EAST RUTHERFORD — The New York Giants hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the front office faces a massive decision. General Manager Joe Schoen plugged a massive hole by signing veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency just two weeks ago. Now, the focus shifts to the draft board. The Giants need weapons. They need protection. But league circles are buzzing with a completely different idea: drafting a premier running back in the top five.
Building the Baltimore Blueprint Around Jaxson Dart
You can feel the urgency in East Rutherford. The MetLife Stadium crowd grew restless watching the offense stall out late last year, practically begging for an explosive playmaker. Todd McShay of The Ringer dropped a bombshell in his latest draft report, noting the Giants are heavily scouting Notre Dame standout Jeremiyah Love. Taking a running back at No. 5 carries enormous risk, but McShay sees the vision. The Giants want to replicate the Baltimore Ravens’ heavy play-action, run-first identity to maximize second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Dart flashed serious potential during his 2025 rookie campaign but took plenty of hits. A dominant rushing attack changes the math for the opposing defense. Pairing Love with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and a healthy Cam Skattebo gives head coach Brian Daboll a relentless three-headed monster in the backfield. Skattebo’s brutal ankle injury derailed his promising rookie momentum, making depth a strict necessity.
A thunder-and-lightning rotation keeps the chains moving and keeps Dart upright. The offensive line dictates the tempo, and a fresh back hits the hole every single down.
“This would signal a clear offensive vision: build around the run game and play-action… Pairing Sonny Styles with recently signed LB Tremaine Edmunds could be tempting for the Giants, and I like Caleb Downs here as well. But league intel suggests the Giants are one of the most likely teams to take Love in the top 10.”
— Todd McShay, The Ringer
The Wide Receiver Alternative
Drafting Love injects instant electricity into the offense. Passing on premium talent elsewhere, however, stings. Malik Nabers dominates on the outside, yet he constantly faces double coverage. The Giants lack a reliable secondary target. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate sits right in the top-10 conversation. Tate runs crisp routes and wins contested catches. Adding him forces defenses to respect both boundaries.
Defensively, the board offers elite options to pair with the newly acquired Tremaine Edmunds. Caleb Downs tracks the ball like a heat-seeking missile from the safety spot. Sonny Styles brings raw violence to the second level. If the front office trusts Skattebo’s ankle rehab and Tracy’s development, grabbing a defensive cornerstone or a wideout like Tate makes perfect sense. The war room clock is ticking, and the No. 5 pick dictates the entire future of the Jaxson Dart era.
