Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL/MAY 2026 37 But Love is by no means satisfied. Not by a long shot. "When I get to my third contract and that's over, hopefully one day I get a gold jacket and I've made the Pro Bowl five- plus years. Then I will think that I've had some type of success," Love said. FOR THE RIGHT PRICE Notre Dame running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider had a lengthy conversa- tion with a represen- tative from the Seattle Seahawks at pro day. That's a positive sign for Price, who has of- ten been connected to the defending Super Bowl champions. Price would slide right into the role previously held by Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. His range feels like it starts with Se- attle's first-round pick at No. 32 overall and ends with its second-round pick at No. 64, with the Minnesota Vikings at No. 49 emerging as a popular mock draft destination in the weeks leading up to the draft. If he does go in the first round, Notre Dame would be the first team with two running backs selected on Day 1 since Arkansas (Darren Mc- Fadden and Felix Jones) in 2008. The Irish are virtually guaranteed to produce the first two running backs off the board, with most believing there's a sizable gap between Price and the next-best prospect. Despite living in Love's shadow for two seasons, Price owned the spotlight when he got his shot. And he did it in more ways than one. "I'll take advantage of any op- portunity I have on the field," Price said at pro day. "If I'm limited to just offense, then you're not getting all you have out of me. Just get- ting out there on special teams and showing what I can do with the ball in my hands is fun, and it's special." Price fills the "explosive play creator" for NFL teams as well, finishing his college career with 280 carries for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground, along- side 15 receptions for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. And like he said, his special teams value might put him over the top for some clubs. Price led college football with 37.5 yards per kickoff return in 2025, and he was one of five players with 2 return touchdowns. He's entering the NFL at the right time, too. Kickoff return rates are way up around the league, with 17 percent of kickoffs resulting in touch- backs in 2025 (as of early October) as opposed to 65 percent in 2024. Price was a first-team All-American by Sports Illustrated as a kickoff returner in his final season with the Irish, which is something he'll cherish for a long time. "Coming back through the halls and seeing my plaque on the wall as an All- American, that's crazy to even say out loud," said Price, who values the people at Notre Dame. "[I am proud of] the impact I made here, on and off the field, and most importantly, the people I met here. People I'll remember forever, going down the line." OTHER CANDIDATES TO GET THEIR NAMES CALLED Wide receiver Malachi Fields is ex- pected to be the next Notre Dame player off the board, following Love and Price. He received some first-round buzz after his breakout perfor- mance at the Senior Bowl , b u t Ro u n d s 2 and 3 seem more likely. Fields' size, hands, route-running and contested catch ability should have him off the board by the time Day 2 comes to a close, though. Tight end Eli Raridon, guard Billy Schrauth and offensive tackle Aamil Wagner should also be drafted at some point. Raridon's projections are all over the place, with some supporters argu- ing for late Round 2 to all the way back in Round 5. Schrauth could go on Day 2 or Day 3 as well, while Wagner is most likely ticketed for a mid-Day 3 selection. That exhausts the list of Fighting Irish who were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. But more Notre Dame players could sneak into the back end of the draft. Nickel back DeVonta Smith and wide receiver Will Pauling made compelling cases at pro day, giving themselves a shot. Pauling's 4.37 40-yard dash and 42-inch vertical jump could get him drafted. Scouts also likely noticed how well-liked he is; he received by far the most vocal support from Notre Dame's current players be- fore, during and after his 40. Smith's 40 came in at a not-ter- rible-but-not-great 4.55, but his explosiveness and agility numbers were fantastic. His 43-inch vertical jump, 4.14 20-yard shuttle and 6.84 three-cone drill would have ranked second, first and first among all cor- nerbacks at the Combine. If Smith and Pauling are drafted, Notre Dame's total will be the high- est it's been in the Marcus Freeman era. The current bar is seven, set in 2023. ✦ "I tell NFL teams that I want to be the best of all time. I want to be a Hall of Famer. I want to be a Pro Bowler, very first year. I want to win Offensive Rookie of the Year." LOVE Wide receiver Malachi Fields' size, hands, route-running and con- tested catch ability have positioned him to be selected on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER