With Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency and Zach Charbonnet expected to miss a significant chunk of the 2026 season while recovering from knee surgery, the Seattle Seahawks have some question marks at running back.

Why Daniel Jeremiah isn’t concerned about Seahawks’ FA losses

Many expect the Seahawks to address the position in the NFL Draft later this month. However, this year’s running back class isn’t considered to be particularly deep. And consensus top running back prospect Jeremiyah Love will surely be long off the board by Seattle’s No. 32 overall pick, with many projecting the Notre Dame star to go in the top five.

But if Love slides out of the top five, should the Seahawks consider trading up to draft the Heisman Trophy finalist?

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard posed that question to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah during Thursday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. In Huard’s proposed scenario, the Seahawks would trade their No. 32 overall pick in this year’s draft and their first-round pick in next year’s draft to move up and snag Love at No. 8 or No. 9.

Jeremiah responded with a “heck yeah,” comparing Love to Atlanta Falcons All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson and Detroit Lions three-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

“He’s in the Bijan category. He’s in the Jahmyr Gibbs category,” Jeremiah said. “Like, he’s in that company, which is excellent company. If you’re the Seahawks and you’re sitting there thinking, OK, it’s a 32 this year in a draft that’s not great, and we’re hoping that we’re going to be picking 32 again next year, then if it all worked out that way, heck yeah, I would do that trade.”

‘A premier, premier guy’

Love had a spectacular past two seasons at Notre Dame, totaling 3,014 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns while showcasing his elite combination of breakaway speed, tackle-breaking ability and receiving prowess.

In 2025, the 6-foot, 212-pound Love won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. He rushed for 1,372 yards, 6.9 yards per carry and 18 touchdowns in 12 games last fall, while adding 280 receiving yards and three TD catches. He ranked fourth in the FBS with 137.7 scrimmage yards per game, fourth in yards per carry and tied for third in rushing touchdowns.

Jeremiah ranks Love as the No. 2 overall prospect in this year’s draft class, trailing only Indiana quarterback and expected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

“To me, I just think there’s the rare guys, the rare running backs. And I think this kid falls into that category,” Jeremiah said. “And I do think there is a difference in how (an) offense runs when you have a premier, premier guy. It’s just gonna look different.”

JEREMIYAH LOVE SPUN HIS WAY FOR THE TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/drjYYuxGM8

— ESPN (@espn) November 15, 2025

Jeremiah used the example of Saquon Barkley, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 and led them to a Super Bowl title after rushing for 2,005 yards that season.

“I just go back to the Saquon example,” Jeremiah said. “I rate (Love) just below Saquon. But Saquon Barkley, what he was with the (New York) Giants, you can argue against the running back position. Then he goes to a team with a good offensive line and this guy’s a 2,000-yard rusher and leads a team to a Super Bowl.

“That’s the type of impact you can get. So that’s where I could say (Love) is in the right company of backs.”

The Rams factor

Jeremiah also mentioned another factor to consider – the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams, who were the top challenger to the Super Bowl champion Seahawks this past season, already bolstered their defense last month by trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. And heading into the draft, the Rams hold the No. 13 overall pick as a result of trading away their 2025 first-round pick last spring.

“I’d be scared about the Rams trying to trade up to get (Love),” Jeremiah said. “I mean, that’s the one that I’d keep an eye on. I know (Rams running back) Kyren Williams has been productive, but he’s not dynamic. He doesn’t get a lot of stuff that isn’t just there. They have a good offensive line, and I think if they had the original Todd Gurley before he got hurt in this version of the Rams, it’d be pretty scary.

“So I could see them, if (Love) started to drift a little bit, they might do something.”

For Jeremiah, that’s all the more reason for the Seahawks to at least consider trading up for Love.

“If you can go up there and get him, address a big need on your roster, get a dynamic player that maybe keeps you ahead of the Rams in the arms race and blocks them from getting him, I mean, I could sell myself on doing that,” Jeremiah said.

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