Jeremiyah Love is considered the safest pick in the 2026 NFL Draft despite the devaluation of running backs. Other top prospects have significant questions surrounding their potential.
Key points
Jeremiyah Love is seen as the safest pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Other top prospects have significant questions about their potential.
Concerns exist regarding edge rushers and receivers in this draft class.
Love's only criticism is related to the running back position.
There is no guarantee Love wonāt be a bust. Every prospect has bust potential. But throughout the NFL Draft process, there havenāt been many criticisms of Loveās game. Heās a complete prospect. The only knock has been that he plays running back.
Thatās the rub. The player who some analysts have ranked as the best overall player in the draft doesnāt play a premium position in the modern NFL. The argument that ārunning backs donāt matterā is misguided and also largely a straw man, but one look at the salaries for the top players at each position tells a story. The NFL doesnāt view a star running back the same as it does star players at some other key positions.
Q&A
Why is Jeremiyah Love considered the safest pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Jeremiyah Love is viewed as a complete prospect with minimal criticisms of his game, making him a reliable choice compared to other players in the draft.
What concerns exist about other top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Top edge rushers and receivers have questions about their potential, and there are doubts regarding Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza's upside.
How does the devaluation of running backs affect Jeremiyah Love's draft stock?
Despite the general trend of devaluing running backs, Love's talent and reliability may still make him a top pick in the draft.
What are the main criticisms of the 2026 NFL Draft class?
The draft class lacks elite prospects like Ja'Marr Chase, and many top players have significant concerns regarding their performance and potential.
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But when teams do take a running back in the top 10 lately, they rarely miss. And shouldnāt that be a selling point for a team that has a top-10 pick?
Many recent 1st round RBs have been hits
No position in the draft is bust-proof. Any position has a long line of failed prospects, who washed out for one reason or another.
However the recent hit rate at running back, especially in the top half of the first round, is quite good compared to other positions.
(Yahoo Sports/Bruno Rouby)
(Yahoo Sports/Bruno Rouby)
Jeanty and Hampton, the two running backs taken in the first round last season, had moments of excellence as rookies and their grades are incomplete. Hampton was held back by injuries and Jeanty was held back by being drafted by the Raiders. Both could emerge as top-15 running backs this season. While there are some clear busts on the list ā Rashaad Penny was a miss and Kansas City taking Edwards-Helaire over Jonathan Taylor in 2020 was regrettable to say the least ā all the other backs taken in the first round since 2016 were productive for at least a stretch.
And a great player at that spot can make a big difference. Kenneth Walker III just won Super Bowl MVP. Saquon Barkley was the best player on an Eagles team that won a Super Bowl two seasons ago, and the 49ers got to overtime of the Super Bowl three seasons ago with Christian McCaffrey leading the way. Itās hard to say the Cardinals or Titans would become instant contenders by drafting Love in the top four on Thursday night, but theyād be adding a multi-talented running back who would eat up yards in the running game and also by catching the ball.
Running backs might not be as valuable as quarterback or a top edge rusher, but they matter. And, relatively speaking, theyāre pretty safe investments in the first round.
Where will Jeremiyah Love go?
Free agency usually tells the story of what teams think about running backs. Last month, Walker got $14.35 million per year to sign with the Chiefs, the highest mark among running backs this offseason. That was less than players like Jaylen Watson, Kwity Paye and Cordale Flott. Last season Walker had 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage. Colts receiver Alec Pierce had 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. Pierce got $28.5 million per year to stay with the Colts, almost double Walkerās annual salary.
Thatās why thereās a debate on Love. Even if Love becomes one of the best running backs in the NFL, the league wonāt view him on the same plane as a great pass rusher or No. 1 receiver in terms of salary. When teams in the top 10 discuss whether to take Love, theyāll be considering that. If a David Bailey or Rueben Bain Jr. become an All-Pro pass rusher, they will make two or three times what Love will, even if he becomes the best at his position in the NFL.
But teams have a good idea what theyāll get from Love. Heās got the speed to hit explosive runs, and heās so good in the passing game that Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman recently said he thought Love could be an elite wide receiver. He will impact an offense from his first game, which is undeniably important to a young quarterback like Cam Ward or Jaxson Dart, whose teams have the fourth and fifth picks of the draft.
Where Love lands is one of the biggest storylines heading into the NFL Draft. Whoever takes him will very likely be pleased with the player. Weāll have to see if that team just has some second thoughts about passing on a potential star at another position.
