3 & Out - Jeremiyah Love at the combine, Speed is taking over the NFL, AI's impact on the NFL

Quick check‑in from me, a little beat up from the combine and a sick newborn at home, but we’re rolling with big takeaways today, then a mailbag and a player guest midweek, plus a little golf chaos and free agency on deck.

What jumped off the turf in Indy? Jeremiah Love looked like a franchise piece at running back with six feet, two hundred twelve pounds, a blazing four three six, clean drills, and the kind of competitor who volunteered extra receiving work when he didn’t need to, which tells you why he feels like a top ten lock and maybe even a Titan at four or a Saint at eight.

How do I see running backs now? I still lean premium tackle or edge in the very top range, but Love is the rare back in the Bijan and McCaffrey mold whose versatility and character justify going early, and his all‑in approach in Indy was a loud answer to the wave of prospects skipping workouts on agent advice.

What did the combine say about Fernando Mendoza and the champs? Mendoza’s the clear number one, and realizing Indiana might not have another guy until round three made that title even wilder when you stack it against Ohio State’s conveyor belt, Oregon’s track team of testers, and Miami’s freak show headlined by Bane and a giant at tackle, which only underscores how NIL and Kurt Sigmetti’s impact changed what was possible.

Why are injuries up? The league has never been faster across every position, while the sport practices less than ever after the death of two‑a‑days, and that combo of top‑end speed with fewer reps at game pace is a bad recipe for staying healthy.

What’s the quarterback market vibe? Malik Willis benefitted from timing and clear growth, so I could see three years around seventy‑five million with fifty guaranteed even if he lands on a rough roster, while Kyler looks more like a future backup than a trade chip, Tua feels risky for bidders, and Tyson Bagent has real trade value because teams will always pay for hope.

Is AI coming for football jobs? I didn’t hear that buzz in my rooms, and while software can crank out cutups or even draw plays—which puts quality control roles at risk—area scouts live on human intel you can’t scrape, like maturity, wiring, and the off‑the‑record stuff only relationships unlock.

What really decides NFL careers? This league rewards serious people who put every chip in the middle, and no algorithm can measure that, which is why living in the real world with real conversations beats living in the feed.

Any combine stories? I ended up shoulder to shoulder in that makeshift club, locked eyes with a newly bald Brandon Staley for an awkward hello, met Anthony Weaver who looks every bit a future head coach, crossed paths with Joe Brady, and was struck by how low‑key and respected Mike Macdonald is after jumping back to Baltimore and managing a delicate staff dynamic like a pro.

What’s the best way to break into football? Go to Indy during combine week, be social, shake hands, and you’ll meet people you’d never reach otherwise in a world that’s part Bravo show, part fight gym, part Wall Street.

Final note from me: get some sun, talk to people, and keep it human, because that’s still where the real edge lives.