The Arizona Cardinals took a big swing in the NFL Draft, using the third-overall pick to take running back Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame. It may have been early to take a running back, but the projections for Love are already through the roof.
Adding to those projections was NFL insider Albert Breer. In a recent mailbag, he even tabbed Love as the frontrunner to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year this season.
“I think the easy answer is Jeremiyah Love,” Breer wrote. “The Cardinals figure to build their offense around him, the running back position translates quickly from college to pro, and he’s a really, really good player. But I’d temper that just a bit in that I’d bet Arizona will try not to overuse him, with James Conner and Tyler Allgeier also in that backfield.”
Of course, Love isn’t the only rookie to keep an eye on this season. There is first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza, who figures to be the top quarterback in the race. Breer added to that, including Jadarian Price and Carnell Tate, another running back and a wide receiver who will get plenty of run this year.
“So on offense, give me Love’s Notre Dame teammate, Jadarian Price, in Seattle, and Carnell Tate, who’s already turning heads in Tennessee. I think both will have a ton of opportunities and assimilate quickly, and those two elements are always key in rookie of the year races,” Breer added.
The Arizona Cardinals Signed Jeremiyah Love to a Record-Breaking Contract
GettyArizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love
The Arizona Cardinals are all in on Jeremiyah Love. After using their top draft pick on him, the Cardinals opened up their checkbook too, giving Love a record-breaking contract.
The two sides agreed to a four-year, $53.9 million deal. For a running back, especially one completely unproven in the NFL, it’s massive money. As a comparison, the extension the Philadelphia Eagles gave Saquon Barkley was for two years and $41.2 million. That’s after he proved to be the best running back in the league.
In Barkley’s rookie deal, the New York Giants signed him for $31.8 million. So, the Cardinals are paying more than $20 million more for Love than the last running back selected as high as him in the NFL Draft. That was just eight years ago.
Ex-Scout Claims Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love Won’t Be Best in His Class
GettyArizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love
Not everyone agrees about just how good Jeremiyah Love is going to be. One former scout, Scot McCloughan, even went so far as to suggest that Love won’t be the best running back in his class. Instead, he thinks Love’s teammate at Notre Dame, Price, will surpass him.
“And you wait and see, bud,” McCloughan said. “I’m telling you: Price is going to be a better player than Love. I think he’s Nick Chubb, who we took in Cleveland and who was really, really good until he blew his knee out.”
Price ended up going in the division to the defending Super Bowl Champions. If they did find the top running back in the class, it could become an issue for years to come. At the same time, McCloughan is the minority opinion on Love and Price.
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