March 1, 2026, 3:06 p.m. CT
Jeremiyah Love was one of the stars of this year’s NFL Combine, with the former Notre Dame running back checking every box put in front of them. He aced weigh-ins and timing drills, measuring 6-foot and 212 pounds before quite literally outrunning much of his competition. After other running backs called it a day, he stuck around on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium to run routes like a wide receiver and answer questions NFL coaches had about his game. It might have done enough to keep the New Orleans Saints from being able to draft him.
We knew Love was fast before the NFL Combine. Then he ran the 40 yard dash in a laser-timed 4.36 seconds. For context, that’s the same time Jahmyr Gibbs clocked back in 2023 — while weighing 13 pounds lighter. Gibbs was drafted twelfth overall. It isn’t a stretch to see Love going a couple of slots higher. Love had comparable measurements to Bijan Robinson (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) but he timed the 40 a tenth of a second faster. Robinson, of course, was the eighth pick in 2023. That’s the same slot where the Saints are picking this year.
And that’s got Saints fans worried. Right away there was a panic on social media about Love not being available at eighth overall. It makes sense with teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and Cleveland Browns all picking ahead of them after struggling to establish the run in 2025. The New York Giants and Washington Commanders finished top-five in rushing yards but could use talent upgrades at running back. The Kansas City Chiefs pick right after the Saints and have been linked to Love, too. If Love is truly seen as the best player in this draft class any of them could snap him up (or trade ahead of New Orleans to get him).
But let’s throw some cold water on that thought. Free agency happens before the draft. The Jets (who own the second overall pick) won’t let Breece Hall test the market so we can take them out of the Love sweepstakes. Top-tier rushers like Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne Jr. are expected to join new teams. Second-tier running backs like Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, and Tyler Allgeier are going to change the arithmetic depending on where they land, too.
Let’s say Walker goes to the Giants and Etienne joins the Chiefs. That leaves the Cardinals (third), Titans (fourth), Browns (sixth) and Commanders (seventh) as potential landing spots, without the threat of a Chiefs trade up. If two of those other free agents we just mentioned sign with two of those teams, that’s half of the possible spoilers off the board. All of a sudden it’s just two teams thinking about spending a top-10 pick on a running back before the Saints get their turn. We’ll take those odds.
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At the same time, this is something we’ve been cautioning Saints fans about for a while. You can’t assume Love will be there at No. 8. Neither can the team themselves. New Orleans needs to invest in fresh legs at running back before the draft in case Love does get picked ahead of them. They could sign someone like Kenneth Gainwell or J.K. Dobbins and feel better about their running back depth while still being open to drafting Love. Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller will be free agents in 2027. Kamara, Miller, and Devin Neal each ended the 2025 season with injuries. Audric Estime can’t be the only plan for the future at running back.
And drafting Love can’t be the only plan this offseason at running back. He might be the only running back seen as a first-round pick but his Notre Dame teammate Jadarian Price could be an option in the second round. The Saints got to spend a lot of time with Arkansas rusher Mike Washington Jr. at the Senior Bowl, and he timed the 40 yard dash even faster than Love (4.33 seconds) while carrying 11 more pounds. He could be the third rusher off the board, and if the Saints don’t pick Love, he just might be their guy.
There’s two months to go until the draft. It’s too soon for Saints fans to panic about whether or not Love will be wearing a gold helmet in 2026. But they need to start brushing up on their options either way.