Notre Dame star RB Jeremiyah Love out of Bears' reach, but other prospects intrigue at pro day
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — As Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love progressed toward becoming a top NFL prospect, the way the league valued his position was erratic.
As he wrapped up his high school career in 2022, no running backs went in the first round, even after Saquon Barkley’s arrival. Then the Falcons took Bijan Robinson in the top 10. Then none again. Last year, Ashton Jeanty went to the Raiders at No. 6.
Love, a potential top-five pick, hopes he’ll help solidify how much running backs still matter in the modern game. He totaled 2,497 yards and 40 total touchdowns over the last two seasons and was Heisman Trophy runner-up last season.
“Each draft class has done a great job increasing the value of running backs,” he said Tuesday at Notre Dame’s pro day. “We had Bijan, Jeanty, me, Saquon — a lot of these backs have been putting on for the position. Them doing what they have done has further propelled the importance of having a good running back.”
No one has to sell Bears coach Ben Johnson on that, but Love is out of his reach. The Bears will pick 25th when the draft begins April 23, then at Nos. 57 and 60 overall in the second round.
Other Notre Dame prospects are on their radar, though, and the Bears sent multiple scouts Tuesday.
Running back Jadarian Price, who excelled even while sharing the backfield with Love, is projected to go late in the first round or slip to the second. Offensive guard Billy Schrauth, a three-year starter who can play center, could be a good option in the second round.
The Bears must weigh a variety of needs. They have holes at left tackle and safety and should be exploring upgrades at several other spots. They traded for former Patriots center Garrett Bradbury after Drew Dalman’s surprising retirement, but he’s entering the final season of his contract and might not be a long-term solution.
Schrauth said he has practiced at center throughout his time at Notre Dame and that the Bears inquired about it in a meeting with him.
“I would take a lot of pride in doing it,” Schrauth said. “Most teams ask about it. If you’re an interior offensive lineman, you’ve got to practice it because you never know when your number is going to be called.”
The Bears could target Schrauth in the second round and develop him behind Bradbury until he’s ready. They’re already set at guard with Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
Running back is another interesting position for the Bears after finishing sixth in the NFL in rushing last season with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Swift is going into the last season of his contract and Monangai showed promise as a rookie, but Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles could pivot if they see a chance to improve that position.
While all the attention has been on Love, Price averaged 6.1 yards per carry and scored 20 offensive touchdowns over the last two seasons, in addition to three career special teams touchdowns. There’s certainly a gap between the two, but ESPN rated Price the second-best prospect at his position.
Love said an NFL team would get “everything you’re getting in me” by drafting Price.
Picking a running back in the first two rounds is much less likely for the Bears than other positions that feel more pressing. Swift is still just 27 and coming off his best season, and Monangai finished fifth in his draft class in rushing as a rookie. Johnson can work with that.
But offensive line is a priority, and it almost always requires teams to invest premium resources in order to get it right. The Bears thought they’d solved that a year ago, only to have Dalman leave and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo suffer a major injury. That makes Schrauth worth a look.