The Arizona Cardinals selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Many people from Arizona were wondering if they should have drafted defense instead. With having Mike LaFleur as the new head coach, adding a valuable weapon in the backfield was the right choice.
Jeremiyah Love (4) practices during Cardinals minicamp on June 9, 2026, in Tempe.
This Cardinals offense is a quarterback away from being a playoff contender in the AFC. They have the tools to be successful in the future no doubt. Arizona will look to rely on Love a lot on offense during his rookie season. With Notre Dame, he was very powerful in the run game and the passing game as well.
NFL Analyst Believes Arizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love Could Be Best Offensive Rookie
Jun 9, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) catches a pass during minicamp at Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Grant Gordon of NFL.com wrote about three potential story lines for the Cardinals as training camp approaches. One of those headlines is about rookie running back Love. Gordon said,
“Jeremiyah Love could be the most anticipated 2026 rookie in the league, at least on the offensive side. All due respect to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, but Love’s talent and eye-popping ability is off the charts — so much so that the Cardinals used the third overall selection of the draft on him, guaranteeing the 21-year-old more money than any running back in NFL history. There were plenty of question marks with the pick, though.
“The Cardinals have holes aplenty on their roster, but having signed Tyler Allgeier as a free agent and bringing back veteran banger James Conner, running back was far from the most glaring weakness. In the end, Love was just too special a talent to pass up. So, how will LaFleur handle his rookie? Love has made it clear he’s a team-first guy. And on the franchise’s current timeline, immediately using Love as a bell cow might not be wise, even if it makes sense monetarily and to a fan base that would love to do nothing more than get behind a bona fide star. We shall see.”
There is a good chance that Love could go over 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie and have over 300 yards receiving as well. He could be one of those running backs that has a very long and effective career in the NFL. It will be interesting to see how Arizona will use him right away. They have other running backs on the roster that have played in the league before. The 21-year-old will look to make a name for himself right away. However, everyone will know at some point that Love will be the main guy in the backfield for the Cardinals.
Bruce Arians’ Toughest Coaching Decision Had Nothing To Do With Football – Gridiron Heroics
Aaron Donald Return Could Force Cardinals QB To Rethink His Paycheck – Gridiron Heroics
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @glennkaplan13 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!