Introduction: Love, a 6’4, 225lb Junior QB for Utah State, initially from Bakersfield Ca, is set to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Love played under head coaches Matt Wells and then Gary Andersen is a project-QB with rare upside. Despite the coaching changes, Utah State’s offense did not change much after bringing in Andersen and OC, Mike Sanford Jr. Love saw a decline in stats from his sophomore to junior season, but there were a variety of factors outside his control that contributed to that.
Games watched:
@Michigan State 8/31/18
@ Wake Forest 8/30/19
@LSU 10/5/19
Vs Nevada 10/20/19
@Fresno State 11/9/19
Positives:
- Elite physical tools as a passer
- Can buy time with his legs and beat you with speed. (Probably going to run between 4.7-4.9 in the 40)
- Ideal size and stature
- Accurate intermediate and deep passer
- An underrated athlete who can ad-lib, extend plays, and beat you with his legs
- Ultra-quick release, ad-lib skills, ball velocity, and the ability to throw off any footing makes it tough to blitz him.
- Clean footwork and throwing mechanics.
- Effortless throw power from a variety of different angles.
- Maintains accuracy on off-schedule throws, even when feet are not set or throwing across his body
- Processes quickly when the play breaks down.
- His stats would be vastly better if not for the talent around him
Negatives:
- Major regression stats-wise from Sophomore to Junior season.
- Far from NFL-ready from the standpoint of working progressions and reading defenses.
- Often pre-determines where he wants to go with the ball.
- Needs to become a better decision-maker
- Accurate, but occasionally off on easy throws
Draft projection: I think he will get selected picks 10-20. Teams are looking for another Patrick Mahomes and his physical tools are too similar to Mahomes to ignore.
Bottom line and career projection. I would draft him in the Top-10, but sit him for 1-2 seasons. Here’s why:
He’s a few seasons away from being NFL ready, but if he puts in the work to and gets the right coaching he can end up being one of the best QBs in the NFL. Like Daniel Jones, his stats don’t tell the true story about the player he is because of the poor talent that surrounded him. I believe his bad habits of working his progression are somewhat exaggerated. They do exist, no question, but I believe they were picked up somewhat of a result of his unreliable supporting cast. Most developing QBs will easily pick up bad habits in these situations. There is a lot more tape of him working through his progressions than what he is given credit for. Although not a small task for a QB, if he learns to read defenses and work his progressions, and gets the right coaching, teams will regret passing on him.He is a rare talent and his issues are ones that can be fixed through coaching.
