Matt Johnson
Jeremiyah Love is the best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft. While there’s some debate about where he ranks among his predecessors like Bijan Robinson and Ashton Jeanty, no one questions that he can be an outstanding player in the National Football League. However, as last season showed with Jeanty and the Las Vegas Raiders, fit can be everything.
Let’s dive into our rankings for the top landing spots for Love in the 2026 NFL Draft. Of note, we are also factoring in realism, and that means excluding teams who are picking outside the top 20.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs drafting Jeremiyah Love with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft would feel a bit like when Saquon Barkley signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s to say that it’s an immediate schematic fit and a perfect partnership that would prove extremely beneficial for both sides. Putting aside the fact that Kansas City has more pressing needs at other positions, this is the perfect skill player for them.
Love would immediately walk into a situation where he could run behind an offensive line that would open up holes for him to explode through. To that point, the Chiefs had the second-lowest rush stuff rate (12.2 percent) last season. Plus, the all-purpose back would get to face light boxes when Patrick Mahomes is under center because defenses have historically worked to take away Kansas City’s deep passing game. If Love is drafted by the Chiefs, he could challenge for second-team All-Pro honors by the 2027 season.
Related: NFL Teams Praying Kansas City Chiefs Don’t Get Jeremiyah Love
2. New Orleans Saints
There’s a reason the Chiefs might not even have a chance at drafting Jeremiyah Love. The New Orleans Saints hold the eighth overall pick and, while there are some excellent wide receivers in this class, head coach and play-caller Kellen Moore needs someone to build his rushing attack around. Moore played a key role in the Eagles averaging 179.3 rushing yards per game (2nd) and 4.9 yards per carry (5th) with the highest Rush EPA (0.056) in the NFL back in 2024. In his first year with New Orleans, he was stuck with a 30-year-old Alvin Kamara, who is well past his prime (3.6 yards per carry).
Love would get to be the featured back in Moore’s offense, used in some of the same ways as a pass-catcher as Moore did with Saquon Barkley in 2024. While the season-long workload certainly won’t be the same, the home-run ability and pass-catching prowess are similar. Plus, he could take some of the weight of the offense off the shoulders of quarterback Tyler Shough.
3. Carolina Panthers
There probably isn’t a great chance that Love slides all the way to the 19th-overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, if Kansas City (edge rusher) and New Orleans (wide receiver) prioritized other positions, then Love becoming the next star running back for the Carolina Panthers makes a ton of sense.
Just look at what head coach Dave Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik have done with Carolina’s rushing attack in the last two seasons. From 2024–25, the Panthers rank 13th in Rush EPA (-0.057) and 14th in Rushing Success Rate (41.6 percent) with Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Love is a superior talent, and it’s by a significant margin. He’d be a great underneath weapon for Bryce Young, who is likelier to make a quick pass to the running back rather than scramble. Plus, Love would get to operate behind an offensive line that allowed the sixth-lowest rush stuff rate (13.3 percent) last season, even with top guard Robert Hunt missing significant time. If Love falls outside the top 10, Carolina is the ideal destination.
4. New York Giants
We’re not sure why the New York Giants are reportedly so determined to make a big splash at running back this offseason. Tyrone Tracy Jr. has put up over 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, averaging a modest 4.3 yards per carry and 7.7 yards per reception on 74 catches. Meanwhile, Cam Skattebo looked like an excellent complementary back, when healthy, who could fit the short-yardage role perfectly.
With that said, Love could certainly have success with New York. The Giants ranked 18th in ESPN run-block win rate (71 percent) last season with the seventh-lowest run stuff rate allowed (13.5 percent). Shares in the backfield with a dual-threat quarterback like Jaxson Dart would give a ball-carrier a few more chances at open rushing lanes and to make defenders miss. Additionally, a Skattebo-Love pairing could be a great recreation of what the Detroit Lions had with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The fit makes sense, but the expectations attached to being the fifth-overall pick and Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s presence make this a more questionable destination.
