Jeremiyah Love NFL Draft Stock: Freeman’s Unicorn Tag Explained

When a head coach calls his own player a “unicorn” and “as talented and gifted an athlete as I’ve ever been around,” the draft prop markets should be paying attention. Marcus Freeman’s comments on Jeremiyah Love aren’t typical coach-speak inflation—they’re a signal that Love’s draft stock may still be undervalued despite consensus Top 5 projections. For sharp bettors tracking 2026 NFL Draft futures, Freeman just handed you film study homework.

The Freeman Quote in Context

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman appeared on Colin Cowherd’s show and delivered what amounts to a pre-draft scouting report on his star running back. The key quote: “Jeremiyah Love might be as good as any player I’ve ever been around.”

This isn’t a throwaway line. Freeman has coached at Cincinnati, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. He’s been around NFL-caliber talent consistently. When he specifically notes that Love “could be an elite wide receiver” or “an elite DB,” he’s telegraphing positional versatility—the exact trait that pushes running backs up draft boards in an era where the position is devalued.

Freeman also made a point that film grinders will appreciate: “Some of his most impressive runs aren’t the ones you’re going to see on TV. They’re the ones you see on film that he made a four-yard gain that should have been a two-yard loss.” Translation: Love’s contact balance and vision are elite. The splash plays get the highlights, but his floor is what separates him from the field.

Draft Position Market Overview

Love is currently projected as the first running back off the board and a likely Top 5 selection. If that holds, he’d be the first running back drafted in the Top 5 since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall to the Giants in 2018.

That’s an eight-year gap. The NFL has spent nearly a decade deprioritizing running backs in the first round, making Love’s projected slot historically significant. For draft position props, the question isn’t whether Love goes in the first round—it’s whether he cracks the Top 3.

Key Factors for Draft Bettors

1. The Barkley Comp Is Real—And Inflated

Every elite RB prospect gets compared to Barkley now. It’s lazy, but in Love’s case, there’s substance. Both players have elite receiving ability, home-run speed, and the kind of highlight reel that moves casual sentiment. The difference: Barkley went to a Giants team desperate for a franchise face. Love’s landing spot matters for prop bettors—teams picking 1-3 (likely QB-needy) are less likely to take a running back regardless of talent.

2. Freeman’s Backup RB Comments Add Texture

Freeman also said Jadarian Price—Notre Dame’s backup—is the best RB prospect in this class aside from Love. That’s a bold claim that will either age well or become bulletin board material. But it tells you how Freeman views Love: not just as the best back in this class, but as a player who “transcends the position.” When coaches use that language, they’re often preparing you for a pick higher than positional value would suggest.

3. Combine and Pro Day Will Move Lines

Love’s athletic testing is where the market could shift. If he runs a sub-4.4 forty and tests as a 95th-percentile athlete across the board, Top 3 becomes a real conversation. If he tests merely “good,” the Top 5 number holds but doesn’t improve. Sharp bettors should set alerts for combine week—Love’s props will be among the most volatile.

The Sharp Angle

Here’s the edge, if there is one: the public still underweights running backs because “RBs don’t matter.” That narrative is true for contract value and fantasy football sustainability—it’s less true for draft capital when a generational athlete is available.

Teams with win-now windows and strong offensive lines (think a team like the Cowboys or Eagles if they were picking high) have historically been willing to buck the positional value trend. If Love’s medicals are clean and his combine pops, the “First Non-QB Drafted” prop could offer value depending on how the board shapes up.

The counter-argument: running backs have burned Top 5 capital before. Trent Richardson went third overall and was a bust. The Barkley pick looks worse with hindsight given the Giants’ subsequent rebuild. NFL GMs are aware of this history, and it could cap Love’s ceiling at 4 or 5 even if his talent warrants higher.

Bet Recommendation

No actionable play until prop markets open with real numbers. When they do, here’s what to watch:

Over on draft position (if available at 5.5 or higher): The “unicorn” narrative plus combine performance could push him to 4.
First RB Drafted (-800 or shorter): No value. Love is a lock for this unless injury news breaks.
Top 3 Selection (if available at +300 or better): Worth a look as a lottery ticket if combine testing is elite.

Check bet105’s NFL Draft futures page as markets open. For the best odds on draft props with reduced juice, bet105 is where sharps are parking their action.

FAQ

When is Jeremiyah Love expected to be drafted in 2026?

Current projections have Love as a Top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If selected in that range, he would be the first running back taken in the Top 5 since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Draft position props will firm up after the NFL Combine.

What did Marcus Freeman say about Jeremiyah Love?

Freeman called Love a “unicorn” and said he is “as talented and gifted an athlete as I’ve ever been around.” He also noted Love could have been an elite player at wide receiver or defensive back, highlighting his rare versatility and athleticism.

Is Jeremiyah Love the best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft?

By consensus, yes. Freeman himself said Notre Dame’s backup, Jadarian Price, is the second-best RB prospect in the class—implying Love is in a tier of his own. Draft analysts universally project Love as RB1 in this class.