Steelers Mocked to Take Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at No. 21 in 2026 NFL Draft
With Super Bowl LX about to close the book on the 2025 NFL season, the attention in Pittsburgh-and across the league-is shifting toward April’s NFL Draft. And in the latest mock draft from NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund, the Steelers are making a bit of a surprise move: selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the 21st overall pick.
Now, on the surface, running back might not jump off the page as a top priority for the Steelers. They’ve got Jaylen Warren under contract through 2027 and Kenneth Gainwell just wrapped up a season worthy of team MVP consideration. But Gainwell is set to hit free agency, and if he walks, that backfield suddenly looks a little thinner.
Enter Jeremiyah Love-a dynamic, do-it-all back who’s been turning heads with his explosiveness and versatility. Frelund compared his potential impact to Bijan Robinson, which isn’t a comparison you throw around lightly. Robinson was a game-changer as a rookie in 2025, and the idea is that Love could bring a similar jolt to an offense that ranked middle of the pack last year.
The key, of course, will be the offensive line. Love’s ability to transition smoothly into the pro game will hinge on how well he’s protected and how quickly he can adjust to NFL speed.
The good news? Pittsburgh’s O-line graded out as Frelund’s 10th-best unit in 2025-a solid foundation for a young back with big-play potential.
Love’s résumé at Notre Dame speaks for itself. Over the past two seasons, he racked up 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, serving as the engine of the Irish offense.
And he didn’t do it alone-he shared carries-but still managed to be the heartbeat of the attack. That kind of production, in a committee role, tells you a lot about how efficient and explosive he can be.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein offered a detailed scouting breakdown, calling Love a “three-phase running back” with the kind of speed that erases pursuit angles and the pass-catching chops to line up in the slot and create mismatches against linebackers. He’s not a bruiser who’s going to move piles, but he runs through contact and finishes with purpose. His footwork is sharp-violent cuts, quick bursts-and while that can occasionally slow his momentum, it also makes him a nightmare to corral in the open field.
Zierlein compared Love to Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs, and that’s a pretty accurate snapshot of what he brings to the table: a modern, multi-dimensional weapon who can thrive in a variety of schemes. He’s not just a hand-it-off-and-hope guy-he’s a chess piece who can be moved around the board to exploit matchups.
Now, it’s fair to question whether running back is the best use of a first-round pick for a team that could use another wide receiver to pair with DK Metcalf. But if the Steelers believe Gainwell is gone and Love can be a true three-down back, the pick starts to make a lot more sense.
With 12 picks in this year’s draft, Pittsburgh has some flexibility. And while this mock may raise a few eyebrows, it also hints at a broader strategy: surrounding a young quarterback with explosive, versatile weapons and building an offense that can win in more ways than one.
Jeremiyah Love might not be the most obvious choice at 21-but if he hits, he could be the kind of player who changes the tone of the Steelers offense from day one.