Every year in August, NFL scouts start hitting the road and visiting college football training camps as they progress in the evaluation process for the next NFL Draft. Over the past 15 years, there have been some years where NFL teams devalued the running back prospects and did not take one in the first round of the draft. In recent years, that has changed somewhat with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs going in the top 12 of the 2023 NFL Draft. This year, Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton were first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Between those drafts came 2024, and no running back was selected on the opening night of the draft that year. In 2026, there could be a running back who gets selected on the opening night of the draft in Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. Love was one of the highest graded players on the team’s preseason watch list, and sources who have done advance work think he is a first-round caliber prospect.
“He may not seem dynamic at first, but he’s special,” said an NFC director of player personnel. “He’s strong, has great contact balance, good vision, good feel, good top-end speed, and he’s a good kid. He’s kind of similar to Nick Chubb coming out of Georgia, but obviously, Chubb slid because of the injury. [Love’s] not as big as Omarion Hampton, but I think Jeremiyah is a better prospect at this point.”
The 6-foot, 210-pound Love was the engine of the Notre Dame offense as the passing attack struggled in 2024. Love did the heavy lifting for the scoring attack and helped carry the Fighting Irish through the college football playoffs and to the National Championship game. As a sophomore, Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry for 1,125 yards with 17 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 237 yards. A lot can change during the course of the 2025 season, and of course, staying healthy is critical for Love’s draft stock. In my my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have Love going between where Jeanty and Hampton were selected last April.
