Star Running Back Jeremiyah Love Visits New York Giants In Preparation For 2026 NFL Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft pre-draft process had been moving along pretty predictably. Fernando Mendoza goes No. 1 to the Raiders; everyone nods, moves on. Then Jeremiyah Love takes a trip to New York, posts a few photos on Instagram, and now half the draft community is staring at their mock drafts like they need to start over.
The former Notre Dame running back visited the New York Giants on Saturday, who hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s the kind of pre-draft Top 30 visit that teams make when they’re doing serious homework — not just checking a box. New York brought Love in, looked him in the eye, and asked the hard questions. That matters.
Why the Love Visit To New York Is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds
Here’s the thing: nobody was really talking about the Giants and Love before this. Most of the pre-draft chatter had him landing somewhere between picks No. 3 and No. 9. The Arizona Cardinals at No. 3. The Tennessee Titans at No. 4. Maybe the Washington Commanders at No. 7, where ESPN’s Field Yates had him projected in his latest mock.
The Giants? They weren’t really in the conversation. Running back was never considered a pressing need, especially after Cam Skattebo showed up as a rookie in 2025 and looked like a straight-up folk hero on the field. The fourth-round pick out of Arizona State ran 101 times for 410 yards and 5 touchdowns in just eight games before a dislocated ankle ended his season early.
In Week 6 against the Eagles, Skattebo ran for three touchdowns. He became only the second rookie running back in franchise history to do that in a single game. The fans fell for him fast. Hard to blame them.
But here’s where it gets complicated. Skattebo is recovering from surgery. Tyrone Tracy Jr. has two years left on his rookie deal. And modern NFL offenses don’t run on one back anymore — they run on depth, versatility, and the ability to keep defenses honest all four quarters. If the Giants look at Love and see a generational talent sitting right there at No. 5, positional overlap isn’t going to stop them.
What Jeremiyah Love Actually Did at Notre Dame
Let’s not gloss over what Love put together in his final college season, because the numbers deserve more than a passing mention.
Love ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 12 games for the Fighting Irish, averaging a jaw-dropping 6.9 yards per carry. He added 27 receptions for 280 yards and three more scores. That’s 21 total touchdowns, for a new Notre Dame program record. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. At 20 years old.
Mel Kiper Jr. has Love ranked as his No. 2 overall player on his updated Big Board, behind only Mendoza. Tennessee’s General Manager Mike Borgonzi compared him to Jahmyr Gibbs. That’s not a throwaway comparison. That’s a GM saying, out loud, that this kid is special.
Where Love Actually Ends Up: The Draft Picture
Before the Giants visit shook things up, Love was widely mocked to go somewhere between picks No. 7 and No. 9. The Saints at No. 8 and the Chiefs at No. 9 were frequently mentioned, but both teams went out and signed running backs in free agency. Kansas City locked up Kenneth Walker III. New Orleans signed Travis Etienne. Just like that, two logical landing spots evaporated.
That’s the unpredictable nature of the pre-draft process. Teams you thought were locked in suddenly aren’t. Teams you never considered start scheduling visits. The board shifts. And Love, who was starting to look like a comfortable pick somewhere in the 7-to-9 range, is now generating legitimate buzz at No. 4 with the Titans and No. 5 with the Giants.
The Giants’ Dilemma Is Actually Fun To Think About
John Harbaugh is in as head coach. Matt Nagy is running the offense. Jaxson Dart had himself a solid rookie year at quarterback. This franchise is trying to build something real, and they know the pieces they need.
The question is whether Love is the right piece at No. 5. Taking a running back in the top five is a risk in today’s NFL. CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards specifically called it out in his latest mock, noting that the Giants had been in the running for both Etienne and Walker in free agency before missing out. That tells you something. New York wanted to invest in the position. They just couldn’t get it done on the open market.
So now Love walks through the door, and suddenly the conversation changes. Pair him with a recovered Skattebo, and you’ve got one of the most physically punishing backfield combinations in the entire league. A power runner and an explosive weapon, side by side, making defensive coordinators miserable every Sunday. That’s not a bad problem to have.
The Bottom Line On Jeremiyah Love’s Draft Stock
With the draft set for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, there’s still time for the story to shift again. The Titans at No. 4 remain a strong possibility. The Commanders at No. 7, per Yates, are still in the picture. But this Giants visit added a genuine wildcard to the conversation, and now nobody really knows where Love lands.
What we do know is this: Jeremiyah Love is not just a running back prospect. He’s the kind of player who makes an entire offense harder to defend. Wherever he ends up, that team gets better immediately. Draft night in Pittsburgh just got a lot more interesting.
