Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is the consensus top playmaker in the 2026 NFL Draft, as the full package who can shine as a runner and receiver.
Love's NFL goals go beyond becoming a potential top-10 draft pick.
"I want to be one of the best of all time," he said Tuesday at Notre Dame's pro day, . "I want to be a Hall of Famer. I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
"I tell them all these goals that I have. Obviously, these are goals. Goals are goals, but you've got to have a process for how you want to achieve those things. I'll go every season and set out little goals, like per week, what I can do to make sure I'm reaching the bigger goal that I have. I've told all these teams this. It's a lot of big talk, but I have a process and I have a plan for how I'm gonna get there."
The outsized nature of the aspirations might shock some, but Love owns the talent to back it up.
A dynamic runner who has been compared to HOFer LaDainian Tomlinson in some circles, Love is a three-down back who can power through tacklers and has elite speed to turn good runs into great ones. Owning electric playmaking ability, Love, like a Ferrari, can make moves without decelerating, leaving defenders grasping for air. When given even decent blocking, the back turns 4-yard gains into 10-yard pickups with regularity -- those types of runs bring extreme value to an offense.
Love pairs high-charged running with vibrant pass-catching talent, able to pluck the ball with ease, and can run routes like a receiver. He's also a willing pass protector.
Watching his tape, it's not a wonder that there is little outrage over the fact that a running back is consistently mocked as a top-seven pick and branded as a top-two player. While most freak out over taking an RB that high, Love's threat as an every-down weapon, plus more teams reinvesting in the position, have lowered the heat on taking the Notre Dame product high.
Love is the complete package on the field, and owns the mentality coaches will love.
"I've learned that it takes consistency, discipline, once you get to the league, ," he said when asked about those lofty long-term goals. "A lot of times, guys get to the league and they're, 'I made it.' No, you haven't made it. You ain't made it past your first contract. You've got to get to that. For me, I want to get to my third contract. So, when I get to my third contract and that's over and I've got, shoot, one day, hopefully I've got my gold jacket. One day, I've made the Pro Bowl hopefully five-plus years. Then, I think I've had some type of success. Those are questions that I ask going into these meetings and going into these visits, and I just want to know how I can be a better version of myself."
In three seasons at Notre Dame, Love generated 2,882 rushing yards on 433 carries (6.7 YPC) with 36 rushing touchdowns and six receiving scores. In 2025, the back put up 1,372 rushing yards on 199 carries with 18 TDs and added 280 receiving yards and three more scores on 27 catches. Love currently ranks as NFL Network Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiahās No. 2 prospect.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins with the first round on April 23.
