The Love Affair: Jeremiyah Love Visits MetLife
The smoke around Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love just turned into a wildfire. Love visited East Rutherford this week for a private meeting, signaling a massive shift in the Giants’ draft board. While Jaxson Dart needs protection, Harbaugh’s history suggests he wants a weapon that punishes defenses. Love exploded for 1,400 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns last season, displaying a blend of speed and contact balance that makes scouts drool. Adding a home-run threat next to Dart could transform this stagnant offense into a nightmare for the NFC East.
I stood by the practice fields yesterday and the mood has shifted. The “new car smell” of the Harbaugh era hasn’t faded; it has hardened into a professional edge. You can hear the difference in how the staff talks about these prospects. They aren’t looking for projects. They want “football players” in the purest, most physical sense of the word. The chill in the March air didn’t stop a dozen scouts from huddled meetings that lasted well past sundown.
Defense Wins Championships
If Love isn’t the name, Sonny Styles is the shadow looming over the No. 5 spot. The Ohio State linebacker is a physical freak who looked like a man among boys at the Combine. Styles clocked a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at 245 pounds, a stat line that fits the Harbaugh mold perfectly. Pairing Styles with Abdul Carter would give the Giants the most athletic young linebacker duo in the league. General Manager Joe Schoen has the capital to move, but staying at five allows the Giants to let the board come to them as the Raiders and Jets hunt for quarterbacks ahead of them.
“We aren’t looking for guys who just like the game. We want the guys who live it. The No. 5 pick has to be a tone-setter from the moment he walks into this locker room. We need more iron in the building.”
— John Harbaugh, Giants Head Coach
Draft Implications: The Road to Pittsburgh
The Giants hold nine total selections in this draft, including the 37th overall pick. With the Las Vegas Raiders almost certain to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, the top of the board is chaotic. If the Titans or Cardinals grab David Bailey or Francis Mauigoa, Harbaugh will have his choice of the premier playmaker in the class. Expect the Giants to be aggressive in the trenches during the later rounds, but that first pick is about identity. Whether it’s the explosive Love or the bruising Styles, the Harbaugh era will be defined by who they call on April 23.
