Reggie Bush comparisons ignite as Notre Dame's Love explodes onto the draft scene, leading Miller's top prospect rankings.
Now that the NFL Combine has ended and the analysts have had time to digest the testing numbers and evaluate performances, analysts like ESPN's Matt Miller have had time to put together another Top 50 prospects rankings ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft which kicks off in 49 days. Notre Dame has consistently had three players talked about as day-one to day-two draft picks and Miller believes that they're also three of the Top 50 prospects on the board.
No. 1 - Running Back Jeremiyah Love
"Love is an elite modern running back with true three-down skills," Miller said. "He has home run speed, with multiple 90-plus-yard runs in his college career. He's also a skilled receiver, hauling in 64 catches and six touchdown receptions in his three seasons. But Love isn't just a speed back. He can deliver violent hits at the point of attack and has the contact balance to bounce off tacklers and stay upright. With 4.36 speed and sweet open-field moves, Love is the closest thing to Reggie Bush as a prospect since he entered the NFL in 2006."
Love had a strong performance down in Indianapolis and solidified himself as the No. 1 running back in this year's draft class. He's been projected to go to the Titans who have the fourth overall pick and it would make a lot of sense. Love will likely be the best available player remaining on the board at the point in time and Tennessee is in need of more star power on offense to go along with quarterback Cam Ward who is headed into his second year in the league.
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.
No. 44 - Wide Receiver Malachi Fields
"A super-sized wide receiver prospect, Fields made the most of his targets with 15 touchdowns over his last three seasons with Virginia and Notre Dame," Miller said about the former Notre Dame boundary receiver. "Fields lacks high-end speed (4.61) but is a true X receiver who wins with size and strength at the point of attack and excels in jump-ball situations. While he profiles as a likely No. 2 receiver, Fields has untapped potential that could develop him into a star."
His performance at the combine didn't turn many heads, but it also didn't decimate his chances of being a late day-one to early day-two pick. The Bills are in need of a No. 1 receiver and Fields has been projected to Buffalo by a few mock drafts. He'll be a productive player and a big-bodied target for quarterback Josh Allen to target in the pass game. Fields is an extremely gifted route runner arguably has the best contested catch ability of the 2026 receiver draft class.
Fields was brought into South Bend to be their primary boundary receiver and quickly became one of quarterback CJ Carr's go-to targets throughout the season. He helped jumpstart the offense in the second half against Miami and had one of the best games of his career against Pitt on the road hauling in two touchdown grabs and one of the best catches of the 2025 season.
No. 45 - Running Back Jadarian Price
"The second-best running back in the class was the backup to the top-ranked one," Miller explained. "Price is an all-around back with power and the burst to quickly turn small openings into big gains. His long speed stands out, but his shifty side-to-side moves are just as impressive. A zone-heavy offensive scheme would fit well with his great vision and jump-cut speed, as well as his upside as a receiver. Price can make an impact as a returner, too, with three career punt return touchdowns."
The 5-11, 203-pound running back had one of the most complete performances at the NFL Combine amongst the running backs. Price 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 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. He would be an explosive playmaker for the Seattle offense.
It's also worth noting that Miller has Love and Price as his No. 1 and No. 2 running back prospects in this year's NFL Draft. After viewing the majority of the group at the combine, it's evident that there's a gap between the two former Notre Dame backs and the rest of the draft board for the 2026 running back class.
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