Jeremiyah Love had the first snaps of his NFL career on Thursday, with the Arizona Cardinals facing the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 of the preseason. The running back finished his night with 11 carries for 58 yards, while adding 14 yards in three receptions.
It was a solid debut for the third overall pick, and he was one of the most exciting players to watch as many teams took the field for the first time. The 2026 season is expected to be a difficult one for the Cardinals, but watching Love could make the year way more exciting.
PFN Analysts Praise Jeremiyah Love After Great Preseason Debut
Starters don’t usually play a lot in the preseason, but in Love’s case, it was a good way to give him a few extra touches. Not only was it his first live action in the NFL, but new head coach Mike LaFleur could also try a few things as he begins his era as the Cardinals coach.
Love was impressive and made many highlight-worthy plays, including a hurdle over Raiders cornerback Greedy Vance Jr. The move impressed PFN analyst Jacob Infante, who called the running back a “stud” for pulling off such a play in a preseason game.
“Jeremiyah Love just pulling out a hurdle on the draw play in a preseason game this dude’s a stud lmao”, said Infante.
Another PFN analyst who was impressed with Love’s first preseason game was Ian Cummings, who noted how the running back seems to be the complete package.
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“Jeremiyah Love runs with *so* much snap and energy, and that puts every creative tool in the tool kit on the table in open space: Spins, jukes, hurdles — seeing all of it tonight”, Cummings wrote on X.
Alex Kennedy was also impressed by Love’s hurdle over the defender, calling the rookie “electric”:
With the Cardinals playing the Raiders, Kyle Soppe recalled Ashton Jeanty’s poor preseason debut a year ago. Soppe also praised the Cardinals’ offensive scheme under LaFleur, noting that the running back will be the key to a more positive year.
“Round 1 goes to the “don’t worry about Ashton Jeanty as a data point” crowd when it comes to Jeremiyah Love. Jeanty had 3 carries for -1 yard in his first preseason game last year. Offensive balance can make this Arizona offense interesting and it all starts with #4″, said Soppe.
Oliver Hodgkinson approved the rookie’s performance and noted that it would be smart for Arizona to preserve him for the regular season after his great debut:
“Probably don’t need to see Jeremiyah Love again this preseason. Stud at Notre Dame. Stud in the NFL.”
And finally, Matt Infante wrote about Love’s performance from a fantasy perspective, advising players that the best time to draft the running back is now: he won’t be available in the later rounds after his debut.
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“Jeremiyah Love is about to see his ADP rise after tonight. I hope you’ve all been drafting him before today. Because you won’t get him any cheaper than you did this afternoon”, Infante wrote on X.
The Cardinals had a great debut from Carson Beck during the Hall of Fame Game, and now Love also had a good game to begin his career.
Even in what’s projected to be a tough year for Arizona, the team’s young players could be the reason to tune in and watch the games.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.