One thing Jeremiyah Love brings to the table that should ease the concerns of any Titans fan at 4th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft

Not every running back who is “more than just a running back” is, well, actually more than just a running back. Jeremiyah Love is.

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
Add as preferred source on Google

I’ve been on the record for a long time now about being Jeremiyah Love-concerned, at least as it pertains to the Tennessee Titans at the fourth overall pick. I will understand the pick if that’s the direction GM Mike Borgonzi ultimately goes, though I remain unconvinced he’s the kind of guy to take a RB at 4 either.

But there is one thing about Love that softens the heart of even the staunchest positional value defender, and it may very well be the reason he becomes a Titan.

Why Jeremiyah Love isn’t as risky a pick as other RB prospects

It’s not hard to understand the appeal of Love as a pure runner. He averaged 6.9 YPC in 2025 with 1,372 yards on 199 carries. His 4.3s speed he’s put on paper in the draft process shows up on tape when he’s running away from people, and his ability to muscle through you between the tackles is nothing to be sniffed at either.

He’s a stud running back. That isn’t the question here. The question is about positional value, financial responsibility, and team-building principles. Having a stud runner certainly helps a team’s running game, but it’s largely dependent on run blocking and a defense’s respect of the passing game. Running back is the finishing piece for an offense far more often than it is a foundational one.

Every time we have a blue chip RB prospect in the draft, the go-to line of justification is “well he isn’t just a running back, he’s an offensive WEAPON!”

In general, this is more often cope than it isn’t. But in the case of Love, I really do feel good about him being much more than a runner for his next team.

Is he going to have a receiver-level impact on the receiving game? Not exactly. But unlike many backs, whenever he’s on the field he is a legitimate receiving threat specifically to box defenders at all times. And that’s not just in the short and intermediate areas of the field. He can stress a defense vertically if used the right way. That counts for something!

I expect a Jahmyr Gibbs-level impact on the receiving game from Love. For reference, Gibbs has north of 500 receiving yards each of his past two seasons. And Love’s ceiling is higher than that as a receiver in the right situation. He brings more to the table in this department than Ashton Jeanty did coming out. The same goes for Bijan Robinson, Ezekiel Elliott, and even Saquon Barkley in my opinion.

So if the Titans really do draft a running back at four, it is at least reassuring that he’s (realistically) expected to be more than just a running back in the NFL.

Related Articles