As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, few names generate more buzz than Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. A Heisman finalist, a program cornerstone, and widely viewed as one of the top overall prospects in the class, Love understands that hype comes with the territory.
If you ask him about draft projections or RB1 talk, he’ll quickly shift the focus elsewhere. Instead of embracing the spotlight, Love is deflecting it and pointing directly to his head coach, Marcus Freeman.
Jeremiyah Love’s Mindset Behind the Star
Football analyst Madelyn Burke recently shared on Twitter what Love said about his mentality and how he handles the growing expectations surrounding him. She wrote on X:
“Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love says his mindset is ‘Choose hard,’ advice he got from ND coach Marcus Freeman, saying if it’s easy it isn’t good for you. ‘Just go day by day, working, find ways to get better.’”
It’s a simple message, but a powerful one.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love says his mindset is “Choose hard,” advice he got from ND coach Marcus Freeman, saying if it’s easy it isn’t good for you. “Just go day by day, working, find ways to get better” pic.twitter.com/TNIlZwNGNE
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) February 27, 2026
In an era where shortcuts and instant gratification are tempting, Love has embraced the grind. “Choose hard” isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a daily standard. If it’s easy, it probably isn’t pushing you. If it isn’t pushing you, it isn’t growing you.
That mentality explains why Love has become one of college football’s most dominant players.
Notre Dame RB’s Output That Speaks for Itself In 2026 Draft
Love didn’t just pass the eye test; he overwhelmed the stat sheet.
He posted a 92.4 PFSN CFB RB Impact Score, good for fourth-best among all running backs in the country. He also finished fourth nationally in rushing yards with 1,372, while adding 280 receiving yards, reinforcing his value as a complete, three-down weapon. His 18 rushing touchdowns ranked third in the FBS.
He’s not just a volume runner. He’s explosive. He’s physical. He’s versatile. He’s reliable.
That full-package profile is why the PFSN consensus big board lists Love as the clear RB1 and a top-six overall player in the class, rare territory for a running back in today’s draft landscape, where positional value often pushes elite backs down the board.
Running backs selected that high in modern drafts are few and far between. When evaluators discuss Love, comparisons surface to players like Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley, prospects whose talent forced teams to overlook the declining positional value narrative.
That’s the tier Love is operating in.
And yet, while his résumé screams superstardom, his mindset remains rooted in humility and growth.
Love’s dominance at Notre Dame has already cemented him as a program legend. But what may ultimately separate him at the next level isn’t just his vision, burst, or versatility; it’s his approach.
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Choosing the hard path. Taking it day by day. Finding ways to improve. That’s the foundation Coach Freeman instilled in him. And it’s the reason the hype doesn’t seem to faze him.
If Love continues applying that mindset, it won’t be surprising to see him doing on Sundays exactly what he did on Saturdays, only this time with an NFL logo on his helmet. The draft buzz may grow louder. The spotlight may get brighter.
But if Love has his way, the work will always stay louder than the noise.
