While the Arizona Cardinals played in the Hall of Fame Game last week, Jeremiyah Love was held out of action. So when the Cardinals returned to action for their Week 1 preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, Love’s debut became must-see TV.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft didn’t play a ton, but he still received 14 touches. That’s more than anyone was likely anticipating for the prized rookie.
So, how did the former Notre Dame running back do in his unofficial NFL debut?
Cardinals’ Jeremiyah Love Flashes Star Talent in Preseason Debut
Love ended the game with 11 carries for 58 rushing yards. He also caught three passes for 14 yards, but the stat line doesn’t do his performance justice. The highlights tell more of the story.
That’s where fans will see Love spinning, juking, and hurdling his way past the Raiders’ defense. While he didn’t play in the second half, Love did get a chance to show off the explosiveness that could make him a special talent in the pros.
One of the plays that stuck out the most was this hurdle over a would-be tackler. The 16-yard rush was his longest gain of the night.
Overall, Love looked decisive and athletic, planting his foot in the ground when he needed to make a quick cut. He also frequently turned to the spin move to get away from defenders, as seen below.
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Love showcased a wide variety of ball-carrier moves in his arsenal, and the scary part is he’s still just 21 years old, meaning there’s no way to go but up. While this was just his first time getting adjusted to the size, speed, and strength of the NFL, it’s hard to imagine what Love might be capable of once he’s an experienced pro.
Here are the full highlights from Love’s NFL debut.
Love looks capable of making an impact right away. If the Cardinals continue to feed him like they did in his preseason debut, he just might be a viable candidate to be crowned the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That said, he’ll still be sharing the backfield workload with Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. For now, Love is second on the team’s depth chart, but more showings like this could see him climb up the ladder into the starting role before the regular season kicks off.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.