Best Landing Spots for Jeremiyah Love to Be a Rookie Star in the 2026 NFL Season

Jeremiyah Love will be the first running back to hear his name called in the 2026 NFL draft. He wants to perform at a level that fulfills the high expectations of a premier prospect.

At Notre Dame's pro day, Love shared his personal outlook for the upcoming season.

Let's focus on Love's first two major career objectives: 2026 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl nod. 

Where could he achieve those goals and become an instant star in the NFL?

Based on potential workload and schematic fit, here are five potential landing spots for the consensus No. 1 running back in the 2026 draft. This list includes teams with picks outside the top 10 that should consider a move up for him.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner

In the No. 3 spot, the Arizona Cardinals have roster needs at higher premium positions to address, but they still have an ideal situation for Jeremiyah Love to handle touches right away and see his role grow throughout the season.

Yes, the Cardinals restructured James Conner's contract, which means he'll likely be on the roster this year, and signed Tyler Allgeier. However, the former is 30 coming off foot surgery, and the latter isn't much of a big-play threat on the ground or in the short passing game. Trey Benson has limited production in two seasons. 

Love can lead Arizona's backfield as the team's most explosive playmaker. Conner, Allgeier and Benson are all bigger or more stout than the Notre Dame product, who's a lean 6'0", 212 pounds.

Sure, it would be a bit crowded, but Love brings a different skill set that will allow him to see the field more than the Cardinals' veteran running backs. 

Furthermore, Arizona could lean heavily on the ground game with a bridge quarterback, either Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew, under center. 

Love would provide a major boost for an offense that finished with the second-fewest rushing yards last year. He could rack up yards running behind tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and guard Isaac Seumalo on the left side.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Jerome Miron

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr.

At No. 18 in the draft order, the Minnesota Vikings would probably have to move up for Jeremiyah Love, but he's worth it for what they need in the backfield.

Entering his age-32 season, Aaron Jones Sr. is an aging running back who has missed 11 games over the last three years and saw a significant drop-off in production between his first and second seasons in Minnesota. In 2025, he logged 27 fewer carries than Jordan Mason, who led the team with 758 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Although Mason is a solid ball-carrier with good size (5'11", 230 lbs) for short-yardage situations, he doesn't have much pass-catching production. In four seasons, the 26-year-old has 28 receptions for 173 yards. 

Jones is still an effective receiver, though he only has one more year left on his deal. The Vikings can add a much younger three-down tailback who's also more versatile than Mason.

With the addition of quarterback Kyler Murray and Love, Minnesota would field an athletic, fast-paced offense capable of more explosive plays.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo

New York Giants fans fell in love with running back Cam Skattebo's rugged play style in his rookie campaign. On the flip side, he suffered a season-ending injury, which raises questions about his durability. 

Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. could be a solid two-man ground attack, but Love could raise the ceiling of the New York offense. 

In his 2024 rookie season, Tracy fumbled five times. He fumbled only once in the previous term. Still, one has to wonder whether the new coaching staff trusts him to handle a sizeable workload on the ground. Remember, he's a converted receiver who's played the position for just a few years. Love didn't fumble in three terms at Notre Dame.

Last year, Skattebo flashed his receiving ability. Yet to preserve him, the Giants can feature Love on obvious passing downs, which could make Tracy a trade candidate.

According to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Giants "will likely" take Love if he falls past the Tennessee Titans, who pick one spot ahead of them at No. 4.

Giants head coach John Harbaugh had star running back Derrick Henry in Baltimore. Love is a different type of tailback. That said, he could also be an elite pro talent.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet

This sounds like a pipedream for the Seattle Seahawks and fantasy football enthusiasts, though we shouldn't rule out anything in unpredictable drafts. 

The Super Bowl champions hold the last pick in the first round, so they would need to make an aggressive move up for Jeremiyah Love. Yet no one would blame general manager John Schneider if he jumped several teams for the best tailback in the class.

The Seahawks lost running back Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. In January, tailback Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL. 

Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters that he expects Charbonnet to play in the upcoming season but didn't provide a clear timeline for his return.

Seattle signed Emanuel Wilson, who's served as Josh Jacobs' primary backup over the last two seasons with the Green Bay Packers. The club has room for someone to take over the lead role while Charbonnet, who's entering the last year of his rookie deal, is on the mend.

Love would likely open the 2026 campaign as the Seahawks' No. 1 running back. Given the significance of Charbonnet's injury, the rookie could hold on to the featured role for the full term.

Seattle finished 10th in rushing last year, and it would field another strong ground attack with Love on fresh legs.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard

As expected, Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward had ups and downs in his rookie season. Aside from that, it's clear the team didn't help him enough with a supporting cast.

Tennessee finished the 2025 campaign with the third-fewest rushing yards. Calvin Ridley battled injuries, leaving then-rookie fourth-rounders Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike as Ward's top two wide receivers.

This offseason, the Titans signed wideout Wan'Dale Robinson to bolster the offense. He's more of a chain-mover than a splash playmaker who racks up yards in big chunks. Tennessee needs another addition who can do the heavy lifting and allow Ward to be an offensive point guard.

Love certainly fits the bill, and he can share the workload with Tony Pollard.

In Dallas, Pollard paired well with Ezekiel Elliott. Love isn't a big-bodied tailback who compares to Elliott, but the Titans could have a much better version of what the previous regime thought Pollard and Tyjae Spears could be as a 1A and 1B tandem.

Love and Pollard could be interchangeable in the Titans offense, though Love's upside should propel him into the lead role. 

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.