The Kansas City Chiefs have a rare chance to land a top playmaker in this year’s draft, but head coach Andy Reid may miss out on landing one key prospect with the team. While the Chiefs have the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has emerged as a strong option for the team at that slot. But after the NFL Scouting Combine, draft analyst Todd McShay suggested that Love’s stock is climbing rapidly – possibly out of the Chiefs’ reach.

“To see the way he’s able to run routes and to see that 4.36 legit like right there posted for us at his size – he’s just special,” Todd McShay said recently on Up & Adams with Kay Adams Show while talking about Jeremiyah Love’s position at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. “You look at the top of the draft, right? We all agree that Fernando Mendoza is going number one to the Raiders. After that, I think it’s probably gonna be an edge rusher to the Jets. Maybe Sunny Stiles gets into that mix.”

“But then you look at Arizona at three, Tennessee at four, even the Giants at five, with Scottaboo coming off of that injury,” McShay added. “I don’t think Jeremiyah Love gets out of the top five, and it won’t shock me if he’s the third pick in this draft.”

Todd McShay’s projection dramatically shifts the conversation around Jeremiyah Love. Instead of questioning whether the RB would be worth the No. 9 pick, the Chiefs may need to ask a more pressing question: Will Love even be available? Love certainly helped his case at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. 

Measuring 6-foot and 212 pounds, Jeremiyah Love participated in just two on-field drills but made them count. The Notre Dame RB ran a blazing 4.36-second 40-yard dash, which was second among running backs at the Combine. Love also posted a 1.55-second 10-yard split, which further showcased his explosiveness. After that performance, while Fernando Mendoza is still expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, Todd McShay now expects Love to get picked within the top four or five picks.

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Interestingly, both NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper previously projected Jeremiyah Love to land with the Chiefs in their mock drafts. Love has been ranked as the No. 1 running back and the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft by PFSN’s Consensus Big Board. But Love’s fit with the Chiefs is more than just about his talent.

The Chiefs’ rushing attack has lacked juice recently, as the team ranked 25th in rushing with just 106.6 yards per game in 2025. Patrick Mahomes also had to lead the team on the ground, rushing for a career-high 422 yards and 5 touchdowns. Now, with running backs Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt entering free agency, an overhaul at running back feels necessary. The Chiefs need a dynamic, dual-threat option who can ease pressure off Patrick Mahomes, especially as he works his way back from an ACL injury.

Meanwhile, Jeremiyah Love’s collegiate résumé speaks for itself. With the Fighting Irish, he totaled 2,882 rushing yards, 594 receiving yards, and 42 touchdowns. In 2025 alone, Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 TDs while adding 27 receptions for 280 yards and 3 TDs. That’s exactly the kind of versatility Andy Reid could try to get with the No. 9 pick in the draft. But the uncertainty around Love’s availability at the ninth pick makes things difficult for the Chiefs.

Jeremiyah Love’s rising draft stock complicates the Chiefs’ choice at No. 9

Todd McShay’s projection forces the Chiefs to rethink their draft math. If Jeremiyah Love truly won’t make it past the top five, the Chiefs could consider trading up, but that would cost too much draft capital for a running back. 

Love, for his part, has reportedly met with at least ten teams at the NFL Scouting Combine, including the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants, all having draft picks ahead of the Chiefs this year. Still, Love hasn’t hidden his admiration for the Chiefs and their franchise QB.

“I’d be close to home,” Jeremiyah Love said during an interview on the Rich Eisen Show last week. “I feel like [Patrick Mahomes] is the best quarterback as of right now. It would be an honor to play with him.”

As a Missouri native, the idea of suiting up for the Chiefs clearly appeals to Jeremiyah Love. He also fits into Andy Reid’s offense that needs a versatile RB to help restore the explosive dimension the Chiefs lost after trading WR Tyreek Hill in 2022. But the reality is that if Jeremiyah Love comes off the board early in the 2026 NFL Draft, Reid will need a contingency plan. That means the Chiefs will have to attack the running back position in free agency while keeping options open in the draft.