The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and the hype continues to build. There is plenty of time for prospects to fall in and out of fashion before the big event in Pittsburgh, but team needs are unlikely to change.
Washington Commanders Land Elite Running Back Jeremiyah Love in PFSN Mock Draft
The Washington Commanders blew hot and cold in the run game last season. After a year of rotation and with Chris Rodriguez Jr. leaving for the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, the team needs a true lead back. They get just that in the latest PFSN Mock Draft.
The Commanders have plenty of reason for optimism in 2026. Young quarterback Jayden Daniels displayed elite ability as a rookie in 2024, leading the team to a 12-5 record. However, after Daniels missed most of last season due to injury, the Commanders finished 5-12, placing them last in the NFC East.
Because of that finish, the Commanders face a manageable schedule in 2026. The NFC East is paired with the NFC West and the AFC South, providing the Commanders with a volatile run of games that they can turn into double-digit wins. With that in mind, the team can afford to take a luxury pick early in the draft.
That is exactly what they do in the latest three-round mock draft from PFSN’s Ryan Moran. After the six teams ahead of them invest in premium positions, the Commanders take Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the seventh overall pick.
“The Washington Commanders take one of the top overall prospects who also happens to address a need,” Moran said. “Jeremiyah Love, out of Notre Dame, is an ultra-talented running back. He has home-run hitting ability anytime he gets the football. Not only can Love run the ball, but he can also help in the passing game with his receiving and blocking ability. Love would give Jayden Daniels the presence in the backfield he needs.”
Love totaled 3,476 scrimmage yards and 42 total touchdowns over three years in college, but 3,014 of those yards and 40 of those scores came in his final two seasons. In a running back class that is widely considered to be uninspiring, Love stands out as the only elite prospect at the position.
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Love is considered by many to be the best player in this year’s draft. He is listed as the fourth-best player on PFSN’s Big Board, with Jacob Infante ranking him second overall. Is it unreasonable to expect him to fall to the seventh overall pick?
While Love is extremely talented, running back isn’t considered a premium position, and only elite prospects are considered with a top-10 pick. Love is one of those, but teams picking in the top 10 are rarely in a position to take a swing on a luxury position.
Even great running backs do not typically turn bad teams into good ones, as evidenced recently by the Atlanta Falcons. Despite drafting Bijan Robinson eighth overall in 2023 and Robinson becoming one of the most feared backs in the league, the Falcons have not had a winning season since 2017.
The Tennessee Titans (fourth pick) and the New York Giants (fifth pick) are also teams to watch, but both are in a position to draft an elite player in a more valuable position. The Titans are in the early stages of a rebuild, and the Giants’ decision on Love may hinge on how far along they believe they are in their process.
If both teams pass on the star running back, it would shock no one to see Love wearing a Commanders hat just two picks later.
