The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 campaign has been a brutal saga of shattered dreams and unfulfilled promise. Armed with a ferocious defense and the fresh-faced J.J. McCarthy stepping into the QB spotlight, fans envisioned a triumphant march through the NFC North. Instead, as Week 13 looms, the Purple People Eaters find themselves mired in a dismal 4-7 quagmire, languishing at the bottom of the division like a shipwrecked vessel.
Playoff elimination hasn’t officially struck yet, but the writing’s on the wall: major reinforcements are incoming this offseason. Enter Jacob Infante of PFSN, whose latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft drops a bombshell for Vikings Nation. At the No. 12 overall pick, Infante envisions Minnesota snagging Notre Dame’s electrifying running back, Jeremiyah Love—a consensus top dog in the RB class and a potential franchise savior.
Infante nails the rationale: “A lot is going wrong with the Minnesota Vikings’ offense right now, and a lot of it falls on bad quarterback play. It’s too early to give up on J.J. McCarthy, so their best hope is to surround him with more talent to take the pressure off of him. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they do that by taking the best running back in the class.
Excluding positional value, I’d argue Jeremiyah Love is at least a top-five player in the 2026 NFL Draft. He falls a little because he’s a running back. Still, he’s an explosive runner who combines sound decision-making between the tackles with elite speed, quick feet, and the ability to change direction, along with toughness that shows up both in the run game and as a receiver after the catch.”
McCarthy’s rookie woes have been a harsh reality check, but why bail on the kid when you can arm him with nuclear-grade weaponry? Bolstering the run game could transform the offense from sputtering jalopy to high-octane powerhouse, easing the burden on the young signal-caller. And Jeremiyah Love? He’s the ultimate upgrade—a human highlight reel ready to explode.
In 2025 alone, Love has torched defenses across 11 games, piling up a jaw-dropping 1,306 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. But don’t sleep on his aerial assault: 26 receptions for 274 yards and three more scores through the air. That’s a staggering 20 touchdowns this season, building on a previous campaign where he eclipsed 1,100 yards and another 17 scores—cementing his status as a 35-touchdown terror over two blistering years.
This gridiron phenom propelled the Fighting Irish to last year’s national championship glory and has them primed for another College Football Playoff run this season. Love isn’t just a runner; he’s a versatile destroyer, blending breakaway speed with bone-crushing contact balance and receiver-like hands that turn checkdowns into chunk plays.
For the Vikings, who’ve plummeted to 25th in total rushing yards and scraped the bottom with just three teams boasting fewer rushing first downs, Love represents salvation. In a season where the passing game has fizzled, he’d be the chain-mover supreme—grinding out yards when McCarthy needs a breather and serving as a reliable safety valve in the short game.
Looking ahead, Aaron Jones will be pushing into his 30s by 2026, and both he and Jordan Mason hit free agency in 2027. Love could seamlessly slide in as the heir apparent, injecting youth, dynamism, and longevity into the backfield. Imagine it: a Vikings offense reloaded, defenses quaking, and McCarthy unleashing his potential with this missile locked and loaded.
If Minnesota pulls the trigger on Love, the NFC North better brace for impact—the Purple reign might just be reborn.