Can Jeremiyah Love Reach His Lofty Ceiling with the Cardinals?
You'd have a hard time finding anyone to dispute Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love being one of the best prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is why the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the No. 3 overall pick.
The No. 2 overall player on my board (trailing only Ohio State safety Caleb Downs), you could have made a strong case that Love was the most talented prospect in this year's entire draft class. The fact that he played a position not typically valued by teams in the top-five range didn't stop the Cardinals from investing that kind of capital to bring him to Arizona.
But is this a team that has the supporting cast to allow Love to maximize his talent and reach his full potential?
It's one thing to invest a high pick in a running back when you already have stability throughout the rest of the roster; a clear-cut, reliable starter at quarterback, a strong offensive line, and a defense that can ensure you're not playing from behind in the second half. The Cardinals have none of those things as they head into the 2026 season, and there's an argument to be made that Love has immediately become the most talented player on the roster. That could be a problem at a position that requires so much from the surrounding pieces in order to facilitate their success.
The quarterback situation is a mess in Arizona. Jacoby Brissett is the incumbent starter, but the veteran is currently seeking more money on his contract, targeting a number that's more commensurate with that kind of role. His biggest competition for the job is likely Carson Beck, a third-round pick out of Miami who, despite six years of college experience, continued to struggle with the same issues (consistency, decision-making, accuracy, processing, turnovers) right down the final throw of his collegiate career: an interception to seal a national title game loss to Indiana. I had a fifth-round grade on Beck, who landed at No. 180 overall on my board. The Cardinals took him with the 65th overall pick.
Gardner Minshew II is also in the mix, but he's not likely to inspire any more confidence than Brissett would at the top of the depth chart.
The offensive line has one high-quality starter in Paris Johnson Jr. at one tackle spot, but the rest of group is more questions than answers.
After taking Love, the Cards made a wise decision to use their early second-round pick in this year's draft on Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis, but he's likely to go straight into the fire as an immediate starter at one of the guard spots. The other will go to Isaac Seumalo, who signed a three-year deal in free agency this offseason, and Arizona will need him to live up to it right away.
The hope will be that these new additions will improve an offense that finished next-to-last in the NFL in rushing last season, and allowed 59 sacks (fifth-most in the league).
There are other talented playmakers at the skill positions, with one of the league's best tight ends in Trey McBride, and a promising wide receiver tandem in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. But they already know how much their production and effectiveness is dependent on what happens in the trenches and under center.
Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders spent the No. 6 overall pick on Ashton Jeanty, another elite running back prospect who dominated in college, and was widely regarded as a top-five talent in the 2025 NFL Draft class. But he struggled mightily out of the gate, thanks in large part to a lackluster supporting cast that extended beyond the roster to the coaching staff.
Don't be surprised if the same thing happens to Love, as he works through the grind of trying to be the player he was at Notre Dame while depending on roster that lacks the same level of talent he brings to the table.
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 1:36 PM.