Notre Dame’s star RB Jeremiyah Love not only took home the Doak Walker Award as college football’s top running back. He also finished third in Heisman voting after topping 100 rushing yards six times and scoring in all but one game. That planted more interest in the $6.25B NFL franchise that could target him. And that interest intensified as he confirmed his future for 2026.  

“Those who know me best know I’m very direct, so I am going to get straight to the point and share that I have made the decision to declare for the NFL draft,” Jeremiyah Love said in his statement posted on Instagram.

The announcement came as Notre Dame’s season officially closed with no bowl or playoff. He thanked Notre Dame, credited his coaches for pushing him, and made it clear he felt prepared for what comes next.  

Jeremiyah Love leaves South Bend after making history. The Athletics’ Dane Brugler ranked him as the No. 5 overall prospect on his latest board and slotted him 11th overall to the Minnesota Vikings in his first mock draft. Multiple outlets now point to the same destination. Pro Football Focus graded Love at 95.2 since 2024, the highest mark among all FBS running backs in that span. And they projected him to Minnesota. NFL Mocks and The Sporting News followed suit, citing the Vikings’ need for a reliable, durable RB who can elevate an offense searching for balance.

The Vikings’ fit is practical, not flashy. Minnesota’s offense stalled too often this season, largely due to unstable QB play. Still, the organization is unlikely to abandon J.J. McCarthy after investing first-round capital. His rookie deal spans four years at just over $21 million total. The plan appears to be support, not replacement. With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison already in place, and the offensive line stronger on paper than it showed, the missing piece has been consistency in the run game.

Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason formed a functional backfield, but the limitations are clear. Jones is past 30. Mason profiles as solid, not transformational. Under Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota ranks 29th out of 32 teams in EPA per rush. The Vikings have tried committee approaches, situational backs, and schematic tweaks. But none has solved the efficiency problem.

So what about an RB who can carry volume, catch passes, and protect a young QB? Jeremiyah Love does all three. At 6’0, 214 pounds, he has NFL size, runs decisively, and finishes through contact. And that’s where the projection turns from theory into evidence.

Why Jeremiyah Love’s profile fits Minnesota’s timeline

In 2025, Jeremiyah Love carried the ball 199 times for 1,372 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. He added 27 receptions for 280 yards and three more scores. His defining performance came against USC, where he punished a blue-blood defense for 228 yards on 24 carries. The only game he failed to score came in Week 1 against Miami. Every other Saturday, he found the end zone.

Jeremiyah Love entered the year as the clear RB1 in the draft class and validated it weekly. He posted an FBS-best eight plays of 20-plus yards, split evenly between runs and receptions. Over his final two seasons, he accounted for 3,014 yards from scrimmage and 40 total touchdowns, finishing eight scores ahead of the next closest player nationally.  That reliability is what makes Minnesota a clean projection.

“It is with a wealth of gratitude, I will take the many experiences Notre Dame has given me and apply those lessons learned as I move onto the next level,” he said. “I look forward to representing my family and Notre Dame in the NFL.”

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Jeremiyah Love’s decisiveness, contact balance, and passing-game utility align directly with that role. He closed his announcement with gratitude, but no hesitation.