$1.5 million RB ranked No. 1 running back in college football

A running back from a major program has been ranked as the best at the position during the 2025 college football season.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs with the ball during the first half of a NCAA football game against Navy at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season has been in the books for two weeks. The next slate of college football games will take place in the final weekend of August.

Now that the 2025 season is in the rearview mirror, college football media is looking back at the action it witnessed over the course of the season. This features analysis of player performances, examination of predictions from before the season and evaluation of team performances during the season.

Pro Football Focus released its list of the highest graded players by position from the 2025 season. Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame was the No. 1 running back from this past season.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 6-foot, 214-pounder was a top-five running back prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle when he signed with Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame. Audric Estime was the Fighting Irish's primary running back in 2023, but Love still played in every game his freshman year. He finished with 71 carries for 385 yards and one rushing touchdown to go with eight receptions for 77 yards and another touchdown.

Love was a vital component in the Fighting Irish's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship during the 2024 season. A part of a vaunted backfield tandem with Jadarian Price, Love ran for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns to go with 28 receptions for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for more than 100 yards in five games, logging a season-high 137 yards against Virginia.

2025 was the best season of Love's college football career. He rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries while catching 27 passes for 280 yards and three more touchdowns, all in four fewer games than the Fighting Irish played in 2024. His season-high in rush yards was 228 in Notre Dame's win against USC (34-24) on Oct. 18, 2025.

Love was unanimously named an All-American at the conclusion of the 2025 regular season. He fended off Ahmad Hardy of Missouri and Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss for the Doak Walker Award, given to the best running back in college football each season. Love finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt.

Love made his NFL draft declaration on Dec. 16, 2025, leaving Notre Dame after three seasons. He is a likely first-round selection with mock drafts from ESPN, CBS, and NFL Network all slotting him at No. 8 overall to the New Orleans Saints.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) breaks loose for a touchdown run against the Syracuse Orange | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images