Cardinals Went Against The Grain With Jeremiyah Love

TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals seemingly shocked the entire world, and even the team's media room when Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love was made the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"They actually did it."

After so many months of speculation and rumors alike, the Cardinals put pen to paper after taking their eight minutes of allotted time on the clock nearly down all the way before submitting the pick.

The surprise with Love isn't regarding the player. He's considered one of the best prospects in the draft and if he's as good as advertised, the Cardinals' offense receives an immediate boost under first-year head coach and offensive mind Mike LaFleur.

Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Lov — Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (RB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

LaFleur was asked directly about drafting a running back early in last week's pre-draft press conference.

"You just want to draft the best football player that's going to fit your team and what you're looking for, regardless of the position," LaFleur said.

"Yeah, there are always going to be the ones that you're going to talk about the premium positions and all that, but what's been cool about the way I know he's (Ossenfort) approached it and seen it from afar is do these guys love the game? Are they smart football players and are they tough? If that position's a punter and that's going to help us out, then let's roll."

The hesitation when it came to drafting Love boiled down to positional value and team-building, something the Cardinals completely reversed course on when it comes to conventional roster construction.

Arizona's offensive line is far from complete. The Cardinals have no franchise quarterback currently in place and have a top-heavy running back room with Tyler Allgeier and James Conner.

Everything, conventionally, says the Cardinals should have went in an entirely different direction. Taking an offensive tackle would have been less sexy but more understood with where the Cardinals are at.

Love's rookie scale contract will see him become one of the highest-paid running backs in the league before taking a single step on an NFL field. Financially, and even with a newly reported medical red flag, this is a big swing at the plate for the Cardinals.

And they have to be right.

Arizona is banking not only on Love to reach the levels people hope he'll do as a running back in the league, but also as a No. 3 overall pick. Top picks are expected to be game-changers. Franchise-definers. Stars that unfold early and remain for a long time.

The pressure would have been on Love regardless of his position, though the devaluation of running backs over the course of time mixed with the current state of Arizona — both as an organization and roster — puts Love in a position to where he has to be one of the best players in this class, or anything else is a failure.

"No added pressure at all. I try not to listen to a lot of things that are said about me, whether they're good or bad," Love said when asked about carrying the torch.

"I know I was just picked as a third overall pick in the NFL Draft, but I'm still myself at the end of the day. I still have my same work ethic. It's only going to get better. And I'm still just Jeremiyah Love and I'm still on a hunt for something greater than this, and that hunt is never going to stop."

Maybe there's not pressure on Love to pan out, but for the Cardinals, this is a gamble that has to pay massive dividends.

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