The Cleveland Browns are seriously entertaining the idea of selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to projections published April 4. Love is currently mocked as a top-five to top-eight selection — a remarkable standing for a position that most front offices have quietly deprioritized in the early rounds. For a Browns team still sorting out its quarterback situation, the decision carries real consequences either way.
Cleveland holds the sixth pick after a 2025 season that left the franchise searching for answers on offense. The Browns already used a second-round selection in 2025 on running back Quinshon Judkins, who broke out in his first pro season. Adding Love on top of that investment would give offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski — or whoever calls plays in 2026 — one of the more physically punishing backfield combinations in the AFC North.
Why the Cleveland Browns Are Even Considering This Pick
Cleveland’s interest in Love makes sense when you map the roster against the draft board. Love is described as a generational talent at the position, and the Browns drafting him at No. 6 would only be controversial by the standards of modern draft theory, not by the eye test. Running backs selected in the top ten have historically faced skepticism, yet franchises that pair two elite ball-carriers have consistently ranked among the league’s top rushing offenses by DVOA.
Breaking down the advanced metrics, teams that run the ball with two legitimate featured backs — splitting carries in the 55-45 range rather than a hard starter-backup split — tend to keep defensive coordinators guessing on personnel packages. A Love-Judkins tandem would force opposing defenses to commit extra men to the box, which opens up play-action opportunities for whichever quarterback Cleveland eventually locks in as its starter. The Browns’ offensive line, still built around run-first principles, would give both backs room to operate.
The numbers suggest Love’s college production warrants the hype. At Notre Dame, he was a featured weapon in both the running and receiving game, the kind of back who logs meaningful snap count on third downs rather than getting subbed out for a pass-catching specialist. That versatility matters enormously in today’s NFL, where target share out of the backfield is a legitimate fantasy football and scheme-design consideration.
The Case Against Taking Love at Sixth Overall
Selecting a running back in the top ten is a decision that draft strategy analysts have argued against for over a decade, and the Cleveland Browns brass will hear that pushback loudly if they pull the trigger. The core counterargument is straightforward: the position simply does not deliver the same win-rate return on investment as quarterback, pass rusher, or left tackle when taken that high.
Cleveland’s quarterback room is the bigger variable here. The Browns could look completely different under center 12 months from now, and a franchise quarterback taken at No. 6 would almost certainly deliver more long-term value than even a generational back. If Cleveland lands — or develops — a legitimate starter at quarterback, the offensive ceiling rises regardless of who carries the ball. Spending a top-six pick on a running back while the QB spot stays unsettled is a salary cap strategy that requires everything else to break right.
There is also the dead money consideration. Top-ten picks carry fifth-year option contracts, meaning the Browns would be committing roughly $20-plus million in future cap space to a running back — a position where the league’s most efficient teams have moved toward a committee approach precisely to avoid that kind of financial exposure. The Browns’ salary cap situation in 2027 and 2028 would feel the weight of that decision.
What Does the Love-Judkins Backfield Actually Look Like?
A 1-2 punch with Love and Judkins could push the Browns into another offensive tier, provided the coaching staff finds the right formula for splitting carries. Judkins showed in 2025 that he can handle a featured workload, logging enough touches as a second-round pick to establish himself as a legitimate NFL starter. Love, projected as a top-five talent, would arrive with a higher draft pedigree and presumably a larger role — which creates the carry-split puzzle that every offensive coordinator dreads.
The film shows that Love excels in space after contact, the kind of trait that complements a downhill runner like Judkins rather than duplicating his skill set. If Cleveland’s scheme leans on outside zone concepts — which fits the personnel already on the roster — Love’s lateral agility would be a genuine asset on early downs. Judkins, meanwhile, has shown the short-yardage efficiency that wins red zone snaps. The two backs are not carbon copies, which is exactly what makes the pairing worth discussing at a schematic level.
Cleveland Browns Draft Strategy: What Happens Next?
The Cleveland Browns have until late April to finalize their board, and the Love debate will likely intensify as the draft order locks in. Cleveland’s front office, led by general manager Andrew Berry, has shown a willingness to take non-traditional positions early when the value lines up — but a top-six running back would be the boldest call of Berry’s tenure.
Based on available data, Love’s draft stock is fluid enough that he may not even reach No. 6. If another team trades up to grab him at two or three, the Browns’ decision gets made for them. But if Love slides — even slightly — Cleveland will face real pressure to justify passing on him in favor of a defensive lineman, cornerback, or offensive tackle. The AFC North’s draft strategy analysis will be worth tracking closely, given that Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati are all building rosters capable of challenging for the division title.
The broader context here matters: Cleveland has not won a playoff game since the 2020 postseason run. The front office is under pressure to show a credible path back to contention, and the 2026 NFL Draft represents one of the few levers the organization can pull without waiting on free agency or a trade. Whether Love is that lever — or whether Berry looks elsewhere at No. 6 — will define how the Browns are evaluated heading into training camp.
Key Developments in the Browns’ Draft Deliberations
- Love is currently projected as a top-five to top-eight pick in most 2026 NFL Draft boards, making him one of the most discussed non-quarterback prospects at the top of the class.
- Quinshon Judkins was selected by Cleveland in the second round of the 2025 draft and broke out during his first professional season, establishing himself as a legitimate featured back.
- Cleveland’s front office has acknowledged that the quarterback room could look significantly different by the time the 2027 season arrives, adding uncertainty to any skill-position investment made at No. 6.
- The Browns hold the sixth overall selection in the 2026 draft, a pick that carries a mandatory fifth-year option for the selected player under the current CBA structure.
- Love’s receiving ability out of the backfield at Notre Dame distinguishes him from a pure downhill back, giving him a projected role on third-down packages at the NFL level.
When is the 2026 NFL Draft and where will it be held?
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for late April 2026. The Cleveland Browns hold the sixth overall pick. The host city for the 2026 draft has been confirmed as Green Bay, Wisconsin, marking the first time the event has been held in a smaller NFL market in the modern era of the draft as a standalone spectacle.
Has the NFL ever seen a running back selected in the top five in recent years?
Running backs taken in the top five have become extremely rare since 2018. Saquon Barkley went second overall to the New York Giants in 2018 — the last back drafted that high. The league-wide shift toward passing offenses and cost-controlled running back contracts has pushed most front offices to wait until Day 2 to address the position, making Love’s projected top-eight status unusual.
Who is Quinshon Judkins and what did he do in 2025?
Quinshon Judkins is a running back the Cleveland Browns selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He broke out during his rookie season, handling a featured workload and establishing himself as a legitimate starter. Before the NFL, Judkins played college football at Ole Miss and Ohio State, where he was one of the most productive backs in the country.
What position does Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry typically prioritize in the first round?
Andrew Berry, who has served as Cleveland’s general manager since 2020, has generally used first-round picks on offensive linemen, pass rushers, and quarterbacks. Berry traded up for Deshaun Watson in 2022 and has shown flexibility in draft approach, but selecting a running back at No. 6 would represent the most position-value-defying pick of his tenure with the organization.
How does Jeremiyah Love’s college production compare to other top running back prospects?
Jeremiyah Love played at Notre Dame, where he functioned as both a featured rusher and a receiving option out of the backfield — a dual-threat profile that scouts prize at the next level. His ability to log meaningful snaps on third downs, rather than being replaced by a specialist, separates him from one-dimensional prospects and contributes directly to his top-eight projection on most 2026 draft boards.
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