Who will the Washington Commanders take with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? With only one quarterback expected to go inside the top 10, this draft has a lot of unpredictability. One reason is that the best players in this draft don’t necessarily play premium positions, such as quarterback, offensive tackle, or wide receiver.
One of the best players is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Some may even call Love the best player in the draft. There’s a good chance that Love goes in the top five, perhaps as high as No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans. Many mock drafts have linked Love to Washington.
Advertisement
Why Washington? Well, the Commanders don’t necessarily need a running back, but they don’t have an elite player in the backfield behind quarterback Jayden Daniels. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was an outstanding find last year. He rushed for over 800 and led the Commanders in touchdowns. He returns. However, Love is a different type of player, and Washington may be thinking about how difficult it would be to stop an offense led by Daniels and Love behind a pretty good offensive line.
ESPN NFL analyst and former Washington safety, Matt Bowen, recently profiled the best team fits for the top 20 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
His best fit for Washington? Love.
Love could go as high as No. 4 to Tennessee, but for this exercise, the former Notre Dame star fits in Washington. New coordinator David Blough can bring more balance to the call sheet with Love — a scheme-transcendent player — as a runner and maximize his traits as a receiver, similar to how running back Jahmyr Gibbs is used in Detroit.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels is in serious need of a high-percentage target who can rattle off explosive plays. Love had 39 rushes of 10 or more yards last season, sixth most in the country. His volume as a pass catcher should expand in a pro offense. Love could slot into the lead role here, with free agent signing Rachaad White also seeing touches.
Washington signed running backs Rachaad White and Jerome Ford in free agency, and re-signed Jeremy McNichols. None of those moves would preclude Washington from taking Love. Love has a chance to be one of the NFL’s top backs as a rookie. And playing in the same backfield as Daniels is an exciting proposition.
Advertisement
It will be interesting to see what the Commanders do if Love and any combination of Carnell Tate, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, or David Bailey are available when they go on the clock at No. 7 overall.
Love would be a good fit anywhere, but playing with Daniels would immediately become the NFL’s most exciting backfield.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Jeremiyah Love named best team fit