GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals get some love from ESPN draft expert in Mel Kiper Jr., outside of one issue. Kiper released his annual post-draft grades for all 32 teams, with Arizona receiving a positive grade in a “B”. The franchise had seven picks in the NFL and for the most part addressed all its issue, but Kiper’s lone issue comes from its first selection third overall.
The Cardinals selected Norte Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and despite being easily a top two prospect in the draft, Kiper had an issue with taking a premier position that high.
Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Mike LaFleur (right) introduce their first-round draft pick running back Jeremiyah Love during a news conference at the Cardinals Dignity Health training facility on April 24, 2026, in Tempe, Ariz.
“A team that won three games last season going running back in the top three? I’ve long said that taking RBs early in the draft is bad team building. It’s a non-premium position that typically runs deep with other players who can carry the load and be nearly as effective.
“But … Love is not a running back in the classical sense. He’s a dynamic offensive playmaker who is going to spark an otherwise dull Arizona offense. He’s a Reggie Bush clone with incredible vision and burst, and with 4.36 speed, he can go the distance any time he touches the football. Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry last season, he hit nine 20-yard gains (tied for 10th in the FBS) and he forced 60 missed tackles (top 20).”
The Arizona Cardinals introduce their first-round draft pick running back Jeremiyah Love during a news conference at the Cardinals Dignity Health training facility on April 24, 2026, in Tempe, Ariz.
Throughout the draft process, Kiper has sung the praises of Love and his eventual success in the NFL. The problem arises that running backs is seen as a young and affordable position. Unlike other positions, once a running back hits 30, unless they’re an all-time great, are entering the final stages of his career. And because of the physicality of the position, injuries aren’t uncommon and can have them in and out of the lineup.
Many NFL teams look for a running back late in the draft because it is a much cheaper and a low-risk option, while providing essentially the same level production required to be a starter in the league. Before taking a professional snap Love is already the seventh-highest paid running back in the NFL. If he is as good as many experts believe, that isn’t essentially a problem.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love is selected by the Arizona Cardinals as the number three pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
However, for a team that just went 3-14, the team surrounding Love might not be good enough for him to reach his potential. The Cardinals did draft two offensive linemen in the draft, to bulk up the unit even more after signing four in free agency. The resources invested in the offensive line, and head coach Mike LaFleur’s system, could negate some of the pessimistic outlook that Kiper and other have in taking Love third overall.
ESPN analysts point to Cardinals’ Carson Beck as mid-round QB to watch