Former Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love bolstered his draft stock with a storming performance during the on-field drills at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis last month. In a draft class light on quarterback talent, Love has been hailed as perhaps the most talented offensive prospect ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Love has been projected as a top-10 pick in several mock drafts and the first running back off the board on draft night.
Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman Hypes Up Jeremiyah Love
During Thursday’s segment of the “NFL Draft Daily” show, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman hyped up Love’s growth during his Fighting Irish career and detailed the potential for his game to translate into the NFL.
“I think he can do so many different things,” Freeman said. “We had many long meetings and hours trying to figure out how many different ways we can get the ball in his hands, not only as a running back, but obviously as a receiver. He’s a freak athlete that I’m sure, if we put him at DB, could be really successful.
“But what I love about Jeremiyah is the growth and preparation in terms of the mental side, but also the physical side. The ability to take care of his body but also to make sure that he’s ready for the pounding that a major college football team as a running back will be, but even an NFL running back.”
In his latest mock draft, PFSN analyst Reese Decker predicted that the Tennessee Titans would improve their offensive firepower by selecting Love with their No. 4 pick on draft night.
Mel Kiper Praises Love’s Versatility
During a conference call with reporters on Thursday, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper lavished praise on Love’s talent and further reinforced the speculation about the Titans selecting him on draft night.
“I understand not taking a running back,” Kiper said. “I argued against that for 30 years, and now I’m kind of defending these running backs, only because (Love) is so versatile. If he was just a running back, we wouldn’t be saying that. Because he’s so versatile, and you can do so many things creatively with him.”
“He’s the second-best player on my board. A lot of people think he’s the best player in this draft. You’re picking fourth, you don’t want to get the fifth, sixth-best player. You want to get a guy inside of your top four, and Love certainly is.”
Love earned an impressive PFSN CFB RB Impact score of 92.4 after managing 1,372 rushing yards on 199 carries and 18 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish last season.
