The 6-team bidding war: Why Jeremiyah Love is the 2026 Draft's most coveted offensive weapon

The NFL Draft is more than likely going to see the first running back selected in the first five picks of the first round since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love will get that distinct honor and you just have to watch a few moments of his highlight tape to understand why.

FanSided's 2026 NFL Draft Big Board describes the 20-year-old as "a true bell-cow who can handle 20 carries a game with ease. His tantalizing blend of power in between the tackles, elusiveness in the open field, big-play potential, and consistency will make him an immediate RB1 and 1,000-yard rusher out of the gate with a decent line." And that's exactly why there are six franchises hoping to pick him Thursday night.

Why Jeremiyah Love will turn these NFL offenses into deadly forces

Arizona Cardinals

Pick No. 3 is the highest possible position Love can be taken. Not because he doesn't deserve to go higher but because the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets appear to be locked into their projected picks. That being said, the Cardinals will have a lot of talent to parse through early, but Love looks to be a clear and obvious choice.

Draft expert Mike Luciano views Love as a means to "expedite the end of the James Connor era." Indeed, Connor failed to stay healthy last season and had to restructure his deal with the Cardinals just to stick around with newcomer Tyler Allgeier and backup Trey Benson waiting in the wings to snipe carries and touchdowns. If Love enters the fray, he's immediately RB1 in the desert.

Tennessee Titans

If Arizona resists the temptation to select Love (or trades back), the Tennessee Titans will be elated to bring in second-year QB Cam Ward's biggest weapon of his young career. General manager Mike Borgonzi didn't spend a single dime of the team's $300 million offseason expenditures on the running back position and veterans Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are entering contract years. This feels like the best possible opportunity to draft a successor.

Long gone are the days of Derrick Henry barreling over opponents but Love offers another layer of dominance the King didn't: Versatility. Not only is Love tough and durable, but he's faster and flexible in the open field. It's that very elusiveness referenced in his scouting report that will give Tennessee's offense a serious upgrade and potentially save it years of rebuilding.

New York Giants

History could repeat itself for the Giants as they took Barkley with the historically high pick in 2018. He was a generational rusher for the franchise but unfortunately things didn't work out in the end. General manager Joe Schoen could get a second chance to make things right with head coach John Harbaugh to lead the way. The only problem would be, what do you do with Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary?

"Buying into Harbaugh's vision is the only way this [rebuild] works," GMEN HQ's Matt Sidney writes. "Ignoring the more obvious needs [like defense and wide receiver] and going best available player to lean all the way into a bully ball ground game is a smart move." It's worth remembering the last time New York walked away with Lombardi Trophies, it had a bruising backfield that featured Brandon Jacobs (the bully) and Ahmad Bradshaw (the speedster). Love could be both at once for Big Blue.

Washington Commanders

Here's where it becomes more unlikely Love falls this far, but fans can dream. QB Jayden Daniels needs weapons and while looking to wide receiver is a natural thought, Washington's backfield is rather thin when you take a closer look. Providing him with a "duel-threat presence capable of taking the NFL by storm," as Riggo's Rag's Dean Jones writes, "would strike fear into defense around the league."

It's true. Daniels plus the "phenomenal" Love would be "a mouthwatering proposition." It's only going to be a question of will he be available at seventh overall? General manager Adam Peters is the only one who knows if Love's versatility fits the best with his roster and whether potentially moving up to get him ahead of a division rival like New York is worth it.

Los Angeles Rams

Even if the Rams manage to move up far enough from No. 13 (thanks to the Atlanta Falcons), there's the question of Love's ability to fit offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase's scheme. Ramblin' Fan's Bret Stuter believes it would be worth the roll of the dice, however. "Love does not fit the offense yet," he writes, "But he could spark a return to a Todd Gurley-like offensive game plan."

That's an interesting angle considering there are now "questions surrounding workhorse WR Puka Nacua..." Stuter suggests "Love could be an instant offensive proxy." If head coach Sean McVay is on board - and he can seemingly turn any player into the best version of themselves - why not try it out and turn Love into the second half of a deadly one-two punch with veteran Kyren Williams.

Minnesota Vikings

It would be an absolute shock if Love somehow dropped to 18th overall in this first round. Call it the Minneapolis Miracle part two. That's where interim general Manager Mike Brzezinski may have to get incredibly creative on the phones to move up into the Top 5. Never say never; we've seen weirder things happen before.

Veteran back Aaron Jones Sr. is on his last legs and backup Jordan Mason is not the future of the Vikings backfield. Figuring out a way to bring in Love would set up head coach Kevin O'Connell with an automatic NFC North title contender and a dangerous force to be reckoned with across the entire conference. Imagine it through The Viking Age's Adam Patrick's eyes: "A Minnesota offense featuring Love, Justin Jefferson, Kyler Murray, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson would drive opposing defenses insane."

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