Who is Jeremiyah Love? The Notre Dame star rising into the top of the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is just days away, and while quarterbacks typically dominate the top of the board, one name is forcing his way into the conversation near the very top: Jeremiyah Love.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish standout has emerged as one of the most dynamic players in the class, and as draft week begins, there is growing belief around the league that Love could be selected much earlier than expected, potentially as high as No. 3 overall.

Jeremiyah Love’s college career and breakout at Notre Dame

Love built his reputation at Notre Dame as one of the most explosive offensive weapons in college football.

A true dual-threat running back, he combined elite speed with vision and balance, consistently turning routine plays into game-changing moments. Whether breaking long runs or contributing in the passing game, Love became the centerpiece of Notre Dame’s offense and one of the most difficult players in the country to defend.

His production matched the eye test. Over his college career, Love established himself as one of the most complete backs in the nation, showcasing the kind of versatility that has become increasingly valuable at the NFL level.

By the end of his time in South Bend, he was widely considered one of the best overall players available.

Combine, workouts and rising draft stock

Love carried that momentum into the pre-draft process. Through workouts and team evaluations, he reinforced what scouts had already seen on tape: elite athleticism, home-run ability, and the versatility to impact the game in multiple ways. In a 2026 draft class without a clear consensus behind top quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Love’s all-around skill set has helped him climb boards across the league.

More importantly, there has been increasing chatter in recent days that his stock is still rising. Running backs rarely go at the very top of the draft in today’s NFL, but Love is beginning to look like an exception.

Why Love could go as high as No. 3 overall

As draft week unfolds, league sources indicate that Love is in play at the No. 3 overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals. While Arizona has explored trade-down scenarios to acquire more picks, there is growing belief that if they stay at No. 3, they could select Love, an outcome that would make him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall in 2018.

Even if that scenario doesn’t materialize, Love is not expected to fall far. The Washington Commanders, who hold the No. 7 pick, are widely viewed as his floor. Washington has been actively looking to upgrade their backfield in recent offseasons, and pairing Love with quarterback Jayden Daniels could instantly reshape the offense.

A rare running back prospect at the top of the draft

Running backs are rarely selected this high in the modern NFL Draft, which is what makes Jeremiyah Love’s rise so notable.

He’s one of the few prospects in this class capable of changing how an offense operates from Day 1. That kind of impact is what teams typically look for at premium positions. Now, with momentum building just days before the draft, Love is positioning himself to break that trend.

And if the buzz proves accurate, he may not just be the first running back selected...he could be one of the first names called on draft night.

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