What’s Not To Love About Green Bay

New Orleans on the clock with pick number 24 in the first round. Speculations and expectations were to hear Jordan Love’s name being heard by the commissioner, but the Saints selected Cesar Ruiz center/guard from Michigan.

Then the thought was will Jordan Love drop to the second round?

Well, that question got answered quickly, just two picks later. With the Green Bay Packers selecting with pick number 26. Mountain West fans, Utah State coaches, and Jordan Love all half tuning in. Amidst this abnormal year, the NFL draft followed suit, especially the Green Bay Packers with their first-round selection. The music plays, Goodell reads out from his card, “With the 26th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Green Bay Packers select, Jordan Love, QB, Utah State.” Twitter starts to become active, NFL analysts are intrigued but perplexed, but the bottom line is that Jordan Love will travel across the country to Green Bay.

Jordan Love’s work at Utah State was outstanding. His three-year tenure with the Aggies showcased his talent for his future down the road. Last season, he was able to put up over 3,400 yards through the air, while racking up 20 touchdowns. He had one game over 400 passing yards and several well into the 300’s. So clearly, the potential is there for him. However, he had 17 interceptions last season, so he is going to need to buckle down to become more accurate, in order to become successful in the NFL.

Well, he got really lucky because now his mentor is one of the greats, Aaron Rodgers. Even though Rodgers is winding down his career in the NFL, there are several aspects he should take from his game.

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Throughout his career, Rodgers has been on the money with his receivers and limiting his number of turnovers, especially interceptions. Last season, he only had four balls get picked off in 16 games. He accumulated just over 4,000 passing yards in that span. So, Love is going to need to seek advice from his new teammate and obtain new strategies to limit his turnovers.

Secondly, Love and Rodgers have very similar three-step drops. As everyone knows, Aaron is the master of somehow evading tacklers left and right, then ultimately throwing a dazzling pass to a fellow receiver. Love will potentially be able to learn the abilities to do the same, which will help him become more elusive, and significantly harder to bring down.

Now comes the golden question: In a couple of years or so once Rogers retires, will Love be able to fit into Green Bay’s play-calling style and conduct an offense in the NFL?

First of all, the Packers general manager, Brian Gutekunst attended one of Love’s games in Baton Rouge, in October of last season. It goes to show that Gutekunst and his front office, are genuinely confident that Love can be their future QB. With his stellar, explosive arm, and ability to make something out of nothing, that enticed the Packers front office too much to lose this opportunity to steal him.

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First, Love and the Packers offense go hand in hand. At Utah State, he averaged just over over 7 yards per attempt. Similarly, Rodgers in 2019 hit exactly 7 on the dot. This is significant because now the Packers play-callers aren’t going to need to acquire new routes and plays for Love. It will become easier for Love, his receivers and tight ends to get on the same page sooner. Timing will obviously need to occur, but there is one fewer step to get there now.

Can Love become successful when the franchise is going to be in his own hands? He is definitely going to have the pieces to the offense, to help him succeed. He has was able to take command of the Utah State offense, with few weapons, but now the on the Packers he is going to have a couple of studs. Other than Rodgers, most of the offensive production is young for the Packers and should be hitting their peak, or still performing majorly for the team, when Love is behind center. Aaron Jones, the running back who broke out this past season is sitting at 25 years old. Gifted wideout Davante Adams is only 27. Those two players were vital to Rogers’s success and will need to be similarly for Love. So, Jordan Love is going to have the assets to shine on offense, but questions still emerge.

Will the jump for Jordan be too prominent from a mediocre conference in the Mountain West Conference, to the highest level of play in the NFL?

Jordan Love has played in numerous important games and has shown poise throughout. Whether he is losing time in the pocket, or being hounded down by a defensive player, he has gotten the job done so far. Will, he still be able to do so, with faster, stronger, and more physical players? Well, everyone is going to need to use patience to see the answer.

But Love is going to give the Packers one thing and that is hope. Hope to follow an improbable QB and keep the team in the playoff hunt for years to come. Love is regularly compared to the phenomenal Patrick Mahomes, because of his body build, and his powerful arm. Pat Mahomes, sure hasn’t disappointed, and will his comparable player follow his lead?