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Former executive believes this NFC East team should trade up for Love

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love. Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Former executive believes this NFC East team should trade up for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

By Colby Colwell | Last updated Apr 10, 2026 4:01 PM ET

As the NFL Draft (April 23-25 in Pittsburgh) inches closer, the hot takes and mock drafts continue to dominate the airwaves.

While there is a consensus at the top that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, it is anyone's guess what some of the teams below them will do, including the New York Giants.

The Giants have the fifth selection in the first round and have many needs to consider, primarily on the offensive line and defense. However, former executive and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum envisions a scenario where they trade up for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Mike Tannenbaum all in on Giants trading up for Jeremiyah Love

"Jeremiyah Love may be the best player in this draft," Tannenbaum said on Friday's edition of "Get Up." "He is explosive with the ball in his hands, he's an impeccable pass-blocker. He catches the ball, 63 receptions. And if I'm the New York Giants and I'm trying to set the tone with (head coach) John Harbaugh, do I actually think about trading up above the Tennessee Titans at four, maybe flipping with Arizona at three to get a tone-setting, culture-setting player in Jeremiyah Love?"

The New York Giants should TRADE UP for Jeremiyah Love?@RealTannenbaum thinks so pic.twitter.com/iooTfrbo7Q
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 10, 2026

Should the Giants do so, they would become the first team to trade up for a RB since the Los Angeles Chargers took Melvin Gordon in 2015.

It is no secret that Love has received a lot of high remarks over the offseason as his draft stock continues to soar. After all, he rushed for 1,372 yards and tied the Notre Dame record with 18 TDs on the ground. Overall, his 21 total TDs were the most in program history and he became the first Fighting Irish player to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top RB.

With all that in mind, Love presents a lot of upside and would certainly be worth a look for teams in need of an explosive RB or some depth at the position. His fit with the Giants, though, does not make a lot of sense, especially if it means they trade up for him.

Trading up for Jeremiyah Love may not be the best move for Giants

For starters, the Giants already have Cam Skattebo as their starting RB. Of course, he is recovering from a dislocated right ankle and is by no means guaranteed to return to the form he showed during his rookie season.

Even with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary behind him on the depth chart, adding another RB in the draft would not be the worst move for the Giants. Considering the uncertainty on the OL and a league-high 5.3 yards per carry allowed last season, they may be better off focusing on those areas, as well as bringing in a true No. 1 cornerback.

Keep in mind that the teams ahead of the Giants in the draft order — Raiders, New York Jets, Cardinals and Titans — each have several areas of need as well or they would not be so high up in the order.

It already seems like the Jets have made their decision, and with so much focus on defensive players in this year's draft, there is a solid chance that Love is still on the board for the Giants.

His talent may lead to success in the league, but with so many other areas of need, it would not make sense for the Giants to even consider trading up for him.

Colby Colwell

Colby Colwell is a freelance contributor with a bachelor’s in Computer & Information Technology and a minor in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. With a deep passion for sports, especially NASCAR, he offers his substantial knowledge along with his adept writing skills. When he’s not writing, Colby enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his family

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