Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
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Is adding Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love the right move for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Countless things went wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs this past season, leaving seemingly countless things to improve upon. As the roster experiences turnover, the offensive side of the ball could look vastly different at a key spot.
The running back position, specifically, needs an overhaul. The talent Kansas City has relied upon in the recent past isn’t cutting it. Two of those pieces are set to become free agents in March. Does that open the door for the 2026 NFL Draft to play a critical role?
One former NFL general manager believes so. So much, in fact, that he’s ready for Chiefs general manager Brett Veach to use his top-10 draft pick on a star halfback.
Former NFL GM Pleads With Chiefs to Consider Drafting Jeremiyah Love
In a February 13 episode of ESPN’s “Get Up” program, former front office executive Mike Tannenbaum made the case for Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love at ninth overall. He cites a lack of explosive plays as something that much be addressed.
“Nobody had less explosive plays from the running back position than the Kansas City Chiefs,” Tannenbaum said. “This is an ideal fit running the ball [and] out of the backfield. Again, Patrick Mahomes will be Superman, but not from day one. Go get a young skill player with explosiveness. Draft Jeremiyah Love.”
Additionally, Tannenbaum thinks having a safety valve could prevent quarterback Patrick Mahomes from putting the team on his back. The two-time NFL MVP expects to be ready for Week 1 following a late-season ACL tear, but those injuries are no joke.
“You look at guys like Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey: true, dynamic difference-makers,” Tannenbaum said. “Which, I think Jeremiyah Love will be [that]. It really could help Patrick Mahomes come back a little bit more slowly. I know typically, the running back, we don’t pay them, but I think this guy’s an exception.”
Love starred for the Fighting Irish in 2024 and 2025, combining for 3,014 scrimmage yards and 40 total touchdowns. He finished third in Heisman voting this past year, capping off an exquisite collegiate tenure. The Notre Dame product forced 56 missed tackles last season, per Pro Football Focus, with 39 rushes of 10+ yards.
Now, Tannenbaum believes he’d be a great fit for the Chiefs.
How Bad Was Kansas City’s Rushing Attack Actually in 2025-26?
There’s little doubt that Love would help the Kansas City offense. As a receiver, he’s an intriguing option for an Andy Reid-engineered attack. His elusiveness and route-running chops are great. As a rusher, he’d inject big-play ability and a legitimate floor and ceiling into the ground game. Two potential issues arise, though: cost and other needs.
The former isn’t nothing. Per Spotrac, the 2026 rookie scale for the No. 9 pick is listed at $31 million over four years. Only nine active running back deals have that much total value. It’s possible that players add to that list this spring, but it’s a considerable deal to pay to someone at a non-premium position. Secondly, the Chiefs have holes to patch up at wide receiver, defensive line, safety, and elsewhere. That must be factored in.
Upgrading from a duo of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco shouldn’t be too difficult. The former was excellent on late downs and in short yardage, but he posted just a 3.07% explosive run rate. Pacheco, via SumerSports, saw the fewest average defenders in the box (6.88) among halfbacks with 100+ carries. Despite that, his 3.39% explosive run clip was 46th in that 49-player pool.
According to NFL Pro, Hunt amassed 18 rushing yards over expectation. With that said, 2024 saw him check in at -112 and 2023’s mark was -101. It seems more likely that as he continues to age, some regression could be coming. Pacheco, meanwhile, averaged a career-worst -0.4 RYOE per attempt. Seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith matched that figure on lower volume.
Tannenbaum is right in his assessments of Love and the Chiefs. Adding him into the fold would surely help make Mahomes’ life much easier.
On the other hand, it won’t take such a seismic move — and a forfeiture of a chance to improve somewhere else — to make a difference.