After waiting for the shoe to drop, Notre Dame fans got the announcement from Jeremiyah Love they'd been expecting since the season ended. The star running back will head to the NFL. Unsurprisingly, his prospects for being a high draft pick are very, very good.
In fact, according to one Sports Illustrated NFL Mock Draft put together right after Love made his announcement, the running back is solidly inside the Top 10 selections. He's long been thought to be the first running back to go, but as a general rule, he's been just outside those first 10 picks.
This Mock believes that the New Orleans Saints could come calling for the Notre Dame star with the No. 7 pick in this spring's draft.
Jeremiyah Love’s skill set makes the former Notre Dame back a draft centerpiece
"New Orleans should target interior offensive linemen during the offseason, but with [Miami offensive lineman Francis] Mauigoa off the board, there are no viable options in the top 10. The Saints have the NFL’s sixth-worst rushing offense, and second-round rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has made impressive strides despite a limited ground game."
"Love is the draft’s top offensive weapon and No. 2 player on Sports Illustrated’s big board due to his speed, contact balance and versatility—he’ll be a game-changing, three-down player at the next level."
The Saints are in the middle of a rebuild and youth movement. That approach doesn't lead to a ton of wins and likely won't next year either. However, with someone like Jeremiyah Love, who can be a human highlight reel, New Orleans could get the best of both worlds.
The Notre Dame star would offer the team its best running back in decades. It also provides someone for the fans who want to be excited about the future of the franchise, even if they're still racking up losses. Jeremiyah Love can definitely do that every single week.