jeremiah lovestar Notre Dame The running back and Heisman Trophy finalist made it official Tuesday night and declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Love made the announcement on social media, thanking his family, Fighting Irish coaches and teammates, among others, and saying he “couldn’t have picked a better place to develop into the man I am today.”
Love is widely expected to be the top pick in next year’s draft.
The 6-foot, 214-pounder is projected to go No. 3 in Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest big board for ESPN, and Field Yates has led her Kansas City Chiefs ranked 14th In his latest mock draft.
Love scored 21 all-purpose touchdowns in 2025 and surpassed Jerome Bettis (1991) for the most in a season in Notre Dame history. The junior finished the regular season fourth nationally with 1,372 rushing yards and third with 18 rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.89 yards per carry.
He finished third in Heisman voting, behind the winner Fernando MendozaNo. 1 quarterback of Indiana, and Vanderbilt QB diego paviaAnd he was Notre Dame’s first winner of the Doc Walker Award, given to the top running back in college football,
Love’s junior season has already ended as Notre Dame (10-2) did not make the College Football Playoff and opted to play in a bowl.
As a sophomore, Love rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns on 163 carries, helping Notre Dame reach the CFP Championship Game, losing to Ohio State 34–23. That season he had 28 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
