Two Notre Dame running backs eye NFL first-round glory, aiming to replicate college dominance and make draft history.
We're now only 16 days away from the 2026 NFL Draft and there's a pair of Notre Dame players who consistently have been listed as first-round draft projections. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price tore up college football last season and are looking to do the same at the next level. Love has been named inside of the Top 10 in every reputable mock draft that's been released since the end of the 2025 season.
Price has also been projected as a first round draft pick since some movement in NFL free agency and his performance down in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. This would be the first time since 2008 a running back duo from the same college gets drafted in the first round of the same draft. NFL Draft analyst Peter Schrager sees that happening this year with Love and Price.
No. 4 - Running Back Jeremiyah Love, Tennessee Titans
"I interviewed Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi for "The Schrager Hour" in March, and he made pointed statements about Robert Saleh's previous teams always having "waves" of pass rushers," Schrager shared. "That might suggest Tennessee could think about David Bailey or Arvell Reese if they are still on the board, or perhaps even Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. But I just don't think the Titans will pass on Love. This is a dynamic player who can do it all. He ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns last season."
The Titans haven't had an impact in the run game since former running back Derrick Henry headed to Baltimore. The 6-0, 212-pound running back is the type of high-level talent Tennessee needs in the backfield alongside Ward, their second-year quarterback.
Love worked his way up draft boards throughout the 2025 season and his performance at the NFL Combine solidified his position as the No. 1 overall running back prospect in this year's draft.
The St. Louis native ended his career in college as the 2025 Doak Walker Award Winner and a Heisman finalist. It's likely he'll have the same impact at the next level for a team desperately in need of a rushing attack.
The 6-0, 214-pound running back ended his Notre Dame career as one of the most prolific ball carriers to line up in the backfield. He was named a Unanimous All-American and was only the 38th player in the history of the Fighting Irish football program to achieve that feat. Love will become a franchise player for whatever organization elects to draft him.
No. 32 - Running Back Jadarian Price, Seattle Sehawks
"Believe it or not, Notre Dame has never had two running backs selected in the first round of the same NFL draft," Schrager explained. "In fact, only three running back tandems from the same school have ever been selected in the first round in the same year. But Price is the No. 2 running back in this class and would provide some nice pop to the Seattle offense after the departure of Kenneth Walker III via free agency. He had only 113 carries last season but turned them into 674 yards and 11 scores."
Price finished his Notre Dame career with 1,692 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns 162 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. This past season alone, Price rushed for 674 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, caught two receiving touchdowns and took two 100-yard kick returns to the house, one against Purdue and one against USC.
The Texas native showed of his smooth running ability combined with his explosiveness during the testing and on-field drills throughout the afternoon. His official 4.49 40-yard dash time puts him in the top half of the running backs that performed at the combine. Add that to his extremely productive career in South Bend, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he sneaks into the first round. He would be an explosive playmaker for the Seattle offense.
Love and Price have the opportunity to be the first running back duo since Felix Jones and Darren McFadden from Arkansas to both be taken in the first round. The two former Notre Dame standouts are the top two backs in the NFL Draft this season, and I don't think it's overly close.
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