Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love sends message to teams that may pass on him during draft

Once again, the topic of whether or not teams should spend a high-value draft pick on a running back is hovering over the NFL. This time, Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love is the main subject of such conversations. 

While speaking with reporters at Notre Dame's pro day, Love sent somewhat of a message to teams that may pass on drafting him. 

Jeremiyah Love has told teams about his lofty goals

"I want to be one of the best of all time," Love confidently shared, per Kevin Patra of the NFL's website. "I want to be a Hall of Famer. I want to be a Pro Bowler my very first year. I want to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. I tell them all these goals that I have. Obviously, these are goals. Goals are goals, but you've got to have a process for how you want to achieve those things. I'll go every season and set out little goals, like per week, what I can do to make sure I'm reaching the bigger goal that I have. I've told all these teams this."

A recent report revealed that "league intel suggests" New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh wants to make Love the fifth overall pick of the 2026 draft. For a mock draft updated this past Tuesday, ESPN's Field Yates had the Washington Commanders grabbing Love with choice No. 7. 

On Thursday, The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner listed Love as the top overall prospect of the 2026 class. Of course, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to take Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza and not Love with the draft's first pick. 

"Love has a blend of power, balance and acceleration that is among the best we’ve seen in years," Baumgardner wrote. "He is a more complete prospect than Ashton Jeanty was in 2025 and is at least as good (if not better) than Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were in 2023." 

How Jeremiyah Love will know he has had "success" as a pro

"I've learned that it takes consistency, discipline, once you get to the league, don’t change who you are," Love added. "A lot of times, guys get to the league, and they're, 'I made it.' No, you haven't made it. You ain't made it past your first contract. You've got to get to that. For me, I want to get to my third contract. So, when I get to my third contract, and that's over, and I've got, shoot, one day, hopefully, I've got my gold jacket. One day, I've made the Pro Bowl hopefully five-plus years. Then, I think I've had some type of success." 

Love seems to have the tools and the mindset needed to become as good as advertised. It remains to be seen how far he will fall down the draft order on the night of April 23 once the Raiders grab Mendoza.