.jpg)
3 hours ago
2
The NFL Draft is captivating because there is upside in the unknown. Every class has its strengths and weaknesses, its surprising tumblers and invigorating risers. No two prospects are the same, nor are the evaluators trying to predict the future.
And yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Quarterbacks will rise late in the process, offensive tackles will be asked to kick inside, and every time a running back emerges as a potential first-round pick, the community relitigates discussions about positional value.
This year, the frontrunner to headline that discussion is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Easy to Love
Notre Dame will return the best player from its College Football Playoff run. At 6'0" and 212 pounds, Love runs a bit shy of prototypical size but compensates with elite athleticism.
Love threatens to run a sub-4.40 40-yard dash and is capable of hitting the occasional homer, including a 98-yard run in 2024. He's capable of creating big plays while turning the corner and is at his best in gap schemes, where he can find a lane behind a pulling guard and showcase his straight-line speed.
With that said, he's more than a track star. Love's game is underlined by an elite combination of burst and agility. He gets to his top speed quickly and can retain his speed while making strong, agile cuts in the open field.
That agility shows up in his footwork, too. He can manipulate defenders with subtle jump cuts to maximize his rushing windows, and he syncs his feet well with pulling linemen.
Perhaps the biggest boost to his stock is his power, which exceeds expectations for his frame.
Love is never going to be a bruising back capable of trampling defensive backs. But he has flashed contact balance, breaks weaker tackles, and keeps his legs churning. Love has a nose for the end zone and makes it his mission to get there, boasting impressive competitive toughness.
Love must finish making his case in 2025
The Notre Dame product is already in first-round mock drafts. Maintaining that high stock will require better play on passing downs.
Love's competitive toughness helps mitigate one of his flaws. Effort-wise, there's little to complain about his pass protection (or his willingness to block for others on the ground). However, his frame limits his effectiveness in pass protection, and it seems unlikely to improve as he transitions to the league.
MORE: Steelers' wild Minkah Fitzpatrick trade hints at 2026 plans
That skill just needs to be adequate, especially if his receiving chops improve in 2025. His usage didn't resemble an every-down back, posting just 28 catches for 237 yards through the air, but his routes are smooth, his catch technique is good, and he transitions from catch to carry well. This may be a matter of production adding credibility to the glimpses he shows on tape.
Love's vision isn't a profile-defining weakness, but a decline in quarterback play could render defenses more ready to stop the run. Right now, his vision is average. There's room for it to match his impressive footwork, but if his reads get more difficult in 2025, he'll have to prove himself.
Love has a real shot at Round 1
For all the positional value discourse, truly elite running back prospects go in Round 1. Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Ashton Jeanty had no issue earning that kind of draft capital. The second tier of running back prospects has had a less stable fate, falling between the middle of Round 1 and Round 2 at the whims of the entire class.
It's entirely possible that Love's blend of speed, burst, and agility does enough to push him into Day 1, especially as his power presents as a surprising strength rather than a weakness. If he looks the part on passing downs, Love might run out of reasons to fall by midseason.
With early matchups against Miami and Texas A&M, it shouldn't take long for Love to provide some meaningful answers and make a play for the first round.
MORE NFL NEWS
English (US)