Draft Expert Explains Jeremiyah Love's Perfect Fit With Chiefs

Chiefs need explosive plays to solve their sputtering offense, and Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love could be the answer.

Feb. 28, 2026 at 11:55am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

According to draft expert Daniel Jeremiah, the Kansas City Chiefs should select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Jeremiah believes Love would be a perfect fit for the Chiefs' offense, which has struggled to generate explosive plays since trading away star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. With defenses focusing on taking away the deep ball, Love's ability as both a runner and receiver could help the Chiefs make teams "pay for how they play" against Kansas City.

Why it matters

The Chiefs' offense has become too reliant on short, quick passes in recent years as defenses have schemed to take away their deep passing attack. Adding a dynamic running back like Jeremiyah Love could help restore the explosiveness to the Chiefs' offense and force defenses to respect the run game, opening up more opportunities in the passing game.

The details

Since trading Tyreek Hill in 2022, the Chiefs have seen a significant decline in their explosive plays. In 2018, when Patrick Mahomes won MVP, the Chiefs had 248 plays of 15 or more yards. That number dropped to 192 in 2020 and just 115 last season. Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah believes Love, with his ability as both a runner and receiver, could help the Chiefs "make teams pay" for the defensive schemes they've used to limit the deep ball.

  • The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 27-29.

The players

Jeremiyah Love

A running back from the University of Notre Dame who is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Patrick Mahomes

The starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and a two-time NFL MVP.

Tyreek Hill

A former wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs who was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2022.

Daniel Jeremiah

A former NFL scout who now works as a draft analyst for NFL Network.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I just kind of felt like that was a missing piece for them. I think the Chiefs and Tyreek Hill with him being back in the news and being released -- and we'll see if he ends up back Kansas City -- but I think he was a really key player in that offense.”

— Daniel Jeremiah, Draft Analyst

“I really think because of how explosive and dynamic that Chiefs team was, you saw this shell coverage kind of take over the league, two-high looks willing to concede some yards underneath in the passing game and even in the running game. And just, 'We're not going to let you throw the ball over our heads. We're not going to give up explosive plays.'”

— Daniel Jeremiah, Draft Analyst

“I always thought that, man, with the looks that they see, if you had a dynamic back who not only can run the ball and make you pay for those looks, but someone -- with the safeties and when everybody's so deep -- if you had one-on-one routes. The best matchup in football would be Jeremiyah Love against a linebacker. You get a chance to get explosive without having to throw the ball down the field.”

— Daniel Jeremiah, Draft Analyst

What’s next

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place from April 27-29, so the Chiefs will have the opportunity to select Jeremiyah Love or another player they believe can help restore the explosiveness to their offense.

The takeaway

The Chiefs' offense has become too predictable in recent years, relying too heavily on short, quick passes. Adding a dynamic running back like Jeremiyah Love could help them regain their explosive playmaking ability and force defenses to respect both the run and pass, opening up more opportunities in the passing game.