"He is a very intriguing name and he could go anywhere from the top 10 to the bottom of the first round"
Thursday 16 April 2020 12:07, UK
Arm talent to rival that of Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes has seen Jordan Love become an intriguing option at the 2020 NFL Draft, says NFL Network reporter James Palmer.
Utah State's Love has been on the periphery of quarterback talk as the Cincinnati Bengals target Joe Burrow at No 1 and the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers mull over Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert at No 5 and No 6, respectively.
The 21-year-old enters the draft as one of the more enigmatic options under center, his strengths as a play-caller weighed down in the eyes of some by an uninspiring 2019 stats sheet.
"I'm hearing a lot of love for Jordan Love," Palmer told Sky Sports. "He has the arm talent which one quarterback evaluator I trust tremendously says he would put up against anybody in the last four drafts.
"Doesn't mean he'll be a great player, doesn't mean he'll live up to that, it's just that the talent he has to throw the football is Patrick Mahomes-esque so that's why there are a lot of people intrigued with him."
Love finished last season 293 of 473 passing for 3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, as well as being sacked 20 times.
This followed a sophomore year in which he completed 267 of 416 passes for a school season record 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 13 games. He also went on to be named MVP in Utah State's 52-13 victory over North Texas in the 2018 New Mexico Bowl.
Palmer added: "There were a lot of turnovers a year ago, but he played at Utah State throwing to guys that are insurance salesman-to-be, they're not NFL players so he is a very intriguing name and he could go anywhere from the top 10 to the bottom of the first round."
Love could still be up for grabs by the time the New England Patriots find themselves on the clock at pick No 23, or perhaps even earlier should they seek to trade up.
Bill Belichick's approach in round one will go some way towards answering whether or not he is prepared to enter the new season with Jarrett Stidham and veteran Brian Hoyer as his quarterbacks, following Tom Brady's departure in free agency.
Palmer explained: "I've heard some people around the league say a couple of things to the nature of they believe the Patriots maybe had one plan in mind at quarterback when they move on from Brady, and now with everything that's gone on with COVID-19 they have a completely different plan at quarterback.
"That might be true when you look at what they have. They bring back Brian Hoyer, somebody who knows their system, and they like Jarrett (Stidham) a lot, somebody who is young and hasn't had a lot of experience but they think he could maybe be that guy. But what do those two guys have in common? They know the Patriots system.
"This might be a shift in the way the Patriots view things, but I wouldn't be shocked if they went and picked somebody like Jordan Love. If he started falling to where they're at."
With NFL team facilities closed and the start to offseason workouts delayed, it remains to be seen whether training camp will begin on time in July.
While virtual platforms provide coaches with an opportunity to stay in contact with players, a lack of personal integration raises questions over the ability to bring rookies, particularly quarterbacks, up to speed for a Week One start.
"I don't see them (the Patriots) going up for a quarterback and making a dramatic move like that, but I do think the way they approach the quarterback spot. A lot of people around the league are definitely going with the approach of 'we have a different offseason, we can wait a year, we're going with the guys that know what we do offensively first'."
"There are plenty of people saying that if you're going to pick Joe Burrow No 1 overall at the Cincinnati Bengals and you trot him out there Week One, if there is a Week One on time, they just don't see how that player can be prepared."
Watch all three days of the 2020 NFL Draft unfold on Sky Sports, April 23-25 - starting with build-up to day one at 6pm on Thursday, April 23 with the first picks expected to be made at 1am. Follow us @SkySportsNFL and at www.skysports.com/NFL
