2020 NFL Draft: Jordan Love could be the next Aaron Rodgers for Green Bay Packers
In the 2005 NFL Draft, a quarterback from the University of California named Aaron Rodgers was infamously free-falling from potential No. 1 overall pick to the last guy in the green room. The Green Bay Packers certainly did not need a quarterback in Round 1 because future Hall of Famer Brett Favre was still playing at a very high level and locked into big long-term contract.
Rodgers truly thought he would go first overall to his hometown team, the San Francisco 49ers, but they took Utah quarterback Alex Smith instead. Finally, the Packers called Rodgers' name at No. 24 overall. Of course, Rodgers would sit and learn behind Favre until 2008, but that pick in hindsight was utter genius by then-general manager Ted Thompson.
The current GM of the Packers is Brian Gutekunst and reports are that he and other Packers officials are enamored with the physical gifts of Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (who has prototypical NFL size at 6-foot-4, 224 pounds but also had an FBS-high 17 picks last year) in the 2020 draft even though Rodgers is still playing at a Hall of Fame level and is a fairly young 36.
Then again, Favre was 36 when Green Bay drafted Rodgers in 2005, and Rodgers has said previously he's not interested in playing into his 40s like Tom Brady or Drew Brees. Rodgers is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, when he'll be 40.
The Packers are one of the teams that has met virtually with Love, but so reportedly did the Dolphins, Chargers, Raiders, Saints and Colts. All of those teams pick before the Packers in the first round but Indianapolis (traded first-rounder to San Francisco for DeForest Buckner). It's rather unlikely that Love is still around when the Packers 30th, although they certainly could trade up.
William Hill sportsbook gives Love an Over/Under draft spot of 16.5, with both options at -115 (bet $115 to win $100). Love is currently taking heavy action (around 79 percent) on the Over, meaning bettors at the site believe is going 16th or later. We disagree.
NFL Pick: Under 16.5
Share This Story