glance, it might not seem like the G-Men need another body in the backfield, but while Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary are a strong trio, none looks like the next top-tier back. As for the receiver room, it starts and stops with Malik Nabers.
As John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen come off the highs of free agency and shift fully into draft mode, franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart should be at the center of it all.
And if The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner has any say, they’ll do exactly that in his latest three-round mock, with the Giants taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 5 and Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion at No. 37.
Giants surround Jaxson Dart with weapons in new mock draft
It’s not hard to see the vision here, especially with Harbaugh’s track record of leaning on a strong run game to take pressure off his quarterbacks. Baumgardner explains:
"Throughout John Harbaugh’s run with Lamar Jackson, the head coach generally made sure his quarterback’s best friend was a powerful and dynamic run game. ...
I believe he’s a better prospect than Ashton Jeanty was a year ago and belongs in the Bijan Robinson-Jahmyr Gibbs tier."
And adding an elusive slot receiver like Concepcion in the second round to replace Wan’Dale Robinson’s 140 targets makes the vision even clearer.
The former Texas A&M star fits that role pretty naturally. He knows how to get open, catches just about everything, and possesses run-after-catch brilliance, averaging over seven yards after the catch last year. He's got elite short-area quickness, allowing him to separate and leave defenders in the dust almost instantly. The 21-year-old would be the perfect complement to Leek, filling a pretty glaring hole in the offense.
If you thought Concepcion was a find at 37, Love is the one who takes this thing over the top. The numbers are borderline unbelievable, with over 40 total touchdowns and 3,000 yards (on an astounding 7.2 yards per touch) over his last two seasons at Notre Dame. But it’s his alien-like mix of speed, balance, and power that truly stands out. He can blow by defenders with his 4.3 speed or run through them, and he’s on the field for all three downs of it.
Love is also the exact kind of player this backfield doesn’t have right now, but could absolutely use.
As far as mock drafts go, this one’s pretty awesome. At least for Jaxson Dart. The 22-year-old spent last season working with Robinson, Darius Slayton, Singletary, and Tracy Jr., and no offense to any of those guys, but both Love and Concepcion would be significant upgrades.