2026 NFL Prospect—Notre Dame’s RB Jeremiyah Love

Notre Dame has been blessed with a plethora of talented running backs in the past. From legendary figure George Gipp to NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, the Fighting Irish always seem to produce NFL-level talent at the position each year. 

This year is no different. Enter Jeremiyah Love, the next explosive and versatile back to emerge from South Bend. Love will likely be the first running back off the board in next year’s draft and could find himself landing in the top ten with another great season. The 6-foot, 210-pound rusher brings size and elite speed to the position, and anyone watching his game can easily compare him to the Detroit Lions’ utility back, Jahmyr Gibbs. 

Strengths

Love has game-breaking speed. One bad angle or one missed assignment, and he will take his rush or reception to the house. He combines his lightning acceleration with great contact balance and excellent vision, often exploding through the holes. Last year, Love averaged almost 7 yards per carry.

But Love just isn’t a speed demon. His size allows him to be a 3-down back, and he can run for power, too. He always seems to fall forward for the extra yard and is strong enough to break through arm tackles. Love’s open-field ability will make him a problem for NFL defenses when he leaks out into the passing game. In 2024, he accounted for 19 of Dame’s touchdowns and over 1,400 all-purpose yards. Make no mistake—he is a true dual-threat player.

Weaknesses

Scouts and coaches will nitpick Love in several areas where he can improve. Some will say in the passing game that they want to see more. He only had 23 receptions last year, and the Irish’s offense never really made him a focus on passing downs, despite his ability. That’s something that Love can’t control per se, but it will be a focus at next year’s pro prospect bowls and at the NFL Combine.

Secondly, scouts will want to see Love add more muscle to his frame while not sacrificing speed. He can help with gym time. 

Conclusion

Jeremiyah Love will be the top running back in the 2026 class if he stays healthy and shows improvement on his 2024 campaign. His game speed, breakaway ability, contact balance, and 3-down capability will catapult him into the first round and perhaps as high as the top ten. Teams will love his combination of acceleration, ability to break and evade tackles, and threaten defenses on every play.