The Redskins are among several teams "doing serious homework" on Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported over the weekend.
The 21-year-old is a dynamic passer who threw for 3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions as a junior in 2019, while rushing for nine touchdowns over three seasons at Utah State. Love made scouts' radars the season prior, completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The source is Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells, who recruited and coached Love for his first two seasons at Utah State. Wells tells ESPN in the report, published Saturday, he's discussed Love with seven NFL head coaches "who called him in the past five days." Further, Washington is among six teams Fowler reports who are "doing varying levels of homework on Love."
Measurables: 6'4" 224 lbs. | 40 Time: 4.74
College: Utah St. | Class: Junior | Age: 21
On the surface – even if the report is accurate, and Ron Rivera was among those who contacted Wells – it's hard to take the Redskins' interest in Love seriously. Outside of trading the second overall pick, Washington wouldn't be in a position to make a pick where Love, the fourth-best quarterback on the board, is worthy of drafting.
What They're Saying
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein compares Love to Blake Bortles, writing, "His size, mobility and arm talent combined with his 2018 flashes could be a winning hand that leads a team into the future or a siren's song of erratic play and unfulfilled potential."
JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington was a bit more blunt: "Love at No. 2 seems crazy, and a first-round QB for the Redskins seems unlikely."
In conclusion, this one doesn't really pass muster. The only scenario where it could make sense doesn't even seem likely. That would involve the Redskins trading back, which would mean passing on Ohio State's Chase Young, to a late enough point in the first round where Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon's Justin Herbert both are already off the board.
All of which seems extremely implausible.
