$1.6 million RB named No. 1 running back in 2026 NFL draft

A running back from a major college football program has been named the best at the position in the 2026 NFL draft.

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 NFL draft is headed to the shadows of Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for its 2026 installment.

An important discussion around every NFL draft is about which players will be selected in the opening round. Quarterbacks always find their way into that discussion, but there have been years where positions like offensive tackle have dominated the first round.

One position that does not command hordes of attention in the first round of the NFL draft is running back. There was a time when running backs consistently came off the board early, but only two of the last five NFL drafts have featured more than one running back selection in their first round.

Field Yates of ESPN released his top 25 NFL draft prospect rankings on Friday. Former Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is the No. 1 running back in Yates' projection, ranking sixth overall on the list.

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) hands the ball off to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

"But Love is also a natural playmaker in the passing game with his natural route-running skills and soft hands. Like last year with Ashton Jeanty, we will debate how high a running back should go over the next three months," Yates wrote. "But I doubt Love will fall out of the top 10 picks."

The 6-foot, 214-pounder was a top-five running back in the 2023 recruiting cycle when he committed to Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame. Audric Estime received the vast majority of the workload at running back that season, but Love still saw the field in all 13 games. He finished the year with 385 and a touchdown on 71 carries to go with eight receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown through the air.

2024 was a breakout season for Love. He ran for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns while catching 28 passes for an additional 237 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in five games, serving as a key component in Notre Dame's run to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game.

Love further elevated his game in his last season with the Fighting Irish. He ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns and caught 27 passes for 280 yards and three more touchdowns. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark in six games, including a 228-yard performance in Notre Dame's win against USC.

The accolades for Love poured in following the 2025 season as every major college football media outlet named him to their All-America First Teams. Additionally, he won the Doak Walker Award, given to the best running back in college football. He was also one of the four Heisman Trophy finalists invited to New York City for the ceremony on Dec. 13, 2025.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love speaks to the media | Brad Penner-Imagn Images