Outside of Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love, no running backs are projected to go in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Love, the 2025 Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous All-American, rushed for a career-high 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while adding 27 receptions for 280 yards and three more touchdowns.
Most draft experts believe the 20-year-old Love will be a top-10 pick, and most mock drafts currently have him going ninth overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Beyond Love, there's a solid group of rushers predicted to go on Day 2, including Notre Dame's Jadarian Price, Penn State's Nick Singleton, and Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne.
Some of those players helped themselves by posting strong times in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis this week.
Below are the top 10 fastest times among running backs in the 40-yard dash.
1- Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas: 4.33 seconds
2- Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: 4.36 seconds
3- Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest: 4.37 seconds
4- Jam Miller, Alabama: 4.42 seconds
5- Eli Heidenreich, Navy: 4.44 seconds
6- Seth McGowan, Kentucky: 4.49 seconds
7- Jadarian Price, Notre Dame: 4.49 seconds
8- Adam Randall, Clemson: 4.50 seconds
9- Robert Henry Jr., UTSA: 4.52 seconds
10- Emmett Johnson, Nebraska: 4.56 seconds
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