A few years ago, it was looking like the running back position was losing its spark. Thanks to a rekindling of the flame from the likes of Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, and a resurgence of various younger players from the past two seasons, carrying the rock has appeared to have found that loving feeling again.
The 2026 NFL Draft class doesn’t skip a beat either, with Jeremiyah Love headlining the position, and he shouldn’t have butterflies for very long on that first date in April, as he’s poised to be a top 15 selection.
Hailing from Christian Brothers College in St. Louis, Missouri, Love led his high school team to back-to-back state championship titles in 2021 and 2022, and won the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year honors in his senior season. Jeremiyah was also a track star, winning the Missouri Class 5 state title in the 100 meters. He continued his academic and athletic legacy by signing with Notre Dame in December of 2022.
2023 FR 13 G 71 Att 385 Yds 1 TD 8 Rec 77 Yds 1 TD
2024 SO 16 G 163 Att 1125 Yds 17 TD 28 Rec 237 Yds 2 TD
Jeremiyah’s game is easy to love, especially from an athletic standpoint. With his track background, Love is projected to run a sub-4.4 40, and he wears that on his sleeve, especially when he’s able to get around a corner or find a seam. With that, however, he doesn’t appear to let that sporting pride get the best of him as he’s patient and never seems to jump the gun and lets things develop in front of him. Love isn’t blind either, and he showcases adequate vision on the battlefield.
He also has plenty of highlights where he takes (calculated) leaps of faith, leaving defenders and fans alike head over heels and showcasing his ability to bend over backwards to reach his destined location.
It’s a great balancing act, too, with Love going out of his way to be a homerun-type player while still maintaining great stability and humility through contact and tight situations. Not only that, it’s easy to catch feelings for his receiving ability out of the backfield and how that can correlate to opening up an offense.
Jeremiyah has a nice way of playing hard to get in the open field, as he has a steady elusiveness to ghost defenders and leaves their keys on read. He’s a little stiff and not necessarily as flashy as one would think with his intangibles, but it’s all driven by a strong lower half and an uncanny ability to fall forward and find the higher gears.
Despite being listed as 6’0″ and 212 lbs, some might still argue that Love doesn’t have prototypical three-down RB size. He compensates for that in an assortment of ways, and it doesn’t necessarily appear to be a red flag in his game.
Where it may come into question is in his pass protection, as he can, at times, not quite get an adequate anchor against defenders who are after a QB’s heart. It doesn’t stop him from shooting his shot, though. He isn’t shy and still shows a willingness to engage with contact and physical touch.
What might be hard to love and would probably give some WR coaches the “ick”, for now, is Jeremiyah’s limited route tree. He doesn’t necessarily play the field as often as Notre Dame utilized him out wide, but with his athletic capabilities, there is still plenty of room to grow.
It would be hard not to find many teams that are eligible suitors for Love’s game. With his intangibles, he would be the rose for any offense. If the stars were to align, however, Jeremiyah is probably best suited for a more zone-friendly offensive scheme. Large in part is due to his size, but his game is heavily predicated on his speed and ability to find seams, and even though those qualities would play on the heartstrings of any defense, a downhill system wouldn’t particularly cater to the powers of Love.
Unfortunately, in more ways than one, Love isn’t built as a 25-touch bruiser in today’s game. Many teams establish boundaries through a committee approach, and what Jeremiyah can offer as a tangible big-play threat, accompanied by instincts and drive, is a non-negotiable asset that is exactly what teams want at the next level. His speed and pass-catching capabilities are out of most defenders’ league, and he can be used in an assortment of ways.
I have nothing but words of affirmation for Jeremiyah’s game. It’s hard not to envision him having a successful career in the NFL, and with his athletic capabilities, there’s still plenty to build on. Even though he’s undersized a touch physically, Love should still have a long-distance journey at the next level, despite the short-term shelf life the position usually carries. Any team would be receiving a gift on day one of the 2026 NFL Draft by acquiring Love, and it would be an act of service for any offense with his versatility.
As he approaches the end of his junior season and takes the next step from competing with the boys to the men, it won’t get lost in translation, and it’s easy to see how Jeremiyah Love’s language translates to the NFL.
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