The Notre Dame Backfield
Love was the headline name in South Bend for three seasons, a unanimous All-American and Doak Walker Award winner who finished his final year with 1,652 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns on a staggering 7.1 yards per carry. Price played behind him for most of that stretch, still managing 1,420 rushing yards at 6.1 yards per carry across his final two seasons as Notre Dame's clear No. 2 back — production that quietly built a first-round case of its own. Arizona took Love third overall in the 2026 draft; Seattle grabbed Price at the very end of the first round, No. 32 overall.
The Combine Numbers
At the 2026 combine, Love ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at 214 pounds — the second-fastest time of any running back in Indianapolis and the fastest ever recorded by a running back with a 90-plus production score over the prior decade. He chose not to participate in the vertical or broad jump, content to let the 40 time and his college tape carry his stock. Price, by contrast, ran a full workout: a 4.49-second 40, a 1.61-second 10-yard split, a 35-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-4 broad jump — solid across the board, with the pass-catching drills that followed drawing as much praise as the testing numbers themselves.
| Measurable | Jeremiyah Love | Jadarian Price |
|---|---|---|
| Height / Weight | 6'0", 214 lbs | 5'11", 203 lbs |
| 40-Yard Dash | 4.36s | 4.49s |
| 10-Yard Split | Did not test | 1.61s |
| Vertical Jump | Did not test | 35" |
| Broad Jump | Did not test | 10'4" |
Where They Stand for Week 1
Love's rookie season opened with real uncertainty. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Arizona's first preseason game, the kind of injury that can linger into the regular season even when it isn't season-ending. As of the start of September, he's described as being in "red-alert mode" to be ready in time — his blazing combine speed doesn't do him much good if the ankle isn't sound enough to plant and cut at full go.
Price's path to a starting workload came through a different door entirely: Seattle's presumed lead back Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL late last season and opened 2026 on the Reserve/PUP list, handing Price the first-team reps as a rookie far earlier than expected. Betting markets have taken notice — Price has drawn some of the heaviest ticket volume of any Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, priced as a live long shot behind his former teammate.