Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the most talked-about prospects in the entire class — and heading into Thursday night’s first round in Pittsburgh, the St. Louis native says the buzz around his landing spot is loud and clear.
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Love acknowledged on Wednesday that three franchises have emerged as the most frequently mentioned destinations in pre-draft conversation: the Tennessee Titans at No. 4, the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3, and the New York Giants, who hold both the No. 5 and No. 10 picks. The Notre Dame back said he has no certainty about where he will end up but expressed willingness to thrive wherever his name is called.
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The Cardinals, who hold the third overall selection, have been weighing whether to use that pick on Love or pursue a trade down to accumulate additional selections. If Arizona is unable to find a trade partner, team ownership has expressed a preference for the Notre Dame back. Love is not expected to fall past the seventh pick — held by the Washington Commanders — regardless of how the Cardinals’ trade discussions play out.
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The hype surrounding Love is rooted in a historic Notre Dame career. He won the 2025 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back — becoming the first Irish player ever to receive that honor since the award was established in 1990. In his junior season, Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on just 199 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per attempt. He also caught 27 passes for 280 yards and three additional scores, giving him 21 total touchdowns on the year. His 1,652 yards from scrimmage ranked third nationally and stands as the third-best single-season total in Notre Dame history. Over his final two seasons in South Bend, he accumulated 2,497 rushing yards and 40 total touchdowns.
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At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Love clocked a 4.36-second 40-yard dash — second-fastest among running backs — and displayed the agility and explosiveness that have scouts comparing him favorably to some of the position’s elite pass-catching backs. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing 212 pounds, he added more than 10 pounds during his final college season without sacrificing speed. He fumbled just once in 498 career touches at Notre Dame.
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During pre-draft meetings with NFL franchises, Love made clear he sees himself as a complete player — capable of contributing in the running game, as a pass-catcher aligned anywhere on the field, as a blocker, and on special teams. He described himself to potential teams as a straightforward, low-maintenance player whose ideal post-game routine involves staying home and keeping his focus on football. Love also told team representatives he intends to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and make the Pro Bowl in his first NFL season, calling those goals part of a structured plan rather than mere ambition.
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The South Carolina connection to this story runs through Clemson University in Pickens County. Notre Dame and Clemson University formalized a landmark 12-game scheduling agreement in May 2025, covering the 2027 through 2038 seasons. Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff signed the 10-page contract on December 11, 2025, locking in annual home-and-home matchups between the two programs regardless of future conference realignment. The series opens October 30, 2027 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. As Love departs Notre Dame for the NFL, that long-term rivalry ensures the Irish will return to the Upstate on a yearly basis — keeping a direct thread between South Bend’s elite program and the South Carolina football landscape for more than a decade.
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The 2026 NFL Draft first round kicks off Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern from Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park in Pittsburgh — the city’s first time hosting the event since 1948. Love, who does not turn 21 until May 31, projects to sign a four-year rookie contract that could range from roughly $48.7 million if selected fourth by the Titans to approximately $50.5 million at third overall with the Cardinals.
