Notre Dame Has to Replace Jeremiyah Love. History Shows How Hard That Can Be

Jeremiyah Love was an elite running back, even for Notre Dame. Replacing a player of his caliber isn't easy, even for the Irish. Here's the history of trying to move on after losing a top-five back.

Nov 22, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

When the Arizona Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it was the 33rd time in the last 50 drafts that a running back went off the board in the top 5.

Of course, Jadarian Price helped Notre Dame's backfield make history in the final pick of Round 1 when it marked the first time that the first two running backs off the board were from the same school.

So in a way, it's unprecedented territory for the Irish in 2026, though 2005 Auburn would push back on that after replacing top-5 overall picks Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams.

But what does history suggest about replacing a top-5 pick at running back?

I went back 50 years. You're welcome.

In the last 50 years (the 1977 NFL Draft), those 32 instances of replacing a top-5 running back had some varying results.

We saw teams follow that up with dreadful rushing attacks like 1993 Georgia, who averaged just 107 rushing yards/game after Garrison Hearst was selected No. 3 overall. We also saw teams follow that up with dominant rushing attacks like 1980 Oklahoma, who averaged a whopping 360 rushing yards/game after Billy Sims was selected No. 1 overall.

(Bless the Wishbone.)

The spectrum of outcomes is wide. The average, however, is promising for a team in Notre Dame's spot.

In the last 50 years, the average rushing yards per game the following season after losing a top-5 pick at running back is 188 yards. While offenses have certainly changed during that timeframe, rushing for 188 yards/game in 2025 would've been good for the No. 29 rushing attack in FBS.

If we just look at the instances in the 21st century, that average is still 188 rushing yards/game the following season after losing a top-5 pick at running back.

Speaking of the 21st century ...

In each of the last five times that a top-5 pick at running back was replaced, it still yielded a 1,000-yard rusher and four of those teams averaged at least 200 rushing yards/game.

The last time that a team replaced a top-5 pick at running back and failed to produce a 1,000-yard rusher the following season was ... 2006 USC. That team, much like Notre Dame, had an elite duo to replace with both Reggie Bush (No. 2 overall) and LenDale White (No. 45 overall).

(Sorry, Notre Dame fans. You didn't need a reminder of that.)

Chauncey Washington dealt with injury and academic issues leading up to that 2006 season, which probably played a role in his inability to hit the 1,000-yard mark for USC.

That's a different ramp-up than the one that likely RB1 Aneyas Williams will have for the Irish. Though his role was understandably limited the last two years in that crowded backfield, he also averaged 9.3 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns last season.

Anyone else excited to see Aneyas Williams in 2026?

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— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) March 30, 2026

Williams (and/or a healthy Kedren Young) will also benefit from something that Washington lacked at USC in 2006. That is, a returning starting quarterback. An established CJ Carr might shift the offense to a bit more of a pass-first unit, but he'll also create lighter boxes for the Irish backfield.

Does history suggest that a 1,000-yard rusher is imminent?

Let's not call it "imminent."

In those 50 years, only 12 of the 32 teams produced a 1,000-yard rusher the following season. However, eight of those instances happened in the 11 such opportunities the 21st century.

Notre Dame produced a 1,000-yard rusher five of six times in the 2020's decade, with the lone exception being the 2022 squad that still produced a run game that averaged 189 yards/contest (Logan Diggs and Audric Estime both hit 800 rushing yards).

All four of Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame teams averaged between 185-203 rushing yards per game. Will that continue? Obviously, offensive line continuity will also have a significant say in that trend continuing.

One one hand, if there was ever a time for Notre Dame to experience significant regression in the ground game, this is it. An unprecedented duo (in terms of the NFL Draft) is being replaced by a relatively inexperienced backfield.

But on the other hand, if Notre Dame follows the more recent national trend of replacing a top-5 pick at running back with another prolific rushing attack, it'll be another feather in Freeman's cap.

One could argue that would be an equally worthy flex to the one the Irish got to close Round 1.