Jadarian Price Emerges as Top NFL Draft RB Prospect After Notre Dame Teammate

The 2026 NFL Draft class features a deep running back pool, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price leading the way.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 5:27pm

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the motion and energy of a football running play, with the players' forms broken down into abstract shapes and planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the dynamic running style that has made Jadarian Price a top NFL Draft prospect.Notre Dame Today

The 2026 NFL Draft is shaping up to be an intriguing affair, particularly in the running back (RB) position. While Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame is projected to be a top-five pick, the debate surrounding the second-best running back in the draft class, Jadarian Price, is heating up. Price, Love's backfield mate at Notre Dame, is considered by many teams to be the RB2, with some even speculating that he could be a first-round pick.

Why it matters

The debate over who will be the second running back drafted after Jeremiyah Love is a key storyline leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft. Price's potential as the RB2 is not just a matter of his impressive statistics, but also of his unique skill set and the context in which he played at Notre Dame, which had a consistently strong offensive line.

The details

Price maintained a high average of six yards per carry over his three years at Notre Dame, despite only averaging 6.8 carries per game. His efficiency is even more impressive when considering that he was often forced to play second fiddle to Love, who received more carries and attention. Price's vision, patience, acceleration, balance, and body control are his standout skills, but his change of direction is a potential concern for NFL teams. The fact that Price is being considered as the RB2 is not just a matter of his statistics, but also of the context in which he played, as Notre Dame's offensive line has been consistently strong.

  • Jadarian Price played for Notre Dame from 2023 to 2025.

The players

Jeremiyah Love

A top-five projected pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and Jadarian Price's backfield mate at Notre Dame.

Jadarian Price

A running back prospect from Notre Dame who is considered by many teams to be the second-best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft class, with some speculating he could be a first-round pick.

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The takeaway

The 2026 NFL Draft could feature an exciting running back class, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price leading the way. While Love is projected to be a top-five pick, Price's unique skill set and the context of his success at Notre Dame make him a compelling prospect as the potential RB2. However, questions remain about how much of Price's success is attributable to his own talent versus the support he received from his team's offensive line.