Last year’s draft saw six running backs taken in the first two days, including two first-rounders. 2024 didn’t see a rusher selected until the midpoint of the second round. 2023 showed the same output as 2025, and like 2024, the 2022 draft failed to see a first-round running back.
Now, we already know that the 2026 NFL Draft will not follow the even-year trend as Notre Dame sensation Jeremiyah Love is widely projected to become a top-five pick, but after him, who will be the second running back off the board, and where will they be taken? Oddly, enough, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Love’s backfield running mate Jadarian Price is considered by many teams to be the RB2 in this year’s draft class, meaning the Fighting Irish could put out the first two rushers in the draft.
Unfairly forced to play second fiddle to Love all three years of his time in college, Price still made a name for himself, rushing for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns over his three years in South Bend, averaging six yards per carry over the course of his career. Scouts saw Price maintain that maximum efficiency while operating on only 6.8 carries per game, keeping his legs much fresher than those of Love. Price operates by vision with patience for developing holes in the offensive line. He has impressive acceleration once he finds his outlet and runs with impressive balance and body control.
Price was certainly impressive in limited time, but NFL teams do not have film on him in extended use. His change of direction doesn’t look necessarily smooth, and his patience behind the line can sometimes leave him over-reliant on bouncing outside. He also benefitted massively from the impressive Notre Dame line in front of him, but he may struggle if his NFL line doesn’t create lanes consistently. Additionally, despite the short sample size, Price showed lots of room for improvement in ball security.
Arkansas’s Mike Washington Jr. is widely seen as the RB3 of the class behind Love and Price. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Price as the 39th-best overall prospect, Dane Brugler of The Athletic slots him in at 51st overall, and Todd McShay of The Ringer puts Price at 69th. Washington doesn’t appear in Jeremiah’s top 50 but ranks 85th on Brugler’s list and 96th on McShay’s. If rankings determined draft order, this would slot Price in the mid- to late-second round and Washington solidly in the third.
Interestingly, though, when a draft is so thin on prospects at a single position, it can price that position at a premium, inflating the stock of some lower-ranked prospects. Because of that possible effect, there’s a sense that Price could potentially find his way into the first round. Once Price’s name is called, the position could see a run of selections by teams eager to add fresh legs to their room.
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