The Arizona Cardinals selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft.
It is the highest a running back has been selected since the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018.
The unanimous All-American was a Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner in 2025.
Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025. He also caught 27 passes for 280 yards and three additional scores last year.
He was considered the best player in this year’s crop of players, but it’s highly unusual for a running back to be taken that high in the draft. In the last 30 years, only Barkley and Trent Richardson were selected with a top-3 pick. The Raiders did select Ashton Jeanty No. 6 overall in last year’s draft and the Falcons selected Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in 2023.
Arizona’s next pick (as it stands now) is the second pick in the second round at No. 34 overall.
