Cardinals Add RB Jeremiyah Love At No. 3
After buzz connected the Cardinals to Jeremiyah Love, the top running back in the 2026 class is indeed Arizona-bound. Love has been drafted third overall. The Notre Dame product becomes the highest drafted running back in the NFL since the Saquon Barkley went second overall eight years ago.
Love was by far the consensus top running back of the 2026 class. His backup with the Fighting Irish, Jadarian Price, is widely considered RB2 and may have to wait until Day 2 of the draft to hear is name. Ever since taking over the starting job as a sophomore, Love has been perhaps the most electric running back in college football. In two years as RB1, he combined for 2,497 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns in just 28 games.
Love joins a crowded running backs room in Arizona that is likely about to clear out to make room for his star power. James Conner has been the man for the Cardinals since coming over from Pittsburgh in 2021. Over his first four years with the team, Conner averaged 917 yards per season with 37 touchdowns, but in 2025, injuries limited him to only three games. The team also signed former Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier in free agency after four strong years as a backup in Atlanta.
There’s little question Love will be RB1 once he arrives in Arizona. With draft pick salaries automatically set per slot, Love will easily be the team’s highest-paid rusher on a fully guaranteed four-year, $53.02MM rookie contract. He also become the seventh-highest-paid running back in the NFL by annual average value, but his guaranteed money will exceed even that of Barkley.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Latest On Giants’ First-Round Plans
The Giants adding the No. 10 overall pick in the Dexter Lawrence trade has complicated the first round for the NFC East franchise. A lot is in play as John Harbaugh finalizes preparations for his first New York draft.
Tied to the likes of Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Jordyn Tyson and also potentially bolstering their O-line, the Giants have several directions they can now go holding two top-10 choices. The Giants are believed to want to help Jaxson Dart in this year’s first round, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, and Love links have piled up. But it is quite possible the Notre Dame running back is off the board by No. 5.
How the board falls at 5 may dictate what the Giants do at 10, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones expecting Big Blue to draft a player on each side of the ball by night’s end. It would be interesting to see the Giants take Love at 5 and perhaps Tyson or Carnell Tate at 10, but if the team does draft either Love or Tyson at 5, finding a defender at 10 might be difficult.
It is quite possible Styles and Downs will be off the board by No. 10, perhaps ramping up the pressure on New York — presuming it wants at least one of the Ohio State defenders — to go defense then offense. Downs appears more likely than Styles to be available at 10, and before the Bengals and Giants made the above-referenced trade, Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft had the safety falling to Cincinnati in that spot. But it is very possible both go off the board in the top nine, and in a scenario where the Giants end up with Love or Tyson at 5, they might need to look closely at their O-line options due to Styles and Downs potentially being spoken for by 10.
Love may be too difficult to pass on at 5, but Miller adds the Giants do not expect him to be there by then. That said, Miller notes the team would pick the former Fighting Irish star if he is available. That simplifies this process to a degree, but with Love links to the Cardinals and Titans, it is obviously possible the Giants will need to turn to their second choice (at least) at 5.
Tyson may be part of that equation, as the Arizona State wideout has vaulted up the board — with his recent workout showing the skillset that has tantalized teams amid an injury-plagued career. Giants coaches are “very high on” Tyson, Miller colleague Jeremy Fowler adds. No team did more work on Tyson than the Giants, per Miller.
Joe Schoen was at the prospect’s modified pro day in Tempe, Ariz., and that included a dinner with the fast-rising pass catcher. If the Giants do not believe Tyson will be available at 10, adding him early and taking their chances with one of the Ohio State defenders or an O-lineman may be the play (in the event Love is gone by 5).
The team has also been connected to Tate, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mocks the ex-Buckeyes receiver to New York at No. 5. The team likes both players, per Breer, but Tate would give New York a much safer prospect — albeit one with less upside — in this premium draft slot.
Tyson will be a higher-variance prospect, while Tate — Ohio State’s WR2 behind Jeremiah Smith over the past two years — would slot in alongside Malik Nabers. The latter’s recent ACL tear could impact the Giants on Tyson, but if the NFC East team is truly sold on the Arizona State product’s upside, passing for a safer option may not go over too well should Tyson hit elsewhere.
Cardinals’ Coaching Staff High On RB Jeremiyah Love
Steadily mentioned as a team interested in trading down, the Cardinals are also seeing ties to Jeremiyah Love accumulate. The Notre Dame running back is a candidate to hear his name called anywhere from No. 3 to No. 7 (depending on trade maneuvers). He may not last long into that range.
The Raiders will almost definitely start the draft with Fernando Mendoza, while the Jets’ David Bailey-or-Arvell Reese decision may be skewing Reese — in what appears to be quite the close fight — at the final hour. This will leave the Cardinals with a few options at No. 3.
[RELATED: Pro Football Rumors 2026 NFL Mock Draft]
Arizona could take the edge rusher the Jets do not or pivot to an offensive lineman — perhaps Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano. No. 3 may be too early for Sonny Styles, but the Ohio State linebacker is not expected to escape the top eight. The decision the Cards may be wrestling with most, however, stems from either taking Love or trading down.
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has the Cards finding a trade partner (the Saints) and moving down five spots, but this may be contingent on Reese remaining on the board. The Cardinals may be staring at Bailey. While Arizona may well be intrigued by adding the Texas Tech standout to complement Josh Sweat, we have not heard much buzz there. That could be by design. But Love has entered the equation with recent reports. If the Arizona coaching staff has a significant say, that may matter; the new Cards staff is quite high on Love, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Adam La Rose’s most recent PFR mailbag debated the merits of choosing a running back this high, and Love would become an immediate weapon in a backfield housing James Conner (31 next week) and recent free agency addition Tyler Allgeier. Even if an argument can be made the Cardinals are not a running back away (and have the position covered reasonably well, with Trey Benson also in the fold), the California Post’s Vincent Bonsignore notes the combination of a GM “acting out of self-preservation” and and owner “wanting to sell tickets” points to Love being a strong consideration barring a trade-down move. The coaching staff had time to discuss Love’s fit during his recent “30” visit. The franchise has not chosen a running back in Round 1 since Beanie Wells in 2009.
GMs on hot seats do not have much incentive to trade down. Although Dave Gettleman did so in his final draft by sliding down the board (allowing the Bears to take Justin Fields) and equipping eventual successor Joe Schoen with an extra 2022 first-round pick, an exec in danger of being fired will understandably want immediate help.
Love would provide that for Monti Ossenfort, whose rebuild took a major step back in 2025 via a 3-14 season that led to Jonathan Gannon‘s ouster. As this space has discussed, the Bidwill family has given GMs long leashes previously. Steve Keim and Rod Graves were on the job 10 years apiece. Keim was also in a much better place by Year 3, while Graves did not have a three-win season on his resume at this juncture. Ossenfort may indeed need a bounce-back season to avoid a post-Year 4 firing.
Love has been closely connected to both the Titans and Giants, with the Commanders serving as the RB’s floor (at No. 7). PFR readers expect Love to end up in Nashville, though a Wednesday report indicated Tennessee may go EDGE or WR at No. 4. If the Cardinals hear a strong enough offer, they could sell the pick to Washington or another Love-seeking team. But the prospect of Love teaming with Jacoby Brissett and/or Gardner Minshew — possibly with Ty Simpson in the queue via a trade-up from No. 34 — will be considered live entering draft weekend.
Rams Still Fond Of Ty Simpson; QB Expected To Go In Round 1
Recent reporting indicated the Rams were viewed as in play for Ty Simpson, but such a pick was only believed to be a consideration when the team held two first-round picks. Los Angeles has since sent the second of those selections (No. 29) to Kansas City for Trent McDuffie, and Simpson-L.A. speculation has cooled since.
That said, the Rams mostly find themselves picking outside the top 20. The team prying the Falcons’ first-rounder (No. 13) on Day 1 of last year’s draft would give a franchise pondering a Matthew Stafford heir apparent addition for a while a window. Even after the McDuffie trade, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano views the Rams as fond of Simpson as a prospect.
[RELATED: Which Team Will Pass On 2027 QB Crop In Choosing Simpson?]
It still seems unlikely the Rams choose Simpson 13th overall. A one-year starter who would not contribute (in an ideal scenario) to the Rams’ Super Bowl LXI chase would be a risky move with a mid-first-round pick, but Graziano posits a trade down from No. 13 to better align with Simpson value could make sense.
Then again, a Rams trade-down move could arouse suspicion around the league re: Simpson. Teams eyeing a trade-up for the Crimson Tide prospect in the back half of Round 1 could be leery of the Rams, even if mock drafts (including Ely Allen’s PFR effort) are regularly sending receivers L.A.’s way. The Rams also look to have conducted a smokescreen operation related to Jaxson Dart last year, with post-draft reporting indicating pre-draft connections were overblown.
Some around the NFL are wondering if the Rams would make an aggressive move to trade up for Jeremiyah Love, per Graziano. That would require a major trade-up, especially with the Cardinals being connected to the Notre Dame running back at No. 3. Arizona has expressed persistent interest in trading down, however, and a 10-spot move up the board may not cost what it would in years in which that kind of jump is for a quarterback. Still, the Rams would need to pay a hefty price to climb that high; they may need to vault to No. 3 considering the Titans and Giants’ Love connections.
The Rams extended Kyren Williams last year, giving their regular starter a three-year, $33MM deal. Williams already secured nearly $5MM of his 2027 base salary guaranteed earlier this offseason, and the Rams used Blake Corum regularly as an RB2 last year. Love would provide much more support in the passing game, however, and the team has enjoyed success plucking receivers from later rounds — as the Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua picks illustrate — during Sean McVay‘s tenure. Williams is due another $550K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
With Jordyn Tyson now viewed as a likely top-10 pick, the Rams may need to determine if USC’s Makai Lemon is worth the No. 13 overall selection. The team has Nacua signed for one more season, and before some concerning headlines this offseason, the Rams viewed the former fifth-rounder as a top extension priority. If nothing else, Nacua would be a franchise tag candidate in 2027. Davante Adams, however, will turn 34 before season’s end and is unsigned for 2027. A receiver investment makes sense for L.A., which would be loaded at the position if a first-round investment complements Nacua and Adams.
Circling back to Simpson in Round 2 probably will not be an option for teams, with FOX’s Jay Glazer expecting him to land in the first round. Some around the NFL are wondering — as other league personnel have — if Simpson will slip to Day 2, per Graziano, but it appears likelier (perhaps via trade-up) Alabama’s Jalen Milroe successor hears his name called Thursday. Will the Rams use their rare mid-first-round choice as the tool to find Stafford’s heir apparent, or will the team be content to wait another year on this front?
Giants Draft Latest: Styles, Downs, Love, Ioane, Fano, Tyson, Trade
For the second time in four years, the Giants hold two top-10 picks in a draft. Joe Schoen‘s first draft did not maximize the value at Nos. 5 and 7, where Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal arrived. If the GM is to save his job, he will need to serve as a meaningful contributor while a John Harbaugh-fronted regime navigates the Nos. 5 and 10 overall selections.
The Giants obtained No. 10 from the Bengals for Dexter Lawrence. While that haul surprised some Giants decisionmakers, the team bungling the Neal pick reminds how having such meaningful draft real estate can backfire. Several possibilities certainly exist for Big Blue near the top of this draft.
A path where the Giants grab Sonny Styles at No. 5 and emerge from No. 10 with another offensive line starter should be considered in play, according to SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora. A GM informed La Canfora that Styles will not be available by No. 10, so if Harbaugh wants a Roquan Smith-type linebacking anchor, the Giants would need to pull the trigger at 5.
Likely set to be the highest ILB drafted since the Buccaneers chose Devin White fifth overall in 2019, Styles has been connected to the Titans at No. 4. With the Jets down to Arvell Reese and David Bailey and the Cardinals not tied to Styles much, it would seemingly be down to Tennessee passing to greenlight a Giants pick.
The Giants have two locked-in tackle starters, in Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor, but their guard posts do not feature a long-term piece. Although Jon Runyan Jr. came up as a cut candidate months ago, he remains on the roster. The former Packer is entering the final season of a three-year, $30MM contract and may not be a roster lock, and the team signed ex-Raven (one of many brought in under Harbaugh) Daniel Faalele to go with Lucas Patrick. Those players could be swing options, however, and La Canfora hears Harbaugh “loves” Penn State guard Vega Ioane.
Ioane has been linked to Baltimore at No. 14, where Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft sent him. Prior to the Lawrence trade, Ely mocked Francis Mauigoa to New York at No. 5. The Giants have an interesting opportunity to add a quality O-line option thanks to holding a second first-rounder, and Ioane should remain on the board by No. 10. Kadyn Proctor and Spencer Fano, two tackle prospects who could slide to guard (joining Mauigoa in that regard), also are believed to be on the Giants’ radar, per La Canfora.
Wide receiver should also be considered a factor for the Giants, especially at No. 10. They have been linked closely to Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson, and ESPN.com’s Dan Grazino adds more fuel to the Tyson-to-New York fire by noting the team indeed is fond of the injury-prone Arizona State talent. Tyson has been one of the pre-draft process’ late climbers, as his recent workout showcased upside Tate may not carry. Tate is viewed as a safer prospect, however.
Another scenario for New York may feature Tyson at 10 — if he is still available — but Caleb Downs over Styles at 5, with Graziano adding multiple sources have informed him the Giants would be likely to take the ex-Buckeyes safety over the linebacker if both are available. Downs has been linked to the Giants for weeks, and the Ravens certainly valued the safety position — from Ed Reed to Eric Weddle to Earl Thomas to Kyle Hamilton — under Harbaugh.
A wrench in this plan exists at running back, though. Interest in Jeremiyah Love could prompt the Giants to table a defensive pick and go for the dual-threat Notre Dame RB prospect, with Graziano noting Love will be squarely in play — perhaps even over Downs — if he’s still available at 5. Some in the Giants’ building are holding out hope for Love at 5, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, with ESPN colleague Jordan Raanan finding it difficult to envision the team passing. Love would mark the organization’s second top-five RB investment in nine years. A Saquon Barkley ceiling is uncertain here, but teams have been rewarded for recent first-round RB picks — as possible 2023 extension recipients Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs highlight.
While Fowler also points to the Giants closely eyeing an O-line upgrade at No. 10 in the event Downs is the pick at 5 — mentioning Fano and Ioane — EssentiallySports.com’s Tony Pauline offers more on the receiver front. A concern exists Malik Nabers may not be 100% by Week 1, and Pauline goes as far as to say the Giants “will” use the No. 10 choice on a receiver.
Short-term Nabers concerns would not be a great reason to make a long-term WR investment with such a high pick, though if Tyson or Tate ends up being higher on New York’s board compared to Fano or Ioane, pairing Nabers with one of them makes sense. Tate may be unlikely to fall past New Orleans at No. 8, however. Pauline also cites a source close to Ioane who believes No. 10 might be a bit early for the draft’s top guard prospect to go.
Trading down would represent another route here, and we heard the Giants were open to moving back from No. 5 a bit ago. The New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy hears the Giants would be willing to make a small move back from No. 5 to obtain more Day 2 capital. New York traded its third-round pick to climb up for Jaxson Dart last year. A scenario in which the Cardinals take Love at No. 3 leaving the Titans with a Styles-or-EDGE selection could accelerate Giants trade talks, and either Bailey or Reese remaining on the board at 5 could prompt a trade-up — as the Giants are not in need of OLB help.
As if we aren’t deep enough in this web — big night, Giants fans — Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer is iffy the Giants would use the No. 5 pick on Downs. But the veteran insider confirms the team’s interest in Tyson (who dined with Schoen while the latter was in town for his workout). No. 5 might not even be too high for Tyson, though that would be higher than expected.
The Giants view Tyson as “so dynamic,” Glazer adds. He posted a 1,100-yard season in 2022 but has suffered major knee and collarbone injuries prior to multiple bouts with hamstring trouble. Odell Beckham Jr. comparisons have also emerged here. Were Tyson to become a Giant, a Beckham reunion may not come to pass.
Cardinals Could Take Jeremiyah Love At No. 3, Prefer To Trade Down
APRIL 21: Hughes and Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline echo the sentiment that Arizona will be active in looking to move out of the No. 3 slot. If the Cardinals stay put, the reports are split on the team’s preferred target. Hughes points to Love, while Pauline names David Bailey as the top option (provided he is not selected second overall by the Jets).
APRIL 20: It makes little financial sense to draft a running back with a top-five pick, but the Cardinals are considering taking Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 pick anyway.
Arizona would hand the Notre Dame standout a fully guaranteed contract worth just under $13.5MM per year, per OverTheCap. For several other positions, that would be a below-market rate – significantly so for wide receivers and edge rushers. Among running backs, though, Love would be at or close to the top of the positional market in both AAV and guarantees.
Is Love worth the opportunity cost of selecting a running back over a premium position with such a high pick? The Cardinals are coming around to the idea, per SNY’s Connor Hughes and ESPN’s Adam Schefter. They currently have a backfield by committee – Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson, and James Conner – along with Zonovan Knight and Corey Kiner as depth.
Arizona’s primary trio is serviceable, but Love undoubtedly offers more instant impact and long-term upside. While the team is still figuring out its future at the quarterback position, new head coach Mike LaFleur could push for the best offensive skill player in the 2026 class.
The Cardinals have also been linked with a trade out of the No. 3 spot, potentially with a team looking to come up for Love. At present, they have just seven picks – all their own – in both the 2026 and 2027 drafts. Arizona may take Ty Simpson to solve their quarterback problem right away, but they could wait to target a stronger class next year.
As a result, the latest reports could be nothing more than a draft week smokescreen to drum up interest in the No. 3 pick by a team who has already talked themselves into taking a running back with a top-10 pick. Almost all of the other teams in the top 10 have been connected with Love at some point or another, primarily the Titans, Giants, and Commanders. They could be looking to move up to secure the potential superstar running back, while other teams could be looking to jump that trio by trading up to Arizona’s pick.
NFL Draft Trade Rumors: Cowboys, Browns, Titans
The first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft is only four days away, and rumors persist concerning a wild Day 1 of potential trades. The Cowboys have been a frequent subject in trade rumors, with many asserting that the team could be looking to trade up into the top 10.
The consensus belief is that, even without a trade, the Cowboys’ two first-round picks will be used on defense. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports believes new defensive coordinator Christian Parker will have some influence on the team’s draft plan, which should guarantee two new first-round defenders. Jones asserts that, if the team does trade up, the trade won’t include their second first-rounder, considering they won’t be picking again until pick No. 92. NFL insider Jason La Canfora posited that the trade up target for Dallas could be LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms that all eyes are on the Cowboys, who many expect to be eager to move up “due to obvious defensive needs.” So far, though, Dallas has not been “overly active” on the phones just yet. He reports the team is “open-minded about (a) potential move but also (is) comfortable staying put.”
Here are a few other draft rumors concerning teams looking to trade on Day 1 of the NFL draft:
- The Browns could be a target for Dallas if they do decide to move. Per La Canfora, Cleveland is widely expected to drop out of the top 10 picks. The team currently holds pick Nos. 6 and 24 in the first round of the draft, but even that may not be enough to fill the holes on their roster. The Browns are notorious for trading down, and if the sixth overall pick doesn’t present a strong chance at major improvement, they may move to add some additional draft capital.
- As Fowler mentioned above that the Cowboys had not been active on the phones, he did report a belief that the recent phone work around the league seems to indicate that the Titans could be looking to trade back from the fourth overall pick. A year removed from landing the No. 1 overall pick, Tennessee still has quite a few holes on the roster. Some have connected the team to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in recent predictions. Earlier on in process, it was rumored that a reunion between quarterback Cam Ward and college teammates right tackle Francis Mauigoa or defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. was in the cards. Love and Styles may make sense in their current slot, but moving back may allow Tennessee to target Mauigoa or Bain.
Jeremiyah Love Visited Cardinals
APRIL 18: Love visited the Cardinals at some point in the pre-draft process, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The deadline for visits was April 15.
APRIL 7: Although he does not play a premium position, uber-talented Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to come off the board in the top seven of this year’s draft. Set to select third overall, the Cardinals have more pressing needs than running back, yet they are a “wild card to watch” in the Love derby, Peter Schrager of ESPN writes.
By far the highest-rated back in this year’s class, Love is the lone player at the position who will go in Round 1. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks the 6-foot, 212-pounder as the No. 2 prospect available, trailing only Indiana quarterback and soon-to-be first pick Fernando Mendoza. Love is heading to the pros after winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best back in 2025. He wrapped up his three-year college career with a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry on 433 attempts and 40 touchdowns (35 rushing, five receiving) in 41 games.
The Cardinals finished a dismal 31st in rushing yards per game in 2025, which makes them a fit for Love on paper. But they have addressed their backfield since then, albeit in more modest fashion, with the addition of former Falcon Tyler Allgeier on a two-year, $12.25MM pact. They also kept James Conner around on a revised contract. He and 2024 third-rounder Trey Benson, who also remains in the fold, missed a combined 27 games with injuries last season. That helps explain why Arizona’s rushing attack faltered as much as it did. Michael Carter, now a member of the Titans, led the Cardinals with a meager 333 ground yards on 92 totes (3.6 YPC).
If the Cardinals draft Love, it will be the second straight time Allgeier will find himself stuck behind a premier talent at his position. Allgeier posted the only 1,000-yard season of his career as a rookie in 2022, but the Falcons spent the eighth overall pick on Bijan Robinson during the ensuing spring. After serving as a solid (perhaps overqualified) backup to Robinson, there is no doubt Allgeier moved to Arizona banking on a bigger role than he had in Atlanta. He should get his wish if the Cardinals pass on Love at No. 3 to address a more obvious weakness (right tackle or edge defender, to name two possibilities).
Commanders High On Jeremiyah Love At No. 7; Team Unlikely To Pick Caleb Downs?
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered one of the Commanders’ top choices for the No. 7 pick in next week’s draft, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.
Washington has operated a backfield-by-committee approach for several years without investing much in any one individual running back. In 2025, they traded Brian Robinson – their last player to take more than 200 carries in a season back in 2022 – to the 49ers and split their touches between 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez and 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders added former Buccaneer Rachaad White into their rotation this offseason, too.
Drafting Love would end the committee approach. He would step in as a full-time, three-down RB1 right away who will only need to be rotated out for rest and load management. The Commanders would be able to lean on a more traditional running game without putting Jayden Daniels in as much danger after an injury-riddled 2025 season. And when Washington does use Daniels’ legs, they may find that combining an elite running back with a mobile quarterback can lead to explosive results, as the Ravens showed with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in 2024.
Love was one of several projected top-10 picks to take a top-30 visit to Washington this week. He joined edge rushers Arvell Reese (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech), and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), among others, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Any would fill the Commanders’ significant need off the edge, though either Reese or Bailey is expected to be the Jets’ pick at No. 2. The other is unlikely to fall to the seventh pick, but Washington should have a shot at Bain with some teams scared off by his below-average arm length.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was also present for Tuesday’s top-30 gathering, but he is not expected to be the team’s pick at No. 7. The Commanders are returning their top three safeties from last season – Jartavius Martin, Jeremy Reaves, and Will Harris – and signed Nick Cross in free agency. Cross will take up one starting role, and the team is confident that Martin, a 2023 second-rounder, can bounce back after struggling in coverage last year, according to Pauline. Downs has more long-term upside than any currently-rostered Commanders safety, but the front office may value a position with more value or immediate need.
Instead, Pauline adds, one of the aforementioned pass rushers, a wide receiver, or cornerback are “in play” for the seventh overall pick, but that may not matter if Love falls that far. At present, that does not seem especially likely. He has been linked with a number of clubs with top-five picks, and in what is considered a thin draft class in terms of elite prospects, one may be inclined to ignore Love’s position and select him based on his pure talent.
Poll: Who Will Draft Jeremiyah Love?
NFL teams do not consider running back a premium position, which is why it takes a supreme talent for someone to spend prime draft capital on it. Over the past decade of drafts, Ashton Jeanty, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette and Ezekiel Elliott are the only running backs who have exited the board in the top 10. There are some years (most recently 2022 and ’24) in which the first round passes without anyone adding a back, but that will not be the case in the upcoming draft.
As arguably the preeminent prospect available at any position in the 2026 class, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is poised to become the latest back to hear his name called in the first 10 picks. Seven teams in that range – the Jets (No. 2), Cardinals (third), Titans (fourth), Giants (fifth), Commanders (seventh), Saints (eighth) and Bengals (10th) – have been connected to Love in the lead-up to the draft. Some of those clubs look like more realistic landing spots for Love than others, especially considering he is not expected to last past Washington’s pick.
Possessing blazing 4.36 speed, the 6-foot, 212-pound Love is heading to the pros on the heels of a brilliant couple of years with the Fighting Irish. Love averaged an eye-popping 6.9 yards per carry on 433 attempts, scored 35 rushing touchdowns and did not lose a fumble in 41 games at Notre Dame. Also a gifted receiver, Love combined for 55 catches and five more scores over the past two years. He earned the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the nation’s best back, last season.
With nine days left until Love finds out his NFL destination, let’s run down the teams in line to pick in the top 10. We can start by ruling out the Raiders, who selected Jeanty at No. 6 in 2025 and will take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall this year.
While the Jets recently had breakfast with Love, one of their key moves earlier in the offseason was to keep Breece Hall around via the franchise tag. General manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn have made their affinity for Hall known, pointing to a potential contract extension by the July 15 deadline. Not only that, but with defenders like David Bailey and Arvell Reese in contention for No. 2 overall, it would be a shock to see the Jets ignore that side of the ball.
The Cardinals had the second-worst running game in the league during an injury-plagued 2025 for James Conner and 2024 third-rounder Trey Benson. Those two are due back next season, and the Cardinals reeled in former Falcon Tyler Allgeier on a two-year, $12.25MM agreement in free agency. None of those players are game-changers, which leaves room for Love. But that would be a luxury pick for an Arizona team that has obvious weaknesses at right tackle and edge defender.
The Browns are in dire need of blue-chip offensive talent. However, having used a second-rounder on Quinshon Judkins last year, they seem more likely to address their receiving corps than their backfield if they go offense with their top choice.
If the Saints release or trade the soon-to-be 31-year-old Alvin Kamara, it would create a vacancy on their depth chart. However, grabbing Love just weeks after inking ex-Jaguar Travis Etienne to a four-year, $52MM pact in free agency would be a surprise. The Chiefs (No. 9) also made a sizable investment at the position during the first wave of free agency. Having signed former Seahawks Super Bowl LX MVP winner Kenneth Walker to a three-year, $43.05MM deal, they figure to use their initial pick on another position.
In the improbable event Love falls to the Bengals, maybe they will eschew glaring defensive needs to add another potential offensive superstar to a long-term core of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Although the Bengals already have a quality dual-threat back in Chase Brown, he is not under contract past next season. There have been extension talks, but any chance of a multiyear deal will fly out the window if the Bengals choose Love.
Of the clubs in the top 10, the Titans, Giants and Commanders may be the best fits for Love. If it is the Titans or Giants, he would become the first RB to go in the top five since the latter took Barkley second overall in 2018. Eight years later, with no star-caliber back on the Giants’ roster, perhaps the new John Harbaugh regime will go with Love. The team “might just run that card up” if he is available, Connor Hughes of SNY says.
Titans running back Tony Pollard posted his fourth straight 1,000-yard season in 2025, but he will turn 29 at the end of April. Pollard also has just one year left on his contract. Unlike Love, Pollard has no chance to serve as a long-term sidekick for quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft.
As a seventh-round rookie last season, the Commanders’ Jacory Croskey-Merritt vastly exceeded expectations in rushing for 875 yards on 175 carries (4.6 YPC). The man known as “Bill” also found the end zone eight times. Croskey-Merritt’s success is an argument that a team does not have to pour major resources into the position to find a viable solution. Washington has also been active in the backfield in free agency, having signed Rachaad White, Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols. The Commanders don’t need another RB, yet they are lacking elite-caliber weapons for third-year QB Jayden Daniels. If Love is sitting there at No. 7 and general manager Adam Peters likes him better than whichever receivers or defenders are on the board, perhaps he will take the plunge.
How do you expect the draft to play out for Love? Will one of the above teams or a dark horse end up with Love on April 23? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Who will draft Jeremiyah Love?
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Titans 37% (586)
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Commanders 18% (282)
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Giants 17% (262)
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Other 12% (182)
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Cardinals 6% (97)
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Saints 5% (79)
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Bengals 3% (53)
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Jets 3% (41)
Total votes: 1,582