The Kansas City Chiefs have a clear hole at running back this season. With free agency around the corner, the Chiefs have already been linked to the likes of veteran RBs Travis Etienne and Kenneth Walker. The open market isn't the only path to help, though, and one player who's been connected to the franchise during the draft process is Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.
Love put on an absolute show during the NFL Scouting Combine, which certainly made the Chiefs' decision at No. 9 overall that much more difficult. Yet at the same time, his performance may have taken him out of consideration completely, as several teams could be eyeing the young tailback.
Jeremiyah Love May Not Be on the Board for Chiefs at No. 9 Following Combine
Multiple members of the draft community believe Love is a real option for the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3.
NFL analyst Todd McShay was a guest on FanDuel TV's "Up & Adams" show on Monday, saying, "I don't think Jeremiyah Love gets out of the top five, and it won't shock me if he's the third pick in this draft."
Kyle Brandt of Good Morning Football appeared on SportCenter and echoed a similar sentiment, stating, "Top-5 pick. I think he’s the best Notre Dame running back since Jerome Bettis.”
Meanwhile, Connor Rogers of NBC Sports was in Indianapolis and got an in-person look at Love:
" "Notre Dame superstar Jeremiyah Love has been a popular name connected to the 7th-9th overall picks (Commanders, Saints, Chiefs). I’m not confident he makes it to that range anymore. The Titans and Giants have second-year quarterbacks that need help. As for Arizona, new head coach Mike LaFleur has worked with Kyle Shanahan, Mike McDaniel and Sean McVay for multiple seasons. He has seen first-hand how a run game (and utilizing running backs in the pass game) can be the engine to a team.""Connor Rogers, NBC Sports
With three different experts saying similar things, it appears that Love may not even be an option for the Chiefs at No. 9.
Even though Love doesn't play a premier position, he's one of the most talented players in this draft class, and the rest of the league is finally catching up to that fact. During his time with the Fighting Irish, Love racked up 2,882 rushing yards, 594 receiving yards, and 42 total touchdowns. He's a big play waiting to happen with breakaway speed and the moves to make a defender miss in space. Love also has the skills to line up at receiver if needed and could make linebackers/safeties look silly in the open field.
During the 40-yard dash, Love was clocked in at 4.36 seconds, which was second among running backs. He answered any questions around him in Indianapolis, and that could push him out of reach for the Chiefs.
Just a couple of weeks ago, fans were discussing whether the Chiefs should take Love at No. 9. Now, it appears they may not even get the chance to do so, adding more pressure to land a dynamic running back for the 2026 season and beyond.