Chiefs might have found a backup plan for a stud RB if Jeremiyah Love goes before Kansas City picks at No. 9
The Chiefs have to draft at least one running back.
There seems to be a lot of mocking of Jeremiyah Love, the Notre Dame running back, to the Kansas City Chiefs as of late. It makes all the sense in the world to finally give Patrick Mahomes a dynamic RB. And, Love himself said he would love to play in Kansas City.
However, what happens if he’s taken before pick No. 9? What do the Chiefs do at RB? Well, they should already have a backup plan. If it were me, I would have no qualms about taking Mike Washington Jr., the Arkansas Razorbacks RB, later in the draft. That rings especially true after what we saw on Saturday during the NFL Combine.
Mike Washington Jr. just proved why the Chiefs should take him
There was maybe no bigger storyline on Saturday than Washington, who had the best Combine of any running back at the event. Washington did better than Love in every single drill they both competed in, with a 4.33 40-yard dash at 6’1 223 pounds, one of the best 40-yard dash times for a running back of all time.
There’s no telling where Washington is going to get drafted now, as he just raised his draft stock a ton. However, he’s a guy that nearly every single team in the NFL will want. If there’s a way to get him after the first round, the Chiefs need to start thinking about that. There is a world where Love goes before the Chiefs get on the clock at No. 9. There are rumblings that the New Orleans Saints really like Love at No. 8, and it wouldn’t be a reach to say there’s a chance he doesn’t even make it to them.
If he doesn’t make it to 9, or even if the Chiefs pass on him at 9 and go with an edge rusher or wide receiver, they can get Washington later. And, let’s just call it how it is, Washington is a very, very good running back who did some incredible things on a terrible Arkansas team last season. Washington finished 2025 with 167 carries for 1,070 yards, which was an SEC-best 6.4 yards per carry, and eight rushing touchdowns. He also added 28 receptions for 226 yards and one touchdown, becoming the 16th player in the Arkansas football program history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
Mahomes hasn’t had a dynamic running back in his career—a guy who can be on the field at all times to run the ball, catch the ball, or pass block if needed to. Washington is that, and they should certainly take a swing at him on Day 2, if possible.
Kansas City Chiefs News
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love let the world know he wants to be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs for two specific reasons
Jeremiyah Love wants to play with Patrick Mahomes and win a ring in Kansas City like his former mentor at Notre Dame.
