Nick BrombergSenior writerWed, December 17, 2025 at 1:40 AM UTC·2 min readNotre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Heisman finalist and potential first-round pick made the announcement Tuesday night as Notre Dame’s season is officially over. The Fighting Irish opted out of playing a bowl game after they were dropped from the College Football Playoff field in the final set of rankings.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Heading off to college, there are many uncertainties, but I knew Notre Dame was the perfect home for me,” Love wrote. “When I think about all of the people who have impacted me at Notre Dame, it is endless. I am especially grateful to my coaches for pushing me outside of my comfort zone, while also allowing me to be me. They knew exactly what I needed to do to elevate and made sure to push me to greater heights.”
Love finished third in the Heisman voting on Saturday night behind Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza and Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia. Love rushed 199 times for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025 while also adding 27 catches for 280 yards and three scores.
Love topped 100 yards in six of Notre Dame’s 12 games this season and shined in a 24-carry, 228-yard performance in the Irish’s win over USC on Oct. 18. He rushed for at least one touchdown in all but one of Notre Dame’s games. The game he didn’t score in? Notre Dame’s Week 1 defeat to Miami.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat game ultimately cost the Irish a playoff berth. Despite being ahead of Miami in each of the College Football Playoff’s rankings entering the final set, the Irish got jumped by the Hurricanes as the committee said it used Miami’s win as a tiebreaker between the two teams. Both Notre Dame and Miami finished with identical 10-2 records.
In 2024, Love rushed 163 times for 1,125 yards and 17 scores. Over his Notre Dame career, Love averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored 42 total touchdowns across three seasons. He’s widely expected to be the top running back taken in the draft and could even be a top-15 pick.
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