3. Jordan Love, Utah State
Entering this season, Jordan Love had a lot of believers. He had just come off a fantastic sophomore campaign that saw him throw for 3,567 yards with a 32-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Then in 2019, he took a step backward.
Love finished his final season with Utah State throwing for 3,402 yards with a 20-to-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio. While he takes some blame for that, there were other influences. He was not only learning a new scheme but the majority of his starters from the prior season were gone as well.
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Of course, that’s the name of the game in collegiate sports. These signal-callers have to roll with the punches as players and coaches leave constantly, which isn’t exactly something he won’t see in the NFL. This isn’t to say Love is a bad prospect, but rather that he will have to learn how to adapt better while at the next level.
As for how he looks on the field, Love seems like a great fit for the Panthers. He has the arm strength to make all the throws but is also very mobile — something that teams desire more of as NFL offenses are evolving. He won’t be as much of a dual-threat as Cam Newton was during his career, but Love can take advantage of openings and take off and run if nothing is there downfield.
The real question comes down to whether or not the Panthers want to spend the No. 7 overall pick on Love because that’s what it will take to get him. There’s little chance that he will last until the second round, even with his struggles in 2019.