Lead: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love announced on Friday that he will perform on-field work at the NFL Scouting Combine, running the 40-yard dash and taking part in position drills on Saturday. The decision comes as fewer overall prospects are appearing for on-field testing at this year’s Combine. Love is widely regarded as the draft’s top running back prospect after three collegiate seasons of production, and scouts will be watching his speed, receiving and blocking in person. His workout could influence whether he becomes one of the rare running backs selected inside the top 10.
Key Takeaways
- Jeremiyah Love confirmed on Friday he will run the 40-yard dash and participate in position drills on Saturday at the Scouting Combine.
- Love compiled 2,882 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns on 433 carries over three seasons for Notre Dame.
- He added 63 receptions for 594 yards and six receiving touchdowns in college, highlighting pass-catching ability for a running back.
- Fewer prospects overall are completing on-field workouts at this year’s Combine, making Love’s decision notable to evaluators.
- He identifies as a “three-down back,” emphasizing rushing, receiving and blocking as core strengths, and says he can contribute on special teams.
- If selected inside the top 10, Love would be just the second running back taken that high in eight years; Bijan Robinson went eighth overall in 2023.
Background
The NFL Scouting Combine remains the preeminent evaluation window where measurable testing and on-field position drills supplement game tape for prospects. In recent years some prospects have opted out of certain drills or the full on-field program to rely on pro days and private workouts, a trend that has reduced the number of participants completing Combine testing this year. Notre Dame’s program has produced high-profile running backs, and Love emerged as the leading back in his class through consistent production and versatility. NFL teams place growing value on backs who can protect the passer and contribute in the passing game, trends that enhance Love’s profile as a three-down option. The draft market for running backs has tightened at the top end; high draft capital invested at the position is now infrequent, so a top-10 selection for a back would be noteworthy.
Love’s college stat line — nearly 2,900 rushing yards and double-digit rushing touchdowns per season rate over three years when aggregated — pairs volume with mixed-scheme usage at Notre Dame. Evaluators balance counting stats with tape showing how a back handles contact, pass pro responsibilities and route work. With fewer players testing at the Combine, relative performance in timed drills can carry extra attention from teams still weighing prospects head-to-head. Love’s public commitment to run the 40 and do position work reduces ambiguity for teams that prefer direct measurements. That clarity will likely accelerate discussions about his draft range among front offices and analysts ahead of private visits and interviews.
Main Event
On Friday Love told reporters he planned to run the 40-yard dash and take part in position drills scheduled for Saturday, framing the decision as an opportunity to “showcase” his skills. He said he is confident in his speed and the moves he can display in space, prompting him to accept the on-field invitation. The Combine format will put his timed speed and change-of-direction drills on display alongside position-specific pass-catching and run-read exercises. Teams will combine those measurements with his Notre Dame tape to assess whether his play speed matches stopwatch times and whether his blocking and route technique translate to the NFL.
Love has repeatedly described himself as a three-down back, pointing to rushing, receiving and blocking as strengths he intends to demonstrate in Indianapolis. He explicitly highlighted his blocking track record in meetings with evaluators, saying opponents “haven’t really beat me in blocking” and that he feels that ability is underrated. That claim will face scrutiny during position drills and in one-on-one interviewing with teams focused on pass protection reliability. Love also stated a willingness to play special teams, a common way for early-career players to provide immediate value while adjusting to NFL rosters.
Scouts and front-office staff will also watch how Love handles the Combine setting: pre-draft interviews, medical checks, and practice reps. Performance under the bright lights — measured times, technique in drills, and responses in standardized interviews — can shift a prospect’s draft stock positively or negatively. Because fewer backs are testing this year, Love’s numbers could be compared more directly to remaining participants and to previous Combine cohorts. His public poise and concise answers to media questions suggest he plans to use the platform to reduce uncertainty about measurables and role fit.
Analysis & Implications
Love’s decision to test in-person matters because teams still weigh objective measurements heavily when separating similarly productive prospects. A strong 40-yard dash time would reinforce perceptions of play speed and could nudge him higher on boards that prize vertical burst and separation ability. Conversely, a slower-than-expected time could emphasize concerns about fit in schemes that require consistent home-run speed. Given his receiving totals (63 catches, 594 yards), teams seeking third-down reliability will be particularly attentive to route technique and agility drills.
Blocking statements are central to Love’s pitch: running backs who pass protect reliably increase their value in pro systems that demand early-down run work and third-down pass protection. If Love’s on-field drills and interviews corroborate his blocking claims, teams with immediate needs for a multi-phase back could rank him more aggressively. The rarity of top-10 running back selections amplifies the stakes: franchises that invest premium picks at the position expect near-immediate starter-level contribution, especially in pass protection and receiving. Love’s willingness to play special teams also softens the risk for teams weighing higher selections.
Market dynamics also matter: the 2023 precedent of Bijan Robinson going eighth overall demonstrates teams will still spend top picks on backs they view as near-elite generational prospects. Love’s production and versatility place him in conversation for high selection, but the overall draft board depth, team-specific scheme fit, and Combine measurements will all shape eventual outcomes. International scouting, injury history, and medical results from Combine exams will be additional determiners that teams treat as discrete inputs rather than narrative drivers.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Jeremiyah Love |
|---|---|
| Rushing yards (college) | 2,882 |
| Rushing touchdowns | 36 |
| Carries | 433 |
| Receptions (college) | 63 |
| Receiving yards | 594 |
| Receiving touchdowns | 6 |
| Recent comparable top-10 RB (2023) | Bijan Robinson — 8th overall |
The table highlights Love’s counting stats through three collegiate seasons and references the 2023 top-10 selection of Bijan Robinson as a recent positional precedent. While raw totals are useful, teams contextualize numbers with scheme, competition level, and tape showing contact balance and situational play. Combine timing and position-drill evaluations will be interpreted alongside these production figures to form rankings. Because fewer prospects are testing this year, Love’s numbers may draw disproportionate attention in cross-comparisons.
Reactions & Quotes
Media attention has centered on Love’s intent to perform specific drills at the Combine and what that could mean for his draft standing. Observers note that when a prospect publicly opts into timed drills, teams often receive clearer comparisons across measurable categories. Love framed the decision as an opportunity to display attributes that game tape suggests but cannot entirely quantify on its own.
“Just to showcase my skills,”
Jeremiyah Love
Scouts also commented that Love’s combination of rushing volume and receiving activity fits modern demands for pass-game involvement from a lead back. Analysts tracking the draft class underscore that Love’s blocking claim will be tested in practice settings and tape review, and that positive results could move him up several draft spots.
“I bring receiving ability, running ability, blocking ability,”
Jeremiyah Love
Unconfirmed
- Whether Love will post a 40-yard dash time that meaningfully alters his draft grade is not yet confirmed until official timing is released.
- Any projection that Love will be a top-10 pick remains speculative until private workouts, team interviews and medical results are consolidated.
- Specific team interest or draft-slot plans tied to Love have not been publicly verified by NFL franchises as of this announcement.
Bottom Line
Jeremiyah Love’s choice to run the 40 and perform position drills at the Combine reduces uncertainty for teams and gives him a platform to validate the three-down back label he has staked. His combination of 2,882 rushing yards, 36 rushing touchdowns and meaningful receiving production provides a strong tape foundation, but measurable results and pass-pro evaluations at the Combine could be decisive in final draft rankings. With fewer prospects testing this year, Love’s on-field numbers may receive amplified scrutiny and could swing his draft positioning one way or another.
For teams weighing premium picks on running backs, Love presents a blend of production and versatility that fits modern offensive needs, but front offices will insist on corroborating his blocking and speed in controlled measurements. Expect post-Combine re-rankings and follow-up private workouts to factor into where Love ultimately lands on draft day.
Sources
- NBC Sports — media report on Love’s Combine plans and quotes