Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is off to the NFL.
The Heisman Trophy finalist announced in a post on his personal Instagram page on Tuesday, Dec. 16 that, after three seasons in South Bend with the Fighting Irish, he is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
‘Those who know me best know I’m very direct, so I am going to get straight to the point and share that I have made the decision to declare for the NFL draft,’ Love wrote. ‘… It is with a wealth of gratitude, I will take the many experiences Notre Dame has given me and apply those lessons learned as I move onto the next level. I look forward to representing my family and Notre Dame in the NFL.’
Love is coming off one of the all-time great seasons by a Notre Dame running back, as he finished with 1,372 rushing yards, which ranks fourth among all Division I FBS players. He also broke Jerome Bettis’ single-season team record for most touchdowns in a season this year, with 21.
His production on the field earned him an invite to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York this past weekend, the first Notre Dame player to be sent to The Big Apple since Manti Te’o in 2012. Love finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting with 719 points, 1,643 votes behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who took home the trophy.
The 2025 Doak Walker Award winner finishes his career at Notre Dame with 2,882 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns in 41 career games. Notre Dame opted out of playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against BYU after the Fighting Irish were left out of the College Football Playoff.
Love is expected to be one of the first, if not the first, running backs off the board in the NFL draft. USA TODAY’s Aytron Ostly currently has Love projected eighth overall to the Arizona Cardinals in his latest NFL mock draft.
‘Heading off to college, there are many uncertainties, but I knew Notre Dame was the perfect home for me. When I think about all 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,’ Love wrote.
‘… Making the decision to attend Notre Dame was easy because of the people. From the amazing football staff, to my fellow students — I could not have picked a better place for me to grow into the man I am today.’
The NFL draft is set for April 23 through April 25 in Pittsburgh.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.