Some prospects head to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine with the hopes of putting themselves on the map. Many are battling their positional peers for draft capital, shedding fractions of seconds off their 40-yard dash times and getting every inch out of their pre-Combine training.
Others, though, attend the event to assert dominance.
There are no questions about who will be the first running back taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, only how early. It's Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love's race to run, and on Saturday, he showed the football world why every other back was scrapping for second place.
Love ran the 40-yard dash and endured the position drills. He stood out in both phases while giving us new data to explore.
Top athletic comparisons for Jeremiyah Love
Love measured in at 6'0" and 212 pounds, checking the box and confirming that the good people at Notre Dame weren't putting their fingers on the scale.
He made quick work of the Combine, skipping the jumps and shuttles. His lone drill, the 40-yard dash, was evidence enough of his athleticism. His 4.36-second 40-yard dash left all but Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. (4.33) in the dust. If there were any lingering questions about Love's long speed, they dissipated in Indianapolis.
The most apt comparison for Love is former Dallas Cowboys star DeMarco Murray. The Oklahoma standout was a tick heavier and posted a 4.37-second 40-yard dash before America's Team picked him in the third round. Murray ran for 4,526 yards and 28 touchdowns in Dallas, earning a first-team All-Pro selection for his league-leading 2014 campaign. From there, he became one of the faces of the Running Backs Don't Matter sect of fans, failing to agree to terms with the Cowboys.
MORE:Why didn't Jeremiyah Love run the 3-cone drill?
His stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans were less successful, but Murray's three 1,000-yard seasons provided plenty of return on investment. If Love's ceiling matches Murray, whatever team takes him in Round 1 will be happy.
Another comparable back is Darren McFadden, whose 6'1", 211-pound frame was even faster than Love (4.33 seconds). That dynamism defined McFadden's game. He flashed regularly, creating highlights as often as he battled injuries. Two 1,000-yard campaigns and no Pro Bowls isn't quite the career we expect of Love, but the high-level stretches and injury variance provide a more median projection for someone of Love's skill set.
Trey Benson's 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 216 pounds is a look into how a player with Love's physical skill set might not have the same success. Benson was college football's premier tackle-breaker during his time at FSU, but he has struggled with consistency on Sundays, boasting inadequate vision and footwork. Big plays are a part of his profile, but without enough down-to-down steadiness, his opportunities for splash plays are limited.
Of course, none of these athletic profiles are projections. The film tells a different story for every prospect, and there are production, medical, and intangible boxes to check, among others, that will help decide Love's fate. Still, measurables and athleticism often give a glimpse into how one wins.
Love's strong ability to read blocks and hit holes with efficient footwork helps separate him from the back, but it is his burst and long speed that make him a dangerous home run hitter who shrinks the margins of opposing defenses. Give him an inch, and he'll take it to the house.
That big-play ability was all over Love's 2025 film. Every Saturday, it seemed like he was breaking off explosives. For the second consecutive year, he found a house call from 90+ yards away. He forced at least 50 missed tackles in back-to-back seasons en route to 38 runs of 15+ yards in that same span. Love is a long run waiting to happen, the result of elite speed and enough size to break tackles and earn significant volume.
There's a real chance that Love has the most lucrative career of his comparable profiles, and with top-15 draft capital all but guaranteed, he'll have quite the head start in 2026.
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