The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season might have been one of the biggest disappointments of the season. They entered the year bent on redemption after being stomped by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59, but instead they went 6-11 and missed the postseason. Could one of the best players in the 2026 NFL Draft be the difference maker?
The Chiefs Look to Bolster Their Offense with a Versatile Playmaker in the 2026 NFL Draft
The NFL season is truly over. The Super Bowl has passed, awards have been handed out, coaches have been fired, and replacements have been hired, and now everyone is turning their attention to the upcoming draft.
One of the best in the mock draft business is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Every offseason, fans wait eagerly to either embrace or lament whomever Kiper has assigned to their team in each round.
Kansas City finds itself in unfamiliar territory and will be looking to hit a home run when they select No. 9 overall after missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. This is especially true because quarterback Patrick Mahomes is potentially sidelined to start the season as he rehabs from his knee injury.
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On a recent episode of the “NFL on NBC,” Kiper surprised the others on the show by picking Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame, who is No. 2 on his big board, as the Chiefs first round pick. Kiper has long professed to be against teams taking running backs in the first round, but he considers Love an exception to the rule.
“How many times have I screamed they should grade on ability, not philosophy? For me, he’s the second-best player in this draft. Jeremiyah Love is more than just a running back; you put him in the slot he can catch the football. He’s explosive, 14 runs of more than 34 or more yards over the last two years at Notre Dame, in addition to 63 career receptions coming out of that backfield,” explained Kiper.
“This is a dynamic football player who had 433 carries at Notre Dame, averaging 6.7 per carry. 433 carries loose 63 receptions out of the backfield, and guess what? Zero fumbles over those three years at Notre Dame. That’s why if he gets down to New Orleans or Kansas City, I’m going to applaud the pick because he’s more than just a running back.”
According to PFSN’s CFB RB Impact score, Love was fourth among all college running backs for 2025 with a grade of A- and a score of 92.4.
During his three years with the Fighting Irish, Love set himself apart as an exceptional playmaker. His freshman season only yielded 385 yards and 1 touchdown, but he turned up the heat as a sophomore and a junior.
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In three seasons, he played in 41 games and rushed 433 times for 2,882 yards and 36 touchdowns. That averaged a whopping 6.7 yards per carry. But he also made plays with his hands, catching 63 passes for 594 yards and 6 touchdowns.
