Why Giants Head Coach John Harbaugh is Downplaying Positional Value in Draft

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh doesn’t seem to care what analytics or finances say when it comes to building a football team based on positional value.

No, what Harbaugh is interested in is winning football games. And he’s not about to live and die by any rules that might preclude selecting an exceptional athlete at No. 5, where the Giants are slated to pick this year, just because that athlete happens to play a position that is not viewed as a premium spot.

“The business is football,” Harbaugh said when asked about positional value, and more specifically, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who has been mocked to the Giants at No. 5 overall by several draft analysts.

“We are a football business. That's what we do. We're trying to make our fans happy. We wanna win games. We want to be successful. And to do that, we've gotta build the very best team we can.”

If that means that Love, whom Harbaugh described as a “very, very good player,” before adding, “put a couple very’s in front of that–maybe a couple more,”is the best available when the Giants go on the clock, then again, who cares if he doesn’t play a premium position.

But does a running back really make sense at No. 5?

jeremiyah love — Running back Jeremiyah Love, right, during Notre Dame football's Pro Day at Irish Athletic Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Harbaugh, who on several occasions has said he expects the Giants to be competitive and win many more games than they have in the past, has been on a mission to get as many top players as possible, regardless of position.

The free-agency period has seen the Giants pay equal attention to all three phases of the ball, upgrading the linebackers and defensive secondary, adding more firepower to the receiving corps, bringing in a big slot target in tight end Isaiah Likely, and adding to the special teams.

“I want a high-powered offense. I want an offense that scores a lot of points,” Harbaugh said.

“So what does that mean? It means you build around the players that you have, and it starts with building a system that is gonna be enough to handle all the complicated things that go with attacking defenses nowadays, but simple enough for the players to operate it.”

That’s where a weapon like Love could potentially benefit the Giants. Haarbaugh has long been rumored to want a power rushing game, which could yield numerous benefits for the Giants' offense.

For one, it can take some of the stress off quarterback Jaxson Dart as he enters his second season as the starter. Although Dart received a glowing review from Harbaugh, the head coach also conceded that there are still areas Dart can improve.

A good rushing game can also open up play-action, which just so happens to be a strength of Dart’s repertoire, and keep the pass rush at bay, another key element that will aid in Dart’s continued development.

From a big-picture perspective, a running game can help teams finish games, provide an offense with options in the red zone, set up big passing plays, and increase short-yardage efficiency.

These are all things that a back of Love’s skillset can help deliver to the Giants' offense. But again, is that the best option for the Giants at No. 5, or do they stay on course and continue adding to the defense, or even trade down for more assets?

Harbaugh and the Giants undoubtedly have an idea of what they want to do; it’s just a matter of how the board shakes out to allow them to do it.

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