Jeremiyah Love NFL Draft scouting report: Why Notre Dame RB is drawing Jahmyr Gibbs comparisons originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jeremiyah Love is widely considered to be the best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft and could be the only first-round pick at the position this year.
The Notre Dame product is the latest running back who will try to find success in a passing league, but he could be the highest running back drafted since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall in 2018. Love will join the likes of Ashton Jeanty, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs as recent first-round running backs.
While Jeanty and Robinson were higher draft picks, Gibbs is the player to whom Love is compared most frequently among active players. If Love goes on to have a similar start to his career as Gibbs, then whichever team drafts the running back will be very happy.
Here's a breakdown of why Love is so coveted among NFL teams.
NFL DRAFT RANKINGS 2026:QBs | WRs | TEs | EDGE | RBs
Love's best attribute is his speed and explosiveness, as he has big-play ability and is dangerous any time he has the ball. Love averaged 6.7 yards per attempt in college and frequently picked up big chunks of yardage in games as Notre Dame's best offensive player.
Love's biggest highlight in college came during the 2024 College Football Playoff, when he scored a 98-yard touchdown against Indiana in the first round.
Jeremiyah Love takes it 98 YARDS TO THE HOUSE, scoring the first touchdown in the expanded #CFPPlayoff!Notre Dame leads Indiana 7-0 early 🤯🔥pic.twitter.com/8s1oUx6y7D
— OutOfSightSports🚀™️ (@OOSSports) December 21, 2024
A big reason why Love will be a first round pick is that he can contribute at a high level in the passing game as well, making him a true three-down running back. Love caught 63 passes in college for 594 receiving yards and six touchdowns while also shouldering the biggest load in the running game.
NFL teams value versatility out of their running backs in the modern game, since the best backs are those who can excel as a runner, receiver and as a pass blocker. Love will instantly become one of the more dangerous receiving backs in the NFL once he enters the league.
In 41 college games over three years, Love had just one fumble at Notre Dame, proving to be one of the best ball protectors in the nation. By comparison, Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders running back who went No. 6 overall last year, had 10 fumbles in 40 games over three years before entering the NFL Draft.
Turnovers are killers in the NFL, so running backs who can protect the football are usually given more leash than those with fumble issues. Love's ability to protect the ball is another notch in his belt that will surely excite executives and coaches.
While Love isn't the most physical running back, he is smart and uses his patience to find holes instead of trying to break tackles. Since he usually wins with speed and explosiveness, Love's ability to find open spaces on the field can lead to big plays more often than if he were to look for contact.
Most running backs can't afford to be too patient at the line of scrimmage, but Love's athleticism allows him to make decision later in plays.