2026 NFL Draft: Titans Explore Adding Marcus Freeman’s Athlete to Strengthen Cam Ward Setup
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Notre Dame has never been known as a running back factory. Yet Marcus Freeman quietly built something in South Bend that the program hasn’t seen in years, a backfield so loaded that two of his runners are drawing first-round projections in the same draft class. That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident, and at least one NFL franchise with a second-year quarterback in desperate need of weapons has taken very close notice.
The Tennessee Titans are the heavy favorites to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. DraftKings has him at -115 to land in Nashville, about a coin flip. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, and NBC Sports’ Connor Rogers all have Love headed to Tennessee in their latest mock drafts. A pre-draft visit to Nashville sealed the buzz.
Absolutely can see Titans taking Love https://t.co/vBSkwQM88T
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) March 17, 2026
Jeremiah laid out the logic on March 18. “Tennessee addressed a lot of its defensive needs in free agency, which frees the team up to take my No. 2 player in the draft to help Cam Ward,” he said. Love jumped from No. 9 in Jeremiah’s previous mock all the way to No. 4, a climb driven by combine performance and Tennessee’s aggressive defensive spending this offseason.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky reinforced the offensive philosophy behind the interest. “The most important thing in Tennessee this year is for Cam Ward to take a big step,” Orlovsky said. “The best way for that to happen is to put as many good offensive weapons around him.” That framing puts Love’s fit in Nashville in a different light altogether and sets up an interesting decision when the Titans step to the podium.
How Marcus Freeman’s Star Fits the Brian Daboll Blueprint in Nashville
Love’s college production doesn’t just check boxes; it challenges what a rebuilding offense can become in a single draft pick.
He rushed for 1,372 yards and scored 18 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish in 2025, carrying Freeman’s offense on his back all season. Tony Pollard is still under contract in Nashville, but NBC Sports’ Rogers didn’t sugarcoat the comparison: “The Titans need a superstar to pair with Cam Ward on offense. This draft doesn’t have a lot of players with that ceiling, but Jeremiyah Love does.”
Tennessee spent the offseason reinforcing its defense through free agency and trades. The draft is where the offense answers back. If Love goes No. 4, it ends an eight-year drought of running backs cracking the top five and says everything about how seriously the Titans are treating Cam Ward’s sophomore season.
