After an explosive season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Jeremiyah Love was selected with the No. 3 pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the team struggling to find a consistent No. 1 option at the position in 2025 due to injuries, then-head coach Jonathan Gannon was forced to split touches among Michael Carter, James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, and Zonovan Knight.
Despite being a top-three pick, Love might still have to wait for his chance to shine, as new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said he doesn’t see a concrete starting running back in the locker room.
In a press conference on Saturday, Hackett said:
“I’m really excited about it. Excited for James [Conner] to get out there and show what he’s got. I mean, all the guys.”
Hackett also spoke on Love’s possible involvement, saying:
“I mean, he’s definitely a rookie and as we’ve talked about, and he’ll keep growing every single day. I’m very excited for him.”
Fans took to X to make their opinions clear on Hackett’s comments.
One fan claimed that putting Love behind Conner would be harmful to his development:
Michael Carter led the Cardinals in rushing yards last season with 333 on 92 carries, while Emari Demercado and Bam Knight contributed 312 and 269 yards, respectively. Conner played just three games, putting up 95 yards on 32 carries.
Nathaniel Hackett Not Buying Into Speculation About Carson Beck’s Weakness
“I don’t know where that came from,” he told reporters. “I sure enjoy watching him throw the ball down the field. He had a couple of really nice ones (Friday).”
“For him, tying his feet in and getting the timing of it and actually calling those things and getting those opportunities are things that we just can’t get enough for him, but up to this point, he’s been able to place the ball all over the field.”
Beck is expected to be the backup to Jacoby Brissett, provided the team solves his contract dispute amid uncertainty over the veteran quarterback’s future. Brissett initially held out, refusing to train with his teammates, but has recently resumed activities.
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