Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love is projected to land with a major AFC contender in The Athletic’s latest mock draft.
The Athletic projects that Love will slide to 14th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, falling to the Baltimore Ravens. Such a move would set the table for Love to take over for longtime star running back Derrick Henry, making him the new backfield star of the AFC franchise, which Forbes values at $6.1 billion.
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“Derrick Henry is 32, and the Ravens don’t have his successor on the roster. Love is a home run hitter who will bring juice to an offense that will have a new look.”
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Love stands at six feet tall, weighing 212 pounds, and comes off an impressive performance at the NFL Combine in which he recorded a 4.36 40-yard dash time. The Fighting Irish star was already expected to be one of the top selections in the draft pool this year, but his performance at the combine, along with his stellar collegiate resume, makes him a prime target for running back-needy teams in the first round.
Should Love ultimately fall to the Ravens, he’ll give two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson quite the two-headed backfield monster.
Jeremiyah Love and his dominant collegiate run
Jeremiyah Love was an absolute star during his college football run with Notre Dame for three seasons. After becoming the backfield bell cow in 2024, Love put up back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2024 and 2025, to go along with 17 and 18 touchdowns, respectively.
He also proved to be a threat in the receiving game out of the backfield, with a combined 594 receiving yards in three seasons, as well as six touchdowns. He came up just shy of a national championship win with Notre Dame when they fell to Ohio State in the 2024 season. He was also a semifinalist for the Heisman Trophy Award, but ultimately lost out to eventual winner Fernando Mendoza.
Love is far and away the best running back in the draft class this year and is one of several big names who are expected to get their name called with the first few picks of the night, including Mendoza, Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Sonny Styles, and many more.
It will be interesting to see where Love lands when it’s all said and done come draft night in Pittsburgh. Day one of the 2026 NFL Draft will kick off on Thursday, April 23.
Edited by Brad Taningco
