The Kansas City Chiefs own the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, and that has led to a ton of discourse concerning who they should draft. Back in December, there were conversations regarding whether the Chiefs should select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, sparking a debate among the fanbase.
But with the NFL Scouting Combine taking place this week, Love was able to showcase his superb athleticism, and his outing on Saturday only further complicates Kansas City's decision. Running backs did on-field drills, and Love partook, standing out among his peers.
During the 40-yard dash, Love ran a blazing 4.36, highlighting the game-breaking speed that was prevalent on tape. And he continued to look like a flawless pass catcher during receiving drills. ESPN's Louis Riddick tweeted, "Jeremiyah Love looks like a WR running routes with the RB’s in how he lowers his center of gravity and changes direction. It’s that good."
Love is one of the best prospects in this draft, and his combine outing made the Chiefs' choice at No. 9 that much harder.
Jeremiyah Love Made Chiefs Choice at No. 9 Harder
With Love being a running back, his positional value isn't high for some fans, but the former Notre Dame star can become one of the most dynamic players in the league at running back. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has Love as his second-ranked prospect in this class.
In his write-up on Love, Jeremiah wrote, "Overall, Love is a home run hitter and will immediately expand the playbook for his drafting team."
Although Love has no say in where he ends up, during an interview with Rich Eisen, he spoke highly of the potential of landing with the Chiefs. Love stated, "I'd be close to home. ... I feel like [Patrick Mahomes] is the best quarterback as of right now. ... It would be an honor to play with him."
Love is from Missouri, so the idea of playing for the Chiefs would likely be a dream come true. He's a true difference maker in both the run and pass game. In his collegiate career with the Fighting Irish, he's compiled 2,882 rushing yards, 594 receiving yards, and 42 total touchdowns.
If the Chiefs selected Love, he would give them a clear RB1 and a game-changing weapon for Andy Reid to utilize. Yeah, he's a running back, but he's one of the best overall players in this class. The Chiefs should not look at his position, but rather the long-term impact he would bring to the team.
Kansas City has a clear interest in adding to the RB room, as they've already been linked to free agents Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne. There's a chance they add one of these guys in free agency, but if they don't, it could signal how interested they are in nabbing Love. And his outing at the combine made things more difficult.