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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602275562
Imago
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602275562
While most analysts are mocking a wide receiver or offensive lineman to the Commanders, one of the team’s former coaches is pounding the table for a different, more explosive path. Jay Gruden recently jumped on The Fan and seemed to focus on one name in particular: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
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“Jeremiyah Love, for me, is the best playmaking player in the draft, so I think if he’s there, which I don’t think he’ll be there, I think Tennessee takes him, but if he’s there, I think Washington will scoop him up,” Gruden said.
He went on to say that this year’s wide receiver class is pretty deep, particularly in the middle to later rounds, where teams have often discovered reliable players. Plus, Gruden reinforced that idea by mentioning the Commanders’ strong draft position.
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“They have seven and seventy-one,” Gruden added. “You look at the depth of the receiver position in the draft. Is there enough guys you get in the third, the fifth, or the sixth round? You know, there’s a lot of good receivers in the history of the NFL that have come through the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds, so not a lot of backs like Jeremiah Love will be there that late.”
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At the same time, things are getting complicated at the top of the draft. The Titans are still considering their choices at No. 4, but a lot of people in the league think Love is definitely a possibility for them. Some predictions even say Tennessee might trade up to No. 3 just to secure him, which would leave the Burgundy and Gold in a tough spot or needing to look for a trade.
Jay Gruden thinks Jeremiyah Love might special enough that the Commanders should plan on finding a WR in Round 3. pic.twitter.com/EIq5XCHPxA
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) April 6, 2026
It’s easy to see why everyone is talking about Love.
It’s clear why Love is attracting so much buzz. He had an impressive 2025 season, running for 1,372 yards on 199 carries. The means he averaged 6.9 yards each time he touched the ball. He also scored 21 total touchdowns, with 18 of them coming on the ground. What stands out even more is his ability to break off big runs; he hit 24 yards or more in eight games and topped 56 yards in four of those.
Still, the Commanders need to think about a few things before making a big move, as they got a big warning on Love.
Commanders get a warning about Jeremiyah Love
Jeremiyah Love is gaining a lot of attention as a potential pick for the Washington Commanders at No. 7, but not everyone is convinced. On The Team 980, Kevin Sheehan expressed some skepticism about the excitement and cautioned the Burgundy and Gold against making a hasty decision.
“There is some part of Jeremiyah Love’s success that you go back, and you say, ‘Yeah, it was kind of gaping holes against some pretty bad defensive teams, and when they played some really good defensive teams, it wasn’t necessarily the same,'” he said last month.
That concern, in simple terms, puts a spotlight on how much of Love’s production came when the competition wasn’t at its best. Then, Sheehan went even deeper into specific moments that raised eyebrows.
“Now, if you wanna go back to 2024 and talk about those playoff games, he played some very good teams, and the results were very average and less than average. You know, against Ohio State in that national championship game, four carries, three yards, two catches, five yards. They completely shut him down.”
This pattern continued when he faced stronger defenses. Against Penn State, he managed 11 carries for 45 yards in the semi-finals. In the first-round win over Georgia, he had six carries for only 19 yards. When you look at these numbers, it becomes obvious. Many of his best plays happened against less competitive teams, and his performance dropped when the competition got tougher.
Still, this is a tricky decision when it comes to evaluating a top prospect in this draft. Many believe Love is the most exciting running back out there, and that potential is tough for Washington to overlook.
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Arunaditya Aima