Jeremiyah Love is everything a franchise wants in a running back and some things they didn't know they needed. At 5'11", 205 pounds, he combines genuine breakaway speed with an inside running game built on vision and contact balance that makes him dangerous every time the ball is in his hands. Notre Dame handed him the keys to one of college football's most historically power-run offenses, and he responded by putting together one of the best individual seasons the program has ever seen from the position.
In 2025, Love ran for 1,506 yards on 5.8 yards per carry with 16 touchdowns. He added 48 receptions for 412 yards and 4 more scores in the passing game, making him a complete back in every sense of the term. Notre Dame's College Football Playoff run — which included a Rose Bowl berth — was built around Love's ability to move the chains when defenses loaded the box and expose them for big gains when they didn't.
STRENGTHS
The first thing that stands out on film is Love's vision behind the line of scrimmage. He's not a back who picks a hole before the snap and commits to it — he reads blocking schemes in real time, showing the patience of a veteran runner as he navigates traffic. Against Georgia's defensive front in the Playoff semifinal — a defense that allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards per game during the regular season — Love ran for 127 yards on 18 carries. The yards were earned through consistent patience in the backfield, allowing blocks to develop before attacking the crease.
His contact balance is exceptional. Love runs low through contact, keeping his feet churning and his hips square in ways that force arm tacklers to wrap up or get burned for extra yards. On multiple occasions in the Notre Dame film, he absorbed initial contact from a linebacker and continued for an additional 5 to 7 yards — not because of power, but because of balance, leg drive, and the ability to slip tackles rather than absorb them.
In the passing game, Love is a legitimate weapon, not a checkdown option. He ran routes with precision — out routes, wheel routes, flare screens — and showed reliable hands in traffic. His 8.6 yards per reception average reflects a receiver who consistently gained yards after the catch, not just caught dump-offs at the line.
CONCERNS
Love's ceiling as a pure power runner against NFL defensive fronts is the most legitimate concern. At 205 pounds, he's not going to run through the B-gap against elite interior linemen on third-and-1 without the kind of contact power that bigger backs provide. Notre Dame kept him out of those situations by design — the blocking scheme is built to create space. If he lands with a team that wants a grind-and-absorb runner, the fit might not be ideal.
There's also the durability question that follows every back entering the draft: the injury history of the position means that even the most talented prospects are evaluated with longevity in mind. Love has not had significant injury problems, but the wear of an NFL season on a smaller back is always a concern.
SCOUT GRADES
Scout 1 graded Love at 88.5/100 with a projected pick range of 5 to 15. The evaluation centers on his pass-catching versatility and vision as the defining traits that elevate him above the average first-round back. Scout 2 aligned closely, offering a comparable grade and specifically praising his consistency in the Playoff game film against Georgia as "the most impressive individual performance by a running back in this draft class." No significant divergence between evaluators.
PROJECTION
Love is a top-15 pick and quite possibly a top-10 selection depending on team need. He fits any modern NFL offensive system — spread or pro-style, zone or gap — because his combination of vision, pass-catching, and contact balance makes him a three-down contributor from his rookie season.
The NFL comp that comes to mind most readily is a slightly smaller version of Alvin Kamara — a back who does everything at a high level and forces defenses into impossible decisions. Buy him at any cost in the top of the first round.
View Jeremiyah Love's full player profile, measurables, and scouting breakdown →
🎬 All-22 Film Analysis Update
*Updated after All-22 film review by Scout1 and Scout2.*
Film Score: 88.5/100 (→ No change from base score of 88.5)
Composite Score: 90
Scout1 Assessment Jeremiyah Love is the most naturally gifted running back in the 2026 class. He is a former collegiate sprinter (100m/200m) wearing a football uniform, and the film confirms it. He doesn't just have speed — he has **acceleration sequence**, the kind that compounds through the hole rather than flashing and fading. When Notre Dame's blocking creates any daylight at the second level, Love is through it and gone before pursuit defenders can close. Sixteen touchdowns in fifteen games during a CFP cham...
Scout2 Assessment **Scout: Grok (Elite NFL Evaluator)** **Date: February 19, 2026** **Grade: 8.9/10 (High RB1 / Top-15 Pick Potential)** **Projected NFL Role: Three-Down Starter / Lead Back in Zone-Heavy Schemes (e.g., Shanahan/McVay Trees)** **NFL Player Comp: Jahmyr Gibbs (size/speed/power blend) with De'Von Achane burst**
*Film analysis is based on All-22 footage reviewed independently by two scouts. Scores reflect on-field evidence and may differ from pre-film model projections.*