Notre Dame fans expected Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to show up in the NFL and make noise right away. Instead, both rookies are walking into Week 1 with a little less certainty than anyone probably imagined.
Even though Love and Price were both first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, neither is sitting atop his team’s depth chart as the season begins. Love, who landed with the Arizona Cardinals, is listed behind Tyler Allgeier. Price, now with the Seattle Seahawks, is listed behind George Holani.
Love’s situation is a little easier to read. He was slowed in the preseason by a high ankle sprain after an impressive debut, and Arizona had already tagged him as questionable for Week 1. The Cardinals are now hopeful he can suit up, but for the moment he’s not the top option at running back.
There’s another wrinkle for Love, too. He’s listed as the third kick returner, behind Devin Duvernay and cornerback Max Melton.
That’s a notable twist for a player who didn’t handle kick returns much at Notre Dame, but did enter the offseason looking like he could become a weapon there for Arizona. With his ankle issue in the mix, that placement makes the picture even murkier.
Price’s setup in Seattle is the bigger surprise. Camp reports out of Seahawks practices had him looking like the best running back in the room by a wide margin, especially after the team traded last year’s starter, Kenneth Walker, to Kansas City before the draft. But on Wednesday morning, the depth chart still had him behind Holani.
That said, Seattle’s chart may not tell the whole story. The Seahawks are expected to spread the workload around and give as many as three backs plenty of touches.
For now, both rookies appear to be easing into their NFL lives rather than being handed the spotlight immediately. Seahawks fans will get their first look at Price on Wednesday night against the New England Patriots, while Cardinals fans are hoping to see Love on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Notre Dames Next Opponent Just Lost Its Biggest Offensive Threat
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For Notre Dame, the timing matters. Jackson had been expected to be a centerpiece of the Rice attack after his breakout season in 2025, so his absence changes the look of an offense the Irish were already preparing to face. It leaves Rice with a major void to fill as it heads into the matchup, and one of the clearest threats Notre Dame had to account for is now off the board. [Read more 🡒]
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Freeman also made a point of discussing sophomore running back Nolan, whose work in the passing game added another layer to Notre Dames offense in Green Bay. His long touchdown stood out not just as a splash play, but as the payoff for embracing that role and sticking with it. As the Irish return to South Bend, that kind of versatility may matter as much as the result itself, especially if Freemans team is trying to turn an encouraging opener into a different kind of home story. [Read more 🡒]
Why CJ Carr's Notre Dame Path Still Resonates Beyond The Field
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There is also the unusual backdrop of a family split across one of college footballs oldest rivalries, with younger brother Tommy Carr now a true freshman quarterback at Michigan. But the story that lingers most is the loss of the Carr familys youngest son, Chad, who died in 2015 from a pediatric brain tumor, a reminder that for CJ, the meaning attached to his name has never been only about what happens on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]