Running backs like Jeremiyah Love don’t come around too often, and the Cardinals ensured they weren’t going to miss out. Arizona selected Love third overall Thursday, making the former Notre Dame star the earliest running back selected since Saquon Barkley went second to the Giants in 2018.
Love is tied with Trent Richardson (No. 3 to the Browns in 2012) for the fourth-earliest running back selection in the entire 21st century. Barkley, Reggie Bush (No. 2 to the Saints in 2006) and Ronnie Brown (No. 2 to the Dolphins in 2005) are tied for the highest-drafted running backs this century.
No running back has been drafted first overall since 1995, when the Bengals selected Ki-Jana Carter.
A unanimous selection to the CBS Sports College Football All-America Team last year, Love ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns (on 6.9 yards per carry) for the Fighting Irish. Overall, he posted 1,652 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns, finishing third in Heisman Trophy.
Love was CBS Sports lead NFL Draft scout Mike Renner’s No. 7 overall prospect in the class.
Love is what everyone looks for at running back nowadays. He’s a true home-run hitter with elite contact balance and explosiveness. With the rise of NFL defenses playing light boxes, Love can force teams to bring a safety into the box.
Overall, Love becomes the 24th running back to go in the top three picks in the modern draft era (since 1967). Only five of those 24 instances have been in the last 30 years.
Highest-drafted RBs since 1967
| Ki-Jana Carter |
1 |
Bengals |
1995 |
| Bo Jackson |
1 |
Buccaneers |
1986 |
| George Rogers |
1 |
Saints |
1981 |
| Billy Sims |
1 |
Lions |
1980 |
| Earl Campbell |
1 |
Titans |
1978 |
| Ricky Bell |
1 |
Buccaneers |
1977 |
| O.J. Simpson |
1 |
Bills |
1969 |
| Saquon Barkley |
2 |
Giants |
2018 |
| Reggie Bush |
2 |
Saints |
2006 |
| Ronnie Brown |
2 |
Dolphins |
2005 |
| Marshall Faulk |
2 |
Colts |
1994 |
| Blair Thomas |
2 |
Jets |
1990 |
| Eric Dickerson |
2 |
Rams |
1983 |
| Tony Dorsett |
2 |
Cowboys |
1977 |
| Bo Matthews |
2 |
Chargers |
1974 |
| Clint Jones |
2 |
Vikings |
1967 |
| Jeremiyah Love |
3 |
Cardinals |
2026 |
| Trent Richardson |
3 |
Browns |
2012 |
| Garrison Hearst |
3 |
Cardinals |
1993 |
| Barry Sanders |
3 |
Lions |
1989 |
| Alonzo Highsmith |
3 |
Titans |
1987 |
| Curt Warner |
3 |
Seahawks |
1983 |
| Freeman McNeil |
3 |
Jets |
1981 |
| Chuck Muncie |
3 |
Saints |
1976 |
Along with the high draft billing, Love will get a major payday, too. Per Spotrac’s rookie wage scale, Love will receive a four-year, $50.5 million deal as the No. 3 pick. That already puts him among the position’s highest-paid players in terms of average annual value.
Highest-paid RBs
| Saquon Barkley |
$20.6M |
| Christian McCaffrey |
$19M |
| Derrick Henry |
$15M |
| Kenneth Walker III |
$14.3M |
| Breece Hall |
$14.2M |
| Jonathan Taylor |
$14M |
| Jeremiyah Love |
$12.6M |
Also, because rookie contracts are guaranteed, he will have the most guaranteed money of any running back contract by a wide margin. Barkley’s $36 million guaranteed was the highest in the league.
In Arizona, Love joins a backfield that also includes James Conner and others. As the first pick of new coach Mike LaFleur, Love will see a considerable workload immediately and look to provide a major boost to an offense that finished 31st in rushing yards and 27th in explosive rush rate last year.
