Jeremiyah Love Draft Profile: Where Could Notre Dame's Superstar Land in the NFL?
- Noah Wehby
- Feb 20
- 5 min read
Jeremiyah Love is set to become one of the highest drafted Notre Dame players in recent memory after a legendary career at Notre Dame. With that career all said and done, where are potential landing spots for Love, and what does he project to be in the NFL?
Photo by The Irish Tribune
Love comes into the draft as the consensus No. 1 running back. This does not come as much of a surprise after the two dominant years at Notre Dame, where he made a name for himself with his explosive athleticism and dazzling footwork.
During his time at Notre Dame, Love totalled 2,882 rushing yards, 594 receiving yards, and 42 total touchdowns. Love burst onto the scene during his sophomore year, quickly showing the entire country that he possessed a special ability to break a play loose every time he touched the ball. It was in this season that Love became known for his unique ability to hurdle almost every defender in front of him. Along with this, it was his jaw-dropping runs in the first and third rounds of the CFP that immediately made him a household name in Notre Dame lore.
Coming into his junior year, Love had a lot to live up to. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate and considered the best running back in the country. Love lived up to all the expectations and broke Notre Dame records on the way to the Doak Walker Award. While Love continued to show off his electrifying talent, he also proved that he had become much more than just his athleticism. He showed real growth in the nuances of the run game. He became a more patient, physical, and shifty runner. He showed a willingness to wait for blocks to develop instead of hitting the first opening he saw. It seemed he was more willing to grind an opposing team down with physical run after physical run, like the game against USC. He also showed a larger arsenal of moves to make defenders miss, like the spin move against Pitt that allowed him to break free for a long touchdown run. Along with all of this, he continued to prove his ability to impact the game through the air with his more than capable hands. All of these skill sets cemented his place as not only the best running back in the draft class, but one of the best players in the entire class.
With all of his talent and impact as a true three-down back, Love is easily a top-five talent in this year's draft, but will likely go lower than expected due to his position. Running backs are not the most valued position that NFL teams are looking for, but Love's ability to impact a game won't keep him on the board for very long.
Round 1, Pick 3: Arizona Cardinals
This seems to be the earliest possible spot for Love to land in the draft. Running backs rarely go this early, but for a draft that lacks a lot of premier talent, the Cardinals could seize their opportunity to pick up the best offensive player that is not a quarterback. For years now, the Cardinals have struggled to find an elite offensive player to help score points. In 2025, the Cardinals ranked only 22nd in points per game, something Love could instantly change. As of now, the Cardinals have no real game-changer at the running back position. James Conner is the starter, but he has struggled to stay on the field during his time in Arizona. While Conner has been serviceable at times, Love would be an excellent change of pace back and someone who could also impact the offense in the passing game.
Round 1, Pick 8: New Orleans Saints
The Saints at eight is a real possibility for Love in this draft. The Saints' offence has been centered around Alvin Kamara for years now, as he has been one of the most productive and impactful running backs in the league. With Kamara now being 30 years old and on the last year of his deal, it may be time for the Saints to look towards the future. There is hope for Saints fans that they have found something in rookie QB Tyler Shough. With Love, they could begin to solidify the future of their offense, giving Shough a target in the passing game and a workhorse in the run game. While Kamara may be one of the best receiving backs in the NFL, Love could seamlessly fill in that role for the Saints. This could be a significant advantage for the Saints, as they would not have to alter their offensive philosophy significantly. They continue to be an offense that centers around getting their running back the ball with space to work with. That is something that could make Love one of the most impactful rookies in the 2026 NFL season.
Round 1, Pick 9: Kansas City Chiefs
It is hard to imagine a world that Love makes it past the Chiefs at nine. During the Chiefs' recent reign over the rest of the NFL, they never truly had a difference-maker at the running back position. It was an offense centered around the spectacular play of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and even Tyreek Hill early on. Recently, the Chiefs have pivoted to a more defensive-focused mindset, with many teams starting to catch on to the passing attack. With no true RB1 to look to, the Chiefs' offense has struggled to keep up. Love could be the answer to their prayers. He would provide a more balanced attack to an offense that has solely relied on Mahomes' arm. Yes, Mahomes is currently recovering from a torn ACL, but Love would be someone they can lean on until they get him back in the lineup. When he is back in the lineup, defenses would then have to constantly worry about Love's explosive running and Mahomes' creativity in the pocket, a nightmare for any defensive coordinator. Along with this, Andy Reid is known to be one of the best and most creative play-callers in NFL history. This offense would thrive on Reid finding new and creative ways of getting Love the ball in space.
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