After Jeremiyah Love ran the 40-yard dash at this year's NFL Scouting Combine in 4.36 seconds, the dreams that Minnesota Vikings fans had of the former Notre Dame running back landing with the purple and gold in the upcoming NFL Draft seemed to vanish.
However, one notable draft analyst is still giving Vikings fans hope that the team could still miraculously select Love next month.
On Tuesday, NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah (appropriately named) shared an idea of his that Minnesota should make an attempt to trade up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to pick Love.
"If you're a Minnesota Vikings fan and you look up next year and you've got Kyler Murray at
quarterback, you've got Justin Jefferson, and you've got Jordan Addison, and you're also sitting
there with pick No. 18 [in the NFL Draft], and you look at the way this draft is shaken out.
You look at a team like Washington, who's picking [seventh]. Washington, at this point in time, they do not have a second-round pick, [and] they do not have a fourth-round pick. They only have six picks overall.
I think there's a way Minnesota could get from 18 to seven without even parting with next year's one. I think they have two threes this year, [and] it could be a second-round pick next year.
If I told you, next year, the Minnesota Vikings have Kyler Murray at quarterback, Jeremiyah Love at running back, Jordan Addison, and Justin Jefferson, would you sign up to watch that offense?"
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love would be amazing for the Minnesota Vikings
Adding Love to the mix this year would immediately give the Vikings one of the most explosive offenses in the entire NFL.
Throw in quarterback Kyler Murray as well, who is expected to sign with Minnesota at some point in the near future, and Vikings fans might start having flashbacks to the franchise's 1998 squad that was relentless when it came to scoring points.
Aside from Jeremiah's suggestion, defying the odds and ending up with Love later this year actually did become a little more believable for Minnesota on Monday.
Two teams that were viewed as potential landing spots for the Notre Dame running back in this year's NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints, both spent a good chunk of money in free agency on a new running back on Monday.
The Chiefs were able to agree to a deal with Kenneth Walker III, while the Saints convinced Travis Etienne to come join them in New Orleans.
So, those additions likely eliminate the Chiefs and Saints from the Love sweepstakes. But there are still multiple teams picking very high in the first round, like the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants, who could be interested in using their top pick on the dynamic running back.
But, if Love, somehow, is still on the board by the time it comes for the Washington Commanders to make their first selection with the No. 7 pick, then it might be time for the Vikings to place a call and see if they can turn Jeremiah's idea into a reality.