Part 6, RB: Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love? 'The best NFL prospect in this draft'
NFL law may state you should never take a running back high. Jeremiyah Love is a different beast. He's entering the league with a Notre Dame teammate, too. Hear what the scouts think inside.
This is the 42nd year, and the fifth at Go Long, in which Bob McGinn has written a position-by-position series previewing the NFL draft. Previously, it appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (1985-’91), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (1992-2017), Bob McGinnFootball.com (2018-’19) and The Athletic (2020-’21). Until 2014, many personnel people were quoted by name. The series reluctantly adopted an all-anonymous format in 2015 at the request of many scouts. Listed times in the 40-yard dash reflect the average of hand-held clockings from the combine and pro days. Electronic times from the combine aren’t compatible with most pro days and therefore weren’t utilized.
Sixth of 12 parts: running backs.
By Bob McGinn
Unlike a lot of years, NFL executives are in widespread agreement that there is a franchise player in this class of running backs. That’s Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame, who some regard as the pre-eminent player in the draft regardless of position.
It’s the quality of player behind Love that has left teams with a strange sense of uncertainty.
“It’s not a great running back group,” one personnel man said. “There weren’t as many guys I got excited about.”
Six years ago, 11 running backs were chosen among the top 100 picks. The ongoing devaluation of the position is reflected by the decline in those top-100 numbers since: four in 2021, six in 2022, seven in 2023, four in 2024 and six in 2025.
During almost all those years, evaluators didn’t find it necessary taking a back in the first three rounds because history told them they could find almost an equally good one in rounds 4-7 - if not the post-draft, free-agent free-for-all.
In the last 10 years, a whole host of Pro Bowl, 1,000-yard rushers and emerging talents emerged from those that weren’t among the top 10 backs selected. That list includes Jamaal Williams (13th), Marlon Mack (15th) and Aaron Jones (19th) in 2017, Tony Pollard (11th) in 2019, Tyler Allgeier (12th), Kyren Williams (15th) and Isiah Pacheco (22nd) in 2022, Tyrone Tracy (14th) and Kimani Vidal (17th) in 2024 and Kyle Monangai (23rd) and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (26th) in 2025. In addition, Austin Ekeler (2017), Phillip Lindsay (2018) and James Robinson (2020) weren’t even drafted.
The odds are that a player or two will far exceed expectations and come out of the so-called running-back woodwork. But pardon teams for being somewhat skeptical this spring.
“After Love goes top 10 and then his running-mate (Jadarian Price), after that it’s probably going to be a while before any of them go,” said one executive. “Third or fourth round. These guys are all practice-squad or third backs. If somebody gets hurt and they get a chance maybe they surprise us.”
Links:
Part 2, TE: Kenyon Sadiq and the hunt for matchup nightmares
Part 3, T: Why Francis Mauigoa ‘n co. may define the 2026 NFL Draft
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RUNNING BACKS
1. JEREMIYAH LOVE, Notre Dame (6-0, 212, 4.38, 1): The first, first-team All-America back for the Irish since Allen Pinkett in 1985. “He has so much athletic ability and speed for the position,” said one scout. “He’s a home-run hitter, a decisive runner with really good vision. Like a Chris Johnson and Jahmyr Gibbs type. Not a power back, but he does have some strength and toughness to him inside, which is more than you usually see from a back with his kind of speed. Very good hands. Willing pass protector. He’s the best NFL prospect in this draft.”