Cardinals draft Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at No. 3
The Cardinals drafted Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 pick, adding a potential home run hitter to a crowded positional room.
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TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals drafted Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick.
Love marks the first running back off the board and the highest back taken since Saquon Barkley was selected No. 2 overall by the New York Giants in 2018.
The 6-foot, 212-pound running back is coming off a final year with the Fighting Irish where he amassed 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 touches. He reeled in 27 catches for 280 yards and three more scores on his way to an All-American nod. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.
Love ripped off at least 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,125 yards in back-to-back seasons. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of those years.
“You don’t draft because you want your fans to jump up and down at a draft party. But you also don’t draft not to give them some juice,” NFL.com’s Charles Davis told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Wednesday. “(This) fanbase needs juice in a big way. … He gives me Christian McCaffrey vibes.”
With his standing as the No. 3 pick, the average annual value of Love’s contract marks the seventh-highest for an NFL running back at $12.5 million. He will make $9.2 million in 2026 before that number jumps to $11.5 million, $13.8 million and $16.1 million in the subsequent years of the rookie deal.
Love now joins a running backs room that was already crowded before landing in Arizona.
The Cardinals not only revised James Conner’s contract, they also added Tyler Allgeier in free agency and re-signed Bam Knight. Trey Benson also remains in the mix.
Arizona’s run game needs a major boost after finishing second-to-last in yards per game (93.1) and touchdowns (nine) behind only the Las Vegas Raiders, who were headed by rookie and 2025 first-round RB Ashton Jeanty, last year.
While Arizona upgraded the left side of the line with the signing of Isaac Seumalo this offseason, the right side still needs work.
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Comments
63 Comments
I was at the 1st 'Phoenix Cardinal' game in 1989 at Sun Devil stadium. I have followed them year by year since. They have not had one team with a better than average Offensive line yet. 37 freaking years.
I am pretty sure that this current leadership knows the necessity of building 'inside out' from the trenches...But I also remember when the team passed on a running back named 'Adrian Peterson' in the 2007 NFL draft. They knew he was the best player in the draft, but they drafted an offensive linemen, because of positional need. His name is 'Levi Brown'. I will understand if you don't remember that name, because he was a bad NFL player.
I'm so glad that they took 'Love'. Love is the best player in the draft as of April of 2016. Perhaps Love will be leading the league in yardage and touchdowns in 4 years. Perhaps not, but the Cards have plenty of time to rebuild the interior.
Play smashmouth football like the 70's Steelers and we start with JL.
Draft and trade the meanest O Line you can get.
I love the pick as he was best on the board at that time.
Exciting pick. I look forward to seeing his debut in week 8 once he gets off the IL.