Jeremiyah Love NFL Draft profile: A home-run hitter with traits that justify a top-five pick

Jeremiyah Love

ND • RB • #4

CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 7 overall (No. 1 RB)

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• Age as of Week 1: 21 years old
• **Measurables:**6-foot-0, 212 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 32-inch arm length, 78⅝-inch wingspan
• Testing: 4.36-second 40-yard dash, 1.55-second 10-yard split
• **Comparable body type:**Nick Chubb

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NFL comparison: Clinton Portis

It's difficult to compare Love to another running back because he has impressive acceleration to go with difference-making speed. Those are rare traits, especially when combined with an abnormally long wingspan, toughness not every running back has (especially at Love's size), and plenty of potential to become a strong threat in the passing game.

Does he resemble Travis Etienne Jr.? Yes, but he's a bit bulkier and clearly stronger. Does he run wild like Jahmyr Gibbs? Sure, but he's not as polished a pass catcher as Gibbs was coming out of college. He could eventually reach that level, but the better comp for Love is Clinton Portis -- a smaller running back with blazing speed, underrated physicality and good hands.

[The argument for (and against) selecting Jeremiyah Love as top-five pick in 2026 NFL Draft

Mike Renner

About

• Draft: Would be first RB taken in top five since 2018 (Saquon Barkley)
• Draft: Would be first Notre Dame QB/RB/WR/TE taken in top 10 since 1993 (Rick Mirer, Jerome Bettis)
• 2025: Unanimous All-American; Doak Walker Award winner (top RB in FBS)
• 2024-25: Led FBS in rushing TD (35) and scrimmage TD (40)
• 2024-25: Set Notre Dame records with 35 rushing TD and 3,014 scrimmage yards in two-year span
• 2025: Increased rushing from 70.3 YPG (2024) to 114.3
• Career: One of six FBS players with multiple seasons of 6.5+ YPC and 15+ rushing TD

College stats

Rushing

Receiving

Strengths

• Thick torso with big quads and long, elongated arms (nearly 80-inch wingspan).
• Typically worked out of the shotgun in Notre Dame's offense, either next to or behind the quarterback. Had a handful of direct snaps in the wildcat formation. Occasionally motioned out of the backfield and lined up as a receiver, or lined up as a receiver out of the huddle.
• Held the ball nice and tight with the standard three points of contact. Had one fumble and zero turnovers in three years (433 carries).
• Patient ball carrier who didn't panic when a lane wasn't clearly available. In fact, Love only needed a sliver of space between linemen to plant and go. He seemed committed to following his blockers at all costs, rarely freelancing when a lane wasn't present. This would cause some dancing in the backfield when a lane wasn't obvious, but coaches would almost always prefer a running back who stays on his track over one who goes off script.
• Easily the most coordinated running back prospect in the past two years. Love's eyes and feet were perpetually in sync, diagnosing his blocking and where defenders were and reacting instantaneously. Rarely wasted movement in the backfield -- always worked to move forward.
• Decisive vision in terms of reading his offensive line and second-level defenders at the same time. He consistently chose the right pathways and ran at the best angles to maximize his gains. He rarely overshot his rushing lane or took too long to make a decision/dance in the backfield. He'd also play chess with linebackers and downhill safeties by seeing them in his field of vision and manipulating them by waiting a beat before cutting. It's one of several reasons why he was/is a great zone-scheme runner.
• Excelled at both zone- and gap-concept runs in 2025 but was slightly better in zone (127-984-9) than gap (73-407-9). The same was true in 2024.
• Capable of exploding into top gear on any step he took, including his first step after receiving the handoff. Generally had very good burst and acceleration to get past defenders and gain a yard on them before they could react and put hands on him.
• Matched that burst and acceleration with the kind of excellent speed that separated him from most other running backs. His sub-4.40-second 40-yard dash speed showed up on plenty of big runs over the past two years, as he would simply run past defenders regularly. Had the kind of speed that would torture eight-man fronts once he escaped the first level of the defense. Not only was his 16.1% explosive rush rate fourth-best among qualifying FBS running backs (at least 100 carries), but his 18.1% explosive rush rate on zone-scheme runs implied that he'd gain at least 12 yards once every five attempts on zone runs.

FIVE PLAYS: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

1. Love bursts into open space as soon as he sees it, then cuts incredibly quickly as soon as the space is gone because defenders show up. Then repeats the process again as he escapes out the front door & outruns everybody, barreling… pic.twitter.com/dg7qTEQ1Mg

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) April 1, 2026

• Definitely had a bunch of moves that proved his difference-making lateral agility. Really sharp cuts, spin moves and side-steps were all natural movements Love made to escape contact. He'll have to use them more frequently in the NFL, where defenders are faster and take proper angles.
• While hurdling defenders isn't always a good idea, especially in the pros, Love's vertical leap was common practice for him in 2024 and a sign of his unreal athleticism. He didn't try jumping over opponents as much in 2025, a sign he recognized the downsides and worked it out of his game. However, Love would dive for first-down yardage often, especially once he realized he'd lost his balance.

3. Another example of Love insta-accelerating as soon as he sees space. Check out the top speed before juking a defender to avoid the tackle. But it's the balance to stay on his feet for five extra yards AND the powering through two tacklers for another 10 yards that make him an… pic.twitter.com/qS3Hv6gYEX

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) April 1, 2026

• Blessed with a low center of gravity and uncanny balance to help extend plays. This manifested not only in terms of contact balance when Love pushed through or bounced off contact, but also when he was able to contort his body to evade defenders while keeping his feet on the ground for a few extra yards.
• Played with toughness and attitude, exactly what you'd expect from a downhill runner. He never feared contact and often absorbed it, finishing plays with strength and falling forward for maximum yardage. He'd barrel into defenders in short-yardage and goal-line situations and churn through first contact. There were many plays where it took multiple defenders to bring the 212-pounder down. Love showcased a nasty stiff-arm, too.
• Solid in short-yardage and goal-line situations, scoring seven times on 11 goal-line carries in his career. Also cashed in for 15 touchdowns on 37 career carries inside the 5-yard line. Love shouldn't have to leave the field in these situations.
• Constant situational awareness. He knew when to try to extend plays and what to do when a play broke down. Rarely stood still or failed to actively try to improve a play.
• Executed basic routes down on pass plays -- screens, flares, outs and wheels -- but also sprinkled in routes like slants, crossers and corners. There is rich potential for Love to be utilized as a receiver.
• Excellent hands for a running back. Almost always looked the ball into his hands and tucked it smoothly. Caught away from his body plenty of times and easily adjusted to off-target throws. Had four drops over three seasons (74 targets), with never more than two in a season.

5. Love caught 63 passes over three seasons (27 in 2025). Here's one where he had a great release and adjusted to the ball by using his right hand to keep it in front of him then snatch it with both hands. Great concentration and coordination. The rest is just his natural… pic.twitter.com/0Gb3RlznAr

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) April 1, 2026

• Work in progress as a blocker, but there was enough evidence to suggest he could quickly become a good pass protector.
• Minimal injuries: Reportedly suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee in 2024 that took him out of two games late in the year, including the Sugar Bowl, and suffered a bruised rib in 2025 but returned after the injury.

Concerns

• Shade undersized. Didn't play like it in college, but it could be a problem in the pros where defenders are bigger, faster and stronger.
• Benefitted from a strong offensive line and might not be as dominant behind a substandard unit against tougher competition. Last year, Love ranked in the 84th percentile in yards before contact per rush (2.39 yards). In 2024, he was in the 88th percentile (2.55 yards). There have been countless examples of young running backs struggling behind weak offensive lines against tougher competition (Ashton Jeanty is a recent example). Love could take longer than expected to flash like he did in college if he winds up behind an inferior O-line.
• Played more than 70% of the snaps in three games in 2025. He played between 60 and 69% of the snaps in three other games and between 50 and 59% of the snaps in one game. That means he played 49% or fewer of the snaps in four other games (excluding one game he left and returned to). Granted, the Irish had two very good running backs in Love and Jadarian Price, so they didn't have a reason to tax Love's body with a ton of work, but NFL teams should be at least open to the idea of giving Love a running mate, even if it's for 35% of snaps per game.

Bottomline

Love is a fantastic runner with a skill set that gives him the potential to be a three-down back as soon as his rookie year. Whether a coaching staff actually gives him that workload remains to be seen, but if he's an early Round 1 pick, it's easy to justify.

Love deserves that kind of role because of his unique explosiveness and speed, especially when paired with the physicality he's capable of playing with -- and still improving. Working in an offense built on zone-scheme runs would only enhance his upside. It wouldn't be surprising if Love becomes one of the league's top running backs, much like former early Round 1 picks Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs.