Jeremiyah Love — 2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 3.0

Are teams undervaluing the running back position again? The Vikings cannot pass on a top-three talent in this year's draft. Head coach Kevin O'Connell will find plenty of plays for him.

Third-best overall player in Brugler's top 100 and an offensive weapon for the Saints? Sign me up! Even if Alvin Kamara remains on the roster, there's no doubt Saints coach Kellen Moore will find ways to use Love within the improving offense led by second-year QB Tyler Shough. And once Kamara is gone, Love will be a true No. 1 back for New Orleans. I pondered either Love or wide receiver Carnell Tate at this slot. I'd be happy with either, but Love feels like a can't-miss player.

I raised a lot of eyebrows last year when I said I liked Jeremiyah Love more than Ashton Jeanty, and my feelings on the subject haven't changed. Love is a versatile, special playmaker who will quickly prove to be one of the better running backs in the NFL. He's a ready-made replacement for Alvin Kamara.

Patrick Mahomes finally gets an elite back. If defenses continue to play a conservative shell defense against the Chiefs, Love can make them pay.

While I don't know if Love will fall to this pick in April, I would be surprised if he makes it past the Chiefs. Simply put, Love is the biggest non-QB difference-maker in the class. As a runner, he has terrific explosiveness and vision. As a receiver, his routes from the slot look no different from a wideout. The Chiefs need a major boost to their backfield after ranking 25th in rushing yards per game (106.6). And I'd imagine general manager Brett Veach would be tempted to sprint the card in himself to make this pick.

The Chiefs could use another impact defensive player. But Kansas City needs speed, and not just timed speed but real game speed, at its skill player positions. Love is one of the best overall players in this draft class who can take any touch to the house. He would raise the ceiling on Andy Reid's screen plays and be a real weapon behind the Chiefs' burly offensive line in the run game, easing some of the burden on Patrick Mahomes to constantly create big plays for this offense. I'm sure new/returning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy would be thrilled to work with such a talented back.

This guy's phenomenal. I actually got to meet him at the Doak Walker Award Show and he told me about his Hall of Fame aspirations. Well, getting paired with Patrick Mahomes would help that. I think about what the Chiefs' offense could be if they had someone with Love's ability to run and catch the ball. The Chiefs also need some running back help with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt hitting free agency. But I really love the idea of giving Mahomes his Jahmyr Gibbs or Christian McCaffrey.