Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love has been expected as the top draft pick since the 2024 season. However, now that he is here, the first day of free agency has thinned out his chances of getting picked in the Top 10. Draft insider Todd McShay explained why the RB is faced with this unexpected scenario.

“It’s important to note; every GM in the league is taking Jeremiyah Love on a rookie deal over Walker III or Etienne on a veteran deal (not a knock on them, it’s just financial sense),” he shared on X. “Mickey Loomis and Brett Veach were well aware that Love wasn’t making it to them (at picks 7 and 8, respectively).”

Firstly, we’ll have to explore why Jeremiyah Love going as a Top 10 pick is not very feasible. Kansas City brought in Super Bowl-winning RB Kenneth Walker, who ruled it out for the Fighting Irish RB. At No. 2, the Jets have committed to Breece Hall, and the Cardinals at No.3 have signed Tyler Allgeier and re-signed James Conner. These were RB-needy teams, where Love could have made an impact. The other teams in the Top 10 will be focusing on other positions.

Love was expected to be the highest-picked RB in draft history after Saquon Barkley. With No. 1 blocked out for Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the RB was expected to earn a contract in upwards of $29.6 million as a top 10 pick. These teams would have to expend quite a bit of draft capital on Love if they were planning on getting him. Barkley, for example, signed a $31.2 million rookie deal with the Giants. On the other hand, teams outside of the Top 5 addressed their RB needs in free agency simply because it was better than testing their luck on getting Love.

This reshuffling of players has instead made Love the most affected first-round draft prospect. However, there are still some doors open for the RB. At this point, it looks like Tennessee at No. 4, or the Commanders at No. 7, are the best possible options for Jeremiyah Love. Of the two, Washington seems the best possible fit for Love right now.

ESPN tabs Commanders for Jeremiyah Love

Washington actually needed a defensive star in the draft, but they have instead addressed it in free agency by signing EDGE Odafe Oweh. This opens up room for the Commanders to turn their sights towards Love and bolster their offense. ESPN’s Field Yates predicted the RB to go to Washington at No. 7 in his latest mock draft, taking free agency signing into account.

Jacorey “Bill” Croskett-Merritt is the only prominent RB in the Commanders camp. Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols as unrestricted free agents don’t seem like reliable options. Now that Jeremiyah Love can very much fall out of the Top 5, Washington will get a steal deal in picking him in the first round. Tennessee doesn’t essentially need an RB in the draft, and the Giants have one in Cam Skattebo. This should instill some hope in Washington, since they need an RB.

Rather than get discouraged by the free agency activities, Jeremiyah Love can think of his future in more defined terms. This only proves that he is too elite a prospect to be in the mix. However, he also has no option but to hope for any of those few remaining teams in the Top 10 to call out his name in the draft.