For teams looking for the "next" Patrick Mahomes in the 2020 NFL draft, no name drew as many comparisons as Jordan Love.
A classic high-risk, high-reward, prospect — Love was plagued by inconsistency in his three years at Utah State. In 2018, he threw 32 touchdowns and added another seven on the ground. But last year he struggled with turnovers (17 interceptions) and his touchdown total dipped to 20.
Love's performance at the NFL scouting combine in February (4.74 40-yard-dash and a solid showing in the quarterback session) did much to alleviate some of the concerns among scouts, and by the end of the draft process he was projected to go as high as the number six spot.
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Here are five things to know about Love:
Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (QB10) speaks to the media during the 2020 NFL Combine in the Indianapolis Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
1. Only one FBS scholarship offer out of high school
In high school he was a two-star recruit, and as a senior he received one FBS scholarship offer (from Utah State). If the past is any indication, though, Love should be fine — there's a long list of two-star recruits who've made it in the NFL.
2. Open to coaching
In the lead-up to April's draft Love didn't dodge questions about his turnover problem in 2019. He's referred to each of his 17 interceptions as "learning opportunities" in interviews with prospective teams. “You’ve got to take the good with the bad,” Love said at the combine. “It’s never fun, but if I don’t want to talk about it, I don’t have to throw 17 interceptions next time.”
3. Biggest hands in this year's QB class
With a hand-measurement of 10.5 inches, count Love as one of the lucky few quarterback prospects to escape the raging debate over hand-size and on-field production. For comparisons sake, Love's mitts are almost a half an inch larger than Payton Manning and Andrew Luck's. They're also a full half an inch larger than any other quarterback in this year's class.
4. Subject of a charity bet
In February, two ESPN draft experts got into a debate on national television about where Love would end up in the draft. To decide their debate, they agreed to a bet — if Love was drafted before fellow prospect Justin Herbert one would pay $5,000 to the Jimmy V Foundation For Cancer Research. If he was drafted after Herbert the other would do the same.
Here we go: @McShay13 bet @MelKiperESPN $5,000 that Jordan Love will go ahead of Justin Herbert in April’s draft; loser of the bet sends $5,000 to the @TheVFoundation. pic.twitter.com/Ix5dDnPFgt
5. Adversity
More important than anything he has done on the field, Love has dealt with real adversity outside the lines. In 2013, when he was just 14, Love's father Orbin Love took his own life.
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