After an award-winning season, Notre Dame’s star running back and Heisman Trophy finalist, Jeremiyah Love, has declared for the 2026 NFL draft. While Love is widely expected to be the top RB selected in next year’s draft, the 214-pounder has already made his feelings clear about the NFL teams he does want to play for.

“I’d be happy to go anywhere, but if I could choose not a specific place to go, I want to go somewhere with nice weather,” said Love during Thursday’s appearance when asked about an ideal landing spot in the NFL. “I’ve been in cold weather my whole life. Don’t get me wrong. I won’t be mad or sad if I go somewhere with cold weather.”

Although the star running back hasn’t explicitly ruled out any NFL teams in the upcoming draft, it seems like a subtle nudge for the warmer-weather franchises to take notice of his skills. If a team fits both his athletic goals and its program needs, Love is ready to give his all.

Having played his whole life in some of the coldest conditions, he understands the challenge; perhaps that’s why he singled out two locations as examples of where he’d prefer to play.

“I love to go anywhere, any team that’s willing to accept me onto their team and let me come in,” said Love. “But I wouldn’t mind some nice little 70-80 degree weather, like in Texas or Cali.”

While Love would be happy to play in warmer locations, the challenges he faced with the Fighting have shaped his Irish mindset. Playing in cold weather brings real disadvantages: reduced stamina, a higher risk of injury, and a greater reliance on the run game as passing becomes more challenging. It clearly impacts a player’s production and the stat sheet.

That’s why some of the NFL’s coldest-weather teams, the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Vikings, and Steelers, are likely to rank lower on his preference list, given their average temperatures ranging from 51.8 to 56.1 degrees.

On the other hand, Love’s words suggest that teams like the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dolphins, and Jaguars could be at the top of his list.

While the Notre Dame RB has made his preferences clear, it’s fair to ask whether that could be a setback for his NFL Draft stock. Maybe it is. Perhaps it isn’t.

At the end of the day, talent speaks louder than preferences, and his skill set still fits many NFL teams, regardless of the climate.

Jeremiyah Love’s perfect fit could be in the NFL

Jeremiyah Love is officially NFL-bound, and three teams could be circling his name in bold. For the Chiefs, he could be the long-missing ground threat to balance Patrick Mahomes, while for the Chicago Bears, his burst could elevate an electric offense built around Caleb Williams.

Then there are the Commanders.

Pairing Love with Jayden Daniels would instantly add a fear factor and flexibility to their offense. Drafting a running back early comes with risk, but elite talent changes calculations. For the right team, Jeremiyah Love is the missing piece.

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While Mel Kiper Jr. has Love projected No. 3 overall on his latest Big Board for ESPN, Field Yates slots him 14th to the Chiefs in his newest mock. While the production matches the praise, it’s backed by numbers.

Love totaled 21 all-purpose TDs in 2025, breaking Jerome Bettis’ 1991 single-season record at Notre Dame. Additionally, he finished fourth nationally with 1,372 rushing yards.

As he is projected to be a first-round pick, he became the first RB in the program’s history to win the Doak Walker Award for best RB in the nation.

Let’s see which NFL team values this talent most after that clarification in preference.