INDIANAPOLIS — If you believe the noise coming out of the NFL Combine, the New York Giants aren’t just looking to tweak their offense; they’re looking to detonate it. despite already boasting one of the league’s most promising young backfields, Big Blue has been heavily linked to two massive names: reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and Notre Dame speedster Jeremiyah Love.
The Rumor Mill is Spinning
The buzz in Indy suggests head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman are obsessed with building a ground attack that doesn’t just move the chains—it breaks wills. SNY’s Connor Hughes poured gasoline on the fire this week, reporting that New York is preparing a “serious run” at the top of the running back market when free agency opens on March 11.
Hughes dropped this bombshell regarding their draft plans:
“Whether they land a player such as Seattle’s Kenneth Walker or Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love remains to be seen… Love is among the prospects they are expected to discuss deeper into the draft process.”
— Connor Hughes, SNY
Walker, fresh off hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, would command a massive payday. Meanwhile, Love just melted the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium with a blistering 4.36 40-yard dash, cementing his status as a first-round talent. But does this aggression make sense, or is it a calculated misdirection?
Disrespecting the “Carnage Creator”?
Here is where the math gets fuzzy. The Giants already have Cam Skattebo. If you watched any football in 2025, you know the rookie out of Arizona State didn’t just run; he sought violence. Before his season ended with an ankle injury, “Skat” was a revelation, racking up 617 total yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games.
Skattebo runs angry. He forces missed tackles by lowering his shoulder into linebackers, not dancing around them. Paired with Tyrone Tracy Jr., who stepped up with 740 rushing yards in relief, New York has a cost-controlled, dynamic duo entering 2026. Replacing them—or burying them on the depth chart—seems like a luxury this roster cannot afford.
The Smokescreen Theory
Let’s look at the board. The Giants sit at No. 5 overall. They don’t need a running back. They need a game-changer on defense to partner with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence.
The Ohio State defensive pair—linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs—are widely considered top-10 locks. Styles, who just posted a freakish 43.5-inch vertical at 244 pounds, would be the perfect linebacker for Harbaugh’s scheme. By feigning interest in Jeremiyah Love, the Giants might be baiting a RB-needy team (like Dallas or Minnesota) to jump ahead of them, pushing a blue-chip defender right into their lap.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
If the Giants actually sign Walker, they become instant NFC East favorites, fielding perhaps the most dangerous rushing attack since the Ravens’ prime years. But if this is a bluff, they are playing 4D chess to secure a defensive anchor for the next decade.
Keep an eye on March 11. If New York sits out the initial wave of RB spending, you’ll know the “interest” in Love is likely just smoke designed to obscure their true target at pick No. 5.