INDIANAPOLIS — Jeremiyah Love didn’t come to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine just to run fast. The Notre Dame running back arrived at Lucas Oil Stadium to deliver a message. Most scouts are salivating over his explosive speed and soft hands out of the backfield. Love wants them to look at the bruises he leaves on linebackers.
Love is widely projected as a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, drawing heavy comparisons to Jahmyr Gibbs and Saquon Barkley. You watch his game film, and he routinely burns angles. He glides past safeties. But deep in the trenches, he acts like a fullback.
In 2025, Love posted an 80.2 run-blocking grade via Pro Football Focus, good for fifth-best among all running backs. Even more impressive? He did it on a massive workload. When you filter out the situational backs and look at those handling heavy snap counts, the list thins out fast. Only Virginia-bound transfer Jekail Middlebrook graded higher.
Love’s pass blocking sits at a respectable 55.5, giving NFL offensive line coaches a solid foundation to mold. He doesn’t just chip edge rushers; he squares up and anchors. You could almost feel the tension in the media room when he confidently dismissed the idea that he is just a finesse runner.
“Blocking. I mean, nobody’s really beat me in blocking. I’ve pretty much dominated everybody else. I feel like that’s just underrated.”
— Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Running Back
Running backs rarely go in the top 10 anymore. Bijan Robinson did it in 2023, but it requires a flawless resume. Love is building exactly that in Indianapolis. Teams like the Titans, Cardinals, and Giants are watching his every move this weekend.
A back who can break a 60-yard run on first down and stonewall a blitzing linebacker on third down is a rare commodity. Love is doing the on-field drills today, and if his 40-yard dash matches his tape, expect his stock to cement itself in the elite tier. He isn’t just a home-run hitter. He is the complete package.
