The New York Giants could be utilizing a smokescreen here.
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh spoke to reporters at the owner's meetings on Monday, and when asked about Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Harbaugh made his thoughts very clear on the star playmaker.
"You build the best team you can with the best players you can get," Harbaugh said.
When pressed if he considered Love a very good player, Harbaugh didn't hold back.
"Yes I do," Harbaugh said. "I'd probably put very, very good player. Put a couple of verys in front of that. Maybe a couple more. He's really good."
Here's the question, though: are the Giants seriously leaning toward Love at No. 5 (if he is available)? Or is this just a massive smokescreen?
We know that Love is in demand. He is, by far, the best running back prospect in this year's draft class, and he is one of the most talented players in this crop in general.
So could New York just be trying to entice another team to trade up to No. 5 in order to nab Love?
Jeremiyah Love. Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images.The Giants don't need a halfback. They already have Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy, and the fact that they restructured Devin Singletary instead of cutting him was also pretty telling.
It is entirely possible that New York is a bit concerned with how Skattebo will recover from the gruesome ankle injury he suffered last season. In that case, the Giants might be interested in finding another solution in the backfield.
But even then, considering all of the far more pressing needs New York has, taking a running back at No. 5 doesn't make a ton of sense.
The Giants have been down this road before with Saquon Barkley. They took Barkley No. 2 overall in 2018 and paid for it. Yes, he was a generational talent, but like it or not, he played a non-premium position.
Repeating history with Love doesn't seem too advisable, and for as much as he loves the run game, surely Harbaugh knows that.
That's why part of me is thinking that all of the Love buzz is just a ploy for New York to trade down, acquire some more draft capital and more properly fit out the holes it has on its roster.
If that's the case, then the Giants are employing quite a bit of gamesmanship here with the NFL Draft three weeks away.
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