2026 NFL draft: Could Jeremiyah Love be an option for Jets at No. 2?
· Yahoo Sports
The New York Jets used the first week of free agency to improve a defense that was near the bottom of the league last year and didn't intercept a pass from an opposing quarterback.
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Now that the major tidal wave of free agency has passed, the New York Jets are now focused on April’s NFL Draft. With four picks in the first two rounds, the Jets could go in plenty of different directions to round out their roster for the 2026 season. Even after free agency has calmed down, they could still use help at wide receiver, linebacker and in the secondary.
Most of the mock drafts have the Jets linked to Ohio State pass rusher, Arvell Reese. The Jets have also been linked to Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey and even Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. But, is it possible the Jets could shock the world and take a player that no one would predict with the second overall pick?
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has become a very hot commodity and is shooting up draft boards. He’s linked to the Arizona Cardinals at #3 and is not expected to last past the New York Giants at #5. He’s a difference maker on the field judging by his 2,500 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Notre Dame. He averaged close to seven yards a carry and had 11 games with over 100 yards rushing.
It's no secret that Love would immediately upgrade the Jets offense and pairing him with Breece Hall could create a very lethal rushing attack under new offensive coordinator Frank Reich. For now, Hall is playing on the franchise tag while the Jets negotiate an extension to keep him in New York for the forseeable future. Love could serve as the ultimate insurance policy should contract negotiations with Hall fall apart and he chooses to play on the franchise tag this season in order to once again become a free agent in 2027.
The Jets spent plenty of money in free agency to improve the defense adding Demario Davis, David Onyemata, Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. They also added Dane Belton and Nahshon Wright to the secondary and traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick. The need for more defensive help isn’t as great with all the reinforcements brought in during this free agency period.
While continuing to improve a pass rush that ranked second to last in sacks last year seems like the most likely route the Jets take with the second overall pick, imagine using both of their first-round picks to improve the offense with Love and then with the #16 pick, take a wide receiver such as USC’s Makai Lemon, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson or even Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq? Geno Smith would have plenty to work with in 2026 and the offense would be set for the next few years with the Jets only needing to find their future franchise quarterback to complete the puzzle.
The primary argument against selecting Love with the second pick is that running back isn't exactly a pressing need for this team. Hall just rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career last season and GM Darren Mougey wouldn't have put the franchise tag on him if he didn't want him back to lead the team's rushing attack. Plus, the Jets have plenty of depth behind Hall with Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, both entering their third seasons. They could add a running back with a Day 3 pick to round out the room instead of using a top selection on a position that is not a major necessity.
But, Love's stats are tough to ignore during his final two years at Notre Dame and adding him to the Jets backfield could also allow Reich to use Hall as more of a receiver to keep both players on the field. While tempting as it may be, it would be shock to the system if the Jets selected Love with the second overall pick. But, just because it would be a shock doesn’t mean it would be a bad selection either.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Could Jeremiyah Love be an option for Jets at No. 2?