Jeremiyah Love mock draft: Best fits for Notre Dame RB
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Jeremiyah Love mock draft: Best fits for Notre Dame RB
Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
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3 min read
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Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love may not be the No. 1 overall pick inthe 2026 NFL Draft, but he could end up being the best overall player in the class.
Love enjoyed a standout career at Notre Dame, during which he showed off an elite mix of power, vision and explosiveness as a runner. Across his final two seasons, the 6-0, 214-pound back averaged 1,507 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns per campaign and did well enough tofinish third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2025.
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Love should be a plug-and-play star at the NFL level and has a good chance to be a top-10 pick come April.
Which teams might target Love in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here's where the latest mock drafts have the 20-year-old being selected and which teams may represent his best fit for the next level.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State
(Adam Cairns, Columbus Dispatch)
3. Arizona Cardinals – Spencer Fano, OT Utah
(Rob Gray, Imagn Images)
4. Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
5. New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
(Grace Smith, IndyStar)
6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech
(Nathan Giese, Avalanche-Journal)
8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame
(Michael Caterina, Imagn Images)
9. Kansas City Chiefs – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
(Barbara J. Perenic, Columbus Dispatch)
11. Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
(Alex Martin, Greenville News)
12. Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
(Brianna Paciorka, News Sentinel)
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
(Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images)
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
(Joseph Maiorana, Imagn Images)
16. New York Jets – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
17. Detroit Lions – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
18. Minnesota Vikings – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA Today Network South Carolina)
19. Carolina Panthers – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
(Jake Crandall, Advertiser)
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
(Jeff Romance, Imagn Images)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
(Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images)
22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
(Ben Lonergan, The Register-Guard)
23. Philadelphia Eagles – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
26. Buffalo Bills – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson
(Katie DeVaney, Getty Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
(Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
29/32
NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection
29. Los Angeles Rams – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
(Alex Martin, Greenville News)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
30. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
31. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M
(Maria Lysaker, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
32. Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
(Jeff Le, Getty Images)
Jeremiah Love mock draft
Love checks in as the third-best player and second-best receiver on USA TODAY Sports' Ayrton Ostly's big board. Here's where the star running back has been projected to land in recent mock drafts:
Love would fill a massive need for the Chiefs. Kansas City's top two running backs from 2025 –Isiah PachecoandKareem Hunt– are set to be free agents and neither was particularly efficient last season. Love would be a true, three-down workhorse and the team could lean on him asPatrick Mahomeseases back into action after a torn ACL.
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The only question is whether the Chiefs would be willing to spend a top-10 selection on a running back. Kansas City has only once spent a first- or second-round pick on a running back – Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2020 – since Andy Reid became the team's coach in 2013.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints seem content to roll withTyler Shoughas their quarterback moving forward. For the 2025 second-round pick to find success, New Orleans will need to improve its stable of weapons outside of top receiverChris Olave.
Love would be an upgrade overAlvin Kamara, who turns 31 in June and is coming off a season during which he averaged a career-low in both yards per carry (3.6) and yards per reception (5.6).
Michael Carterwas theCardinals' leading rusher last season with just 333 yards.James Conner's return from a season-ending foot injury could provide Arizona a boost, but he is turning 31 in May and averaged just 3 yards per carry across limited action last season.
Love would give the Cardinals a reliable, offensive playmaker to help the team forge an identity as it seemingly heads for a split with starting quarterbackKyler Murray.
John Harbaugh's arrival in New York could coincide with the team adopting a run-heavy offense. TheBaltimore Ravenswere routinely one of the most ground-dominant teams under Harbaugh, so adding a do-it-all running back like Love could be in the cards for theGiants.
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Pairing Love withCam Skattebo– who was enjoying a strong rookie season for the Giants before a gruesome ankle injury prematurely ended it – would create a physical one-two punch at running back for the G-Men.
