Cardinals select Jeremiyah Love, running back from Notre Dame, with No. 3 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

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Love was the first running back off the board and the highest pick out of Notre Dame since offensive tackle Joe Alt went fifth overall to the Los Angeles Chargers two years ago. The last time Notre Dame produced a first-round pick at running back? Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis. Love piled up gaudy statistics and unforgettable highlights over three seasons at Notre Dame. His 40 touchdowns during the past two seasons led the Football Bowl Subdivision, and those trips to the end zone somehow undersell his impact on the Irish football program. He scored the first touchdown of the 12-team College Football Playoff era, breaking free for 98 yards in a win over Indiana. He followed that up in the same postseason with one of the greatest 2-yard runs ever against Penn State, refusing to be denied to help set up Notre Dame’s last-second Orange Bowl win. Whether it was hurdles, spins, jukes or just pure speed, Love did it all. Love finished third in the 2025 Heisman Trophy voting, with his closing argument a 228-yard demolition of USC, the most by any Irish player inside Notre Dame Stadium. He finished his junior year with 199 carries for 1,372 yards and 21 total touchdowns, leaving him 65 yards short of the school’s single-season record for rushing yardage. A two-year starter at Notre Dame who shared carries, Love heads to the NFL with feature back ability and plenty of tread left on the tires. Love ranked No. 2 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide: “Love is an explosive athlete with a remarkable blend of balance and burst to be dynamic as both a runner and in the passing game. He is one of the most talented players in the 2026 draft class and projects as a high-upside NFL weapon.” One of the draft’s top athletes: explosive, with a remarkable blend of balance and burst. What an anonymous defensive coordinator had to say about Love in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft: “This guy is super fast and runs so hard. Explosive is the best word to describe him. He is a true home-run hitter. He was the best back we’ve faced in years. Only knock I probably got on him is that he loves to leave his feet. He’s gonna have to learn to be smarter with that, but I think he is really special.” Coming off one of their worst seasons in franchise history, the Cardinals needed a player that could excite the fan base. Love will look nice on the marquee. Running back is not Arizona’s biggest need, but his skill and potential could make an immediate difference. The draft’s top offensive prospect, Love should fit nicely alongside star tight end Trey McBride and receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., and Michael Wilson, giving first-year coach Mike LaFleur offensive balance Arizona has not recently enjoyed. The only question is if the Cardinals have the quarterback and offensive line to make it work sooner rather than later. — Doug Haller, Arizona writer Like most GMs, Monti Ossenfort has always said the Cardinals would take the best available at No. 3 and not the player who best fits their needs. This proves as much. The Cardinals bolstered their running back room over the offseason, re-signing respected back James Conner and signing free agent Tyler Allgeier. Conner is coming off a serious foot injury that cost him nearly all of last season. Allgeier spent the previous four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where he put up solid numbers. Love, however, will take over as lead back the day he arrives in the desert. — Haller Tackle Francis Mauigoa made a lot of sense. Arizona’s offensive line last season was a mess. They struggled to protect the passer and finished 31st in rushing offense, averaging 93.1 yards per game. A good back can make a bad offensive line look good — and vice versa — but it’s worth asking if the Cardinals should have gone the less sexy route and simply continued building the offensive line. — Haller The NFL has avoided drafting running backs this early. Love is the first to go in the top five since Saquon Barkley went second in 2018. If he’s on Barkley’s level, this will go down as one of the great picks in Cardinals history. That puts a lot of pressure on Love to deliver. He can’t just be productive, he has to be a game-changer. His college production — including those FBS-best 40 touchdowns over the last two seasons — suggests he can be. — Haller Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms