Jeremiyah Love is projected to be a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, standing out among running backs. Other notable backs may not appear until later rounds.
Key points
Jeremiyah Love is projected as a top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
He has averaged nearly 110 total yards and over a touchdown per game
The 2026 running back class is less prominent than the 2025 class
Other running backs may not be selected until later rounds
Jeremiyah LoveNotre DameDallas CowboysNew York Yankees
Jeremiyah Love could hear his name among the first 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. After that, it could be a while before another running back earns his spot on the draft board.
Love is the obvious prize in a vast cereal box of tailbacks. He was the kind of player whose recounting will inspire hushed tones across South Bend, Indiana and in the hearts and minds of folks who own both Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees hats. But unlike Ashton Jeanty in 2025, there won't be an Omarion Hampton ready to go later in the first round. There may not even be a Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson following in the top 40 picks.
That doesn't mean there aren't a handful of players who can make a major impact out of the backfield in 2026. Let's take a look at the obvious top dog... and a couple of less heralded backs who could rise to prominence from spots later in the draft.
The stud: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Over the last two seasons, Love has averaged nearly 110 total yards and more than a touchdown per game. Since this happened at Notre Dame, the vast majority of those performances came against brand name competition.
There was a 147-yard, two-touchdown day against Texas A&M. He had 127 total yards and four scores to demolish Arkansas. Three different games saw him break 100 rushing yards on eight carries or fewer. And there's what he did to USC. Poor, poor USC.
Love is a versatile weapon capable of contributing every down. He has elite quickness and top-line speed (4.36 second 40 at the combine) that makes him a home run threat every time he touches the ball. He's a talented contributor as a receiver, hauling in more than two catches per game last season. He's not just a screen savant; he can split out to the slot and crush cornerbacks or leak out of the backfield as an absolute menace on wheel routes.
There's a very good chance Love's ceiling is that of peak Le'Veon Bell. Every planted foot is an opportunity to accelerate. Every inch of daylight has the capacity to spill into dozens of yards. While he still needs to clean up his pass protection and there's room to be more efficient with both his cuts and timing, this is a plug-and-play starter who'll immediately make an offense better.
Q&A
Who is the top running back prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft?
Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame is the top running back prospect expected to be selected in the top 10.
What are Jeremiyah Love's stats for the last two seasons?
Jeremiyah Love has averaged nearly 110 total yards and more than a touchdown per game over the last two seasons.
Are there any sleeper running backs in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Yes, there are a couple of less heralded running backs who could rise to prominence later in the draft.
How does the 2026 running back class compare to 2025?
Unlike the 2025 class, which included Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton, the 2026 class lacks multiple high-profile running backs.
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The sleeper: Mike Washington, Arkansas
Nov 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington (4) runs away from the tackle of LSU Tigers safety Tamarcus Cooley (0) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nov 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington (4) runs away from the tackle of LSU Tigers safety Tamarcus Cooley (0) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Washington bounced across three different schools in five collegiate seasons. Remarkably, his most productive or efficient seasons didn't come against Group of 5 competition at Buffalo or New Mexico State. He saved his star turn for a cursed Razorbacks team last fall.
Washington pairs elite speed (4.33s 40) with a big frame, though at 6-foot-1 he runs a bit more upright than compact, limiting his short-yardage utility despite a 223-pound frame. Don't confuse that with an inability to break through tackles, however. He has the leg drive to churn forward and break free. The man is a menace when given the chance to run downhill, ripping off runs of 20-plus yards in nine of his dozen games as a Razorback.
That gives him some utility in the passing game, though he's more of a "screen/wheel" contributor than someone who can motion out of the backfield and give you a diverse route tree. He's not great in pass protection and he has ball security issues, fumbling 10 times the last two years.
While his running style and areas of improvement may pencil him in as a platoon back early, he can be every bit the lightning to a more physical back's thunder. Give him a simple read and a modest crease and he's going to turn it into magic.
There are a few running backs in this year's class with the potential to be a Darren Sproles type presence -- a smaller, explosive back capable of making electric cuts. Coincidentally, two of them -- Armoni Goodwin and Trey Holly -- are former LSU players who transferred down to larger roles with FCS programs. The guy most likely to carry that Sproles/Tarik Cohen torch, however, is the Panthers' captain.
Reid was listed at 5-foot-8 in Pitt's record books but clocked in at 5-foot-6 and 174 pounds at the combine. That would make him one of the lightest players in the league, but also one of its most elusive with the ball in his hands. The former Western Carolina star was an All-American in his first season at Pitt. He had 1,545 yards from scrimmage in 11 games and added 159 yards and a touchdown on 13 punt returns that season.
His numbers dipped as he played through, then succumbed to, injury in 2025 -- though he was still able to average 21 yards per punt return. Indeed, he has the cut quickness, acceleration and top speed to be an impact special teamer on Sundays, even if his small frame will make him a constant injury risk (which, as I type this, makes me sad for Tarik Cohen).
He's also a talented receiver who can motion out of the backfield or line up in the slot and create headaches. He's smart at identifying coverage and understanding which way to break in order to beat it (52 catches, 579 yards in 2024). There's a lot of lovely stop-and-go, lateral jump-cut flashes that make him a headache to corral either after a handoff or once he's caught a pass downfield.
Reid's game remains raw, however. He can run himself into trouble while trying to turn a good opportunity into a great one. His frame will perpetually limit his effectiveness as a blocker, which is a bummer for a guy with such remarkable third down back potential. But he can create magic utilized in several different ways, and the right coach will use him to write new chapters in his playbook.
