Jeremiyah Love’s 2026 NFL Draft landing spot just got a lot clearer following a chaotic start to NFL free agency
Where will former Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love land in the 2026 NFL Draft?
When it comes to the 2026 NFL Draft, former Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered to be one of the very best prospects in the class, and some believe that he could be No. 1 on the board regardless of position. After Love dazzled at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, many projected that he could come off the board earlier than expected in April, potentially somewhere between the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3 and the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9 in the first round.
The NFL Free Agency period officially kicked off on Monday, and the initial chaos wasn’t the best for Love and his draft outlook. That included former Seattle Seahawks standout and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker signing with the Kansas City Chiefs. That potential fit with Patrick Mahomes and crew is one that many have been fascinated with when discussing. With the price tag that Walker demands, it would be very surprising to see them value Love inside the top ten.
The Arizona Cardinals, who are hosting Love for a Top-30 visit this week, were also active in the running back market on day one. They signed former Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier, as well as deciding to re-sign James Conner. Add in Trey Benson returning from injury, and that feels like a deeper running back room, with Love feeling unlikely to be the pick at No. 3.
Then the New Orleans Saints, who are selecting No. 8 in the first round, also opted to sign former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. All three of these teams were connected to Love inside the top ten. That scratches three potential suitors off the list, which makes things a bit hairier at the top of the draft for Love.
What remaining fits make sense for Love?
With the Cardinals, Saints, and Chiefs all seemingly off the board, eyes now turn to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 4 overall selection. While Tony Pollard is still on the roster, and still a good player, he doesn’t feel like a player you would bypass a talent like Love for. There has been a lot of conversation around the Titans being a fit for Love, having already hosted him for a visit last week.
Outside of the Titans, the Washington Commanders feel like an interesting fit at No. 7 overall. The New York Giants at No. 5 could also be a team of interest, but it might depend on how high the new staff is on Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy. If neither of those three teams select the former Fighting Irish star, it’ll be interesting to see just how far he could fall.
Even with the devaluation of the running back position in recent years, Love is still one of the elite talents in the 2026 class. Odds tell you that elite talent won’t fall too far but running back value can be volatile at times.
Jeremiyah Love’s career background
Love is considered to be a consensus four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms coming out in the 2023 class. The former St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College star finished ranked as the No. 79 overall player, the No. 5 running back, and the No. 2 player from the state of Missouri in the 2023 recruiting class according to the 247 Sports Composite ranking.
Notre Dame won out over a long list of impressive options that included Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Penn State, USC, Indiana, Miami, Nebraska, Auburn, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington, Missouri, Louisville, Kentucky, Iowa, Arkansas, Iowa State, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Minnesota, Boston College, Purdue, Syracuse, Stanford, and Kansas, among others.
After serving as the main backup to Audric Estime as a freshman in 2023, Love proceeded to put together one of the best two-year stretches of any running back in Notre Dame history. Love ended his three-year career with 2,882 yards and 36 touchdowns, while averaging an impressive 6.7 yards per carry. The St. Louis native also hauled in 63 receptions for 594 yards and six more scores as a receiver. After Love’s historic campaign with the Fighting Irish in 2025, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. Love opted to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft with one year of eligibility remaining.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish News
Early start to a chaotic NFL free agency period inadvertently handed Notre Dame football a tremendous future recruiting pitch
Notre Dame football just received an unforseen boost from the Indianapolis Colts and NFL Free Agency.
