Cardinals select Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love third overall in 2026 draft
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The Arizona Cardinals went with a true quarterback on offense, selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Many believed Arizona was the perfect trade candidate heading into the first round on Thursday night, as teams could have paid a premium to land either Love or someone else they coveted.
That seemed to be the case as the clock approached zero, but the Cardinals eventually made their selection, hitting the consensus top spot in the 2026 class.
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Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame celebrates being selected as the third overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Love is the highest drafted running back since the New York Giants selected Saquon Barkley second overall out of Penn State in 2018. And he joins the Cardinals offense, which will be revamped under new head coach Mike LaFleur.
This is a West Coast-style offense for LaFleur and gets the speedy Love, who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The tape also speaks for itself, with Love showing off his explosive physicality and power in the trenches.
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Love also joins veteran forward James Conner and Tyler Allgeier who signed with the Cardinals this summer. However, Love has the talent to set himself apart from the rest, and many believe he is the best overall player in this draft.
Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame is coming to Pittsburgh ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Love threw for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns with the Fighting Irish last season, surpassing 100 yards in six of his 14 games. He even rushed for 228 yards against the USC Trojans.
Considering the Cardinals didn’t have a single 100-yard rusher last season, they’re going with someone who can power the new-look offense.
There’s also a new look for Kyler Murray, who went to the Minnesota Vikings after being released from Arizona.
Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected third overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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The Cardinals, at least for now, will enter the 2026 season with Jacoby Brissett, the veteran journeyman who replaced the injured Murray last year, as their starting quarterback.
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