Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty ImagesJeremiyah Love hasn’t taken a single NFL snap yet, but he’s already rewriting the financial record books at the running back position.The Arizona Cardinals’ decision to take him early in the 2026 NFL Draft has instantly placed him in historic territory, not just as a prospect, but as the highest-paid running back ever in terms of guaranteed money.And in doing so, Love has surpassed a mark that belonged to one of the league’s most established stars.Photo by Jason Miller/Getty ImagesJeremiyah Love sets new benchmark for RB contractsAs revealed in Ari Meirov’s latest update, Love’s rookie deal has already broken new ground.“New Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love will make $50.5M fully guaranteed on his rookie contract, the most fully guaranteed money ever given to a RB in NFL history,” Meirov wrote.The number is staggering, especially for a rookie. But it reflects both his draft position and how the NFL’s rookie wage scale works for top picks, where contracts are fully guaranteed and tied directly to where a player is selected.In Love’s case, being a top-three pick has translated into a four-year deal worth just over $50 million, with every dollar locked in before he even steps onto the field.How Jeremiyah Love’s deal surpasses Saquon Barkley’s markTo understand the magnitude of this deal, it helps to compare it to Saquon Barkley’s record-setting extension, which stood as the benchmark for running backs.Barkley’s deal with the Philadelphia Eagles was worth $41.2 million in total value, with around $36 million guaranteed, numbers that reset the market for veteran running backs at the time.Love’s contract doesn’t just edge past that, it completely redefines it.