Running back Jeremiyah Love is heading toward the NFL after an impressive stint at Notre Dame, though his final college season was nearly disrupted by an outside recruitment attempt. During an interview with Kevin Clark during Super Bowl week, Love revealed that a different college program tried to poach him through a tampering effort before he officially declared for the draft.
He noted that while the call was straightforward, he chose to ignore the distraction and stay focused on his goals in South Bend.
His departure creates a significant void in the Irish backfield, where freshmen Javian Osborne and Jonaz Walton are now competing for the starting role.
As a former Heisman finalist and a projected top-tier selection, Love leaves behind a legacy that the next generation of Notre Dame runners will find difficult to replicate.
The professional interest in Love is already peaking, particularly from a Kansas City Chiefs team in need of offensive variety.
According to a new mock draft from ESPN, Love is the one player the franchise cannot afford to pass on this April.
In their analysis, Field Yates states:
“While I don’t know if Love will fall to this pick in April, I would be surprised if he makes it past the Chiefs.”
His report emphasizes that Love is the “biggest non-QB difference-maker in the class” due to his dual-threat capabilities.
Yates further details his skill set, saying that, “As a runner, he has terrific explosiveness and vision. As a receiver, his routes from the slot look no different from a wideout.”
Buzz regarding a return for Travis Kelce has intensified, with recent reports from Dianna Russini of The Athletic suggesting that he is leaning toward playing a 14th season in Kansas City.
Although Kelce has admitted to feeling conflicted about the physical demands of the game, his enthusiasm for recent staff changes indicates he may want one more run at a title.
While the team currently sits over the projected salary cap, the front office is expected to finalize a financial strategy by March that would allow them to retain Kelce while potentially integrating an explosive talent like Love into the offense.
The post The player the Chiefs can’t pass on in ESPN’s new mock draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.
