The Arizona Cardinals Select Jeremiyah Love with the 3rd Overall Pick

Noah Wehby
11 hours ago
3 min read

With the third pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Jeremiyah Love heads to the Arizona Cardinals as one of just three running backs taken in the top three in the last 20 years.

Photo by The Irish Tribune

With the selection by the Cardinals, Love now becomes the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley was taken second overall by the New York Giants. This puts Love in a special group, and with that comes the pressure to perform at a high level immediately.

Love breaks many notions about where a running back should be selected. It is widely believed that running backs are a difficult position to pick this early in the draft, and there are good reasons why. The money due to a top-5 pick already makes him one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. Running backs in the NFL also do not have a long shelf life, making a top pick a major risk.

Lastly, teams drafting this high usually have plenty of other positional needs that may need to be addressed before looking at running back. Love breaks that mold. In a draft that lacks truly elite prospects, Love is the anomaly who has the potential to transform an offense. Because of this, the Cardinals have to feel good about getting one of the best players in the draft.

In terms of Notre Dame's history, this is an incredibly unique moment in the draft. This selection marks the first time since Bryant Young was drafted with the seventh pick in 1994 that a non-offensive lineman was taken inside the top-10 coming out of Notre Dame. Just recently, Joe Alt was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the fifth pick, making them the highest-drafted Fighting Irish in a long time. This is a great representation of the immense impact and skill Love showed off during his time in South Bend, making him a true Notre Dame great.

Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle

Reflecting on his college career, it became apparent from the start at Notre Dame that Love was going to be a special player. Whether it was his breakaway runs, hurdles, or spin moves, Love never failed to dazzle onlookers. During his time at Notre Dame, Love totaled 2882 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns, and six receiving touchdowns. He etched his name in the Notre Dame record books and has now given the Cardinals a new weapon for the foreseeable future.

Looking at the Cardinals, they now have the centerpiece of their offense. With no long-term option at quarterback, it seems clear now that the Cardinals want to start building around Love in the backfield. They have a lot of work to do with their offensive line and offense as a whole, but they now have an electric playmaker who has shown he can carry an offense.

Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism.

Follow The Irish Tribune on social media:

Facebook / Instagram / X / Threads / TikTok