ESPN Gives the Most Egregious Take Yet on Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love

The Arizona Cardinals' selection of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft stirred plenty of conversation and debate at the time.

That's still raging to this day, apparently.

Historically speaking, drafting a running back high hasn't quite translated to team success. However, Arizona needed a playmaker, and Love was the best available on the board.

Time will ultimately tell if the Cardinals made the right call, though takes are still flying on Love's presence in the desert — and ESPN's Seth Walder might have just taken the cake.

Walder, making an appearance on SportsCenter, likened the Cardinals drafting Love at No. 3 to taking a punter.

"The biggest problem is Jeremiyah Love. This is about the position, not the player. He's a great running back prospect — but running back is one of the least important positions on the field. This is one step up from taking a punter at No. 3 overall," Walder said.

"He instantly becomes an expensive running back, and the opportunity cost is just so high. You could have taken a tackle or an edge rusher or wide receiver — someone that's hard to find in free agency. Just a big missed opportunity for Arizona."

Full clip (h/t PHNX):

"This is one step up from taking a punter at #3 overall."

ESPN's Seth Walder on the Arizona Cardinals selection of Jeremiyah Love 3rd overall 😳 pic.twitter.com/Snuvsk92rN
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) July 1, 2026

Why Even The Most Doubtful Minds Can Understand Jeremiyah Love Pick

Love was a polarizing pick for plenty of reasons, though even the harshest of critics on the pick can ultimately see why the Cardinals took him.

That includes yours truly, who was fairly loud in their opposition of taking Love with the third overall pick. Positional value, more pressing needs at premium spots and financial ramifications of making a rookie the highest-paid at his position were main arguments.

Yet after the draft concluded, the big picture opened up. Right guard Chase Bisontis was the team's second-round pick, putting a cherry on top of Arizona's efforts to completely retool their ground game.

The dynamic with Love is he isn't just an ordinary running back - he's a complete weapon who can do damage in different ways. There's little weakness to his game, and in an offense that already holds the likes of Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., there should be ample opportunity for Love to shine.

There's a chance Love doesn't pan out, just like any first-round pick. Even in the event that does happen, that decision won't even come close to hitting the same universe as drafting a punter.

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