While the Washington Commanders have a pair of young ball-carriers they could rely heavily on moving into 2026 — should Chris Rodriguez Jr. re-sign — they also could remain aggressive in upgrading their offensive skill positions as Jayden Daniels works back into full health. With a league-wide emphasis on explosive, versatile backs, could it push Washington to invest early at running back?
Let's dive into the tape of Jeremiyah Love, a dynamic athlete whose combination of acceleration, vision, and hands in space makes him an ideal fit for an offense that wants to stress defenses horizontally and vertically.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes:
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 210 pounds
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.38-4.45 seconds
Recruiting: No. 39 overall prospect in 2023 recruiting class. Top-5 running back nationally.
College Production: 2,882 total rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns, 6.7 yards per carry across 433 attempts in three seasons in a rotational Notre Dame backfield. Finished 3rd in Heisman voting in 2025.
Positives:
- Explosive accelerator who hits top speed almost immediately and can consistently beat linebackers to the edge. Track type of speed who ran 10.54 seconds in the 100 meters in high school.
- Allows blocks to develop. Understands how to manipulate second-level defenders.
- Outstanding contact balance for his size. Rarely goes down on first contact and routinely falls forward.
- Home-run ability every time he touches the ball. Can score from anywhere on the field.
Love is everything teams want from a modern NFL bellcow back. He brings true three-down value with explosive playmaking ability and advanced football instincts, along with the burst through the hole to create chunk plays, which elevate the offense without requiring heavy volume.
Negatives:
- Can run a bit upright, which will expose him to bigger hits at the second level.
- While physical, he is not a pure power back who will consistently move piles.
- Occasionally looks for the home run instead of taking the guaranteed yardage.
Overall, Love’s concerns are relatively minor and more role-related than trait-based. His frame can handle additional touches, and his play strength should continue to improve with NFL conditioning. The biggest question will be how a team manages the player's workload early to maximize efficiency and durability.
Jeremiyah Love NFL Player Comparison: Breece Hall
Love has the top end speed of a guy like Jahmyr Gibbs, but he's also 20 pounds heavier, which leads us to Breece Hall. Both players can win with burst, vision, and receiving ability, and can then attack downhill in short-yardage spots.
Jeremiyah Love NFL Draft Grade: Top-15 Selection
You have to be a special back to hear your name called in the top 10, and Love fits comfortably in the Bijan Robinson, Saqtop-threeuon Barkley conversation for me. Personally, he's a top three player in the class on my board.
Teams looking for an offensive multiplier rather than just a volume runner will view Love as a premium asset, and you should expect to hear his name called early on night one in April. He has the size and athletic traits to become one of football's most explosive playmakers.