The Arizona Cardinals made a somewhat shocking decision by drafting running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
While there were definitely bigger needs for Arizona than running back, Love is on the roster for better or worse.
Pass rusher and offensive line, for instance, were needed for an Arizona team that lost 14 games in 2025.
While roster construction is at the forefront of criticisms for this Arizona team, Scot McCloughan, a former NFL scout, says Love wasn’t the best running back in this class.
In an interview with The Athletic, McCloughan said the No. 3 pick wasn’t even the best running back from his school.
Who Does McCloughan Think Would Have Been the Better Pick for the Arizona Cardinals?
While Love was a tantalizing blue-chip prospect from Notre Dame, McCloughan thinks a former teammate will be better.
The Seattle Seahawks drafted Love’s backup, Jadarian Price, with the No. 32 overall pick. Many thought this was a luxury pick for Seattle, who lost a few defensive pieces in the offseason.
However, McCloughan seems to think Price will be the best running back from the draft class.
“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.”
In three seasons with Notre Dame, Price rushed for 1692 yards and 21 touchdowns on 6.0 yards per carry. He also caught three receiving touchdowns.
Now, Price will go from Love’s backup, to facing him twice a year as NFC West rivals.
“I’ll get to play against (Seahawks RB) Jadarian Price this upcoming season,” Love said at his introductory press conference. “He’s a great player and I can’t wait to do the jersey swap with him too.
“I’m just excited to compete with great players and that’s really what this is all about.”
Will Price Really Be Better Than Love?
Price was projected to go in the second round before Seattle picked him at the end of the first round.
While he flashed potential to be a plus-starter in the NFL, Love was always the prized blue-chip prospect, according to NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein.
“Price is a more natural runner than his heralded teammate, Jeremiyah Love, but Price lacks Love’s pure explosiveness and pass-catching talent,” Zierlein wrote.
Love’s explosiveness was on display, not only during his college career, but also at the NFL combine.
At the combine, Love ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, among the best not only at his position, but at the entire event.
Love will be a likely first-year starter for Arizona, whereas Price will likely have to fight for snaps with Zach Charbonnet.
Zierlein included in his pre-draft analysis that Price is also not the three-down back that Love is.
While it’s a bold claim this early in the process, Love will attempt to prove in year one why the Cardinals drafted him with the No. 3 pick.
Ex-NFL Scout Claims Cardinals’ Jeremiyah Love Will Not Be Top RB From 2026 Class