It’s an exciting time for college and NFL football, because the two worlds are coming together. Now that the NFL Combine has wrapped up, the 2026 NFL draft is on the way, and every day, teams get closer to their decisions on which players they’ll want to bring on.
Notre Dame has a bevy of solid players who could make great NFL players one day. So, plan to see them at the NFL draft, which is set for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25, 2026.
“The annual NFL Draft gives the teams the opportunity to infuse their rosters with new talent,” the official NFL website states of the event. “Some players will provide an instant boost to the team that selects them; others won’t. But the chance that drafted players will lead their new clubs to glory makes teams compete over talent, whether in the first round or the last.”
Notre Dame Player Expected to Get Drafted Early
In a Monday, March 2, feature for USA Today, Nate Davis gives his projections for the 2026 NFL draft. His choices come after the NFL Combine, where franchises were able to see the top 2026 NFL draft prospects in real time.
“In addition to eye-popping testing numbers and interviews that don't raise red flags, front office executives and coaches are also looking at media interactions and, among other considerations, clean medical reports – perhaps the most critical, if underrated, aspect of any combine,” Davis notes in the feature.
Davis predicts that Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love will get drafted as the No. 4 pick by the Tennessee Titans. They’re a struggling team, but that’s why they get an early draft pick.
“What’s the best way to advance the development of QB Cam Ward, last year's No. 1 overall pick?” he asks in the feature. “How about giving him a player perhaps adjacent to Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson in terms of game-breaking ability and versatility?”
He adds, “Love is an every-down back, one who’s averaged 6.9 yards per carry and caught 55 passes over the past two seasons. The Titans could keep his usage in check as a rookie with RB Tony Pollard under contract for one more season. But pairing Love and Ward could potentially create an offense primed to surge ticket sales when the Titans move into their new stadium in 2027.”
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