While Jordan Love remains a divisive figure in Green Bay (by no fault of his own), it became clear this preseason that he has reached a level where he will soon have a shot at a starting job somewhere in the NFL. I thought it would be interesting to compare Love as a prospect compared to other young, developing quarterbacks in the league. So, let’s start with Love…
Jordan Love, Age 23
During preseason, Love showed that he can be at least a competent backup in the NFL, while also highlighting some of the high-end talent that led the Packers to draft him in the first round.
Love demonstrated a command of the offense and the ability to make crisp decisions and fire into a tight window. He demonstrated the arm talent to make off-platform throws, the touch to place the ball where defenders can’t get it, and the moxie to extend plays when necessary. He also exhibited the athleticism to pick up the first down with his legs.
Where Love still struggles at times is with his decision-making and his accuracy. Working with quarterbacks coach Tom Clemens, his mechanics have improved, but his ball placement can still be inconsistent. He is also prone to force the ball.
What is clear is that he will never be the type of quarterback Aaron Rodgers is: hyper efficient and allergic to interceptions. It remains to be seen if he could potentially reach the level of a Patrick Mahomes: a gunslinger who is never out of a game, but who may throw some inopportune interceptions.
Now, let’s compare him to other young prospects…
Younger Prospects (Age 22)
There are currently two NFL prospects that are a year younger than Love:
- Trey Lance of the 49ers
- Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars
With a year under his belt in the NFL, Trevor Lawrence is ahead of Lance and Love in terms of development, but was a below average starter in 2021. He is widely expected to improve this year with more stable coaching and his immense potential. Trey Lance is probably at the most comparable stage to Love’s development at the moment, and it will be interesting to see how he does taking over the reins of a team that reached the NFC championship game.
Age 23 Prospects
There are currently three NFL prospects that are the same age as Love:
- Mac Jones of the Patriots
- Justin Fields of the Bears
- Zach Wilson of the Jets
Mac Jones was an average starter during his rookie season and an effective game manager. He is a high floor, lower ceiling player however, and does not have the upside of Jordan Love. Fields and Wilson were both low quality starters during 2021, and it remains to be seen whether they will grow to become quality starters in the league.
Age 24 Prospects
There are currently four NFL prospects that are the same age as Love:
- Justin Herbert of the Chargers
- Jalen Hurts of the Eagles
- Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins
- Kenny Pickett of the Steelers
Justin Herbert is the clear home run among prospects that are age 24 and below. He is already regarded as a top 5 quarterback in the league with room to get even better. Hurts is an average starter in the league with questionable upside. Tagovailoa came in with a ton of hype as a playmaker, but was a below average starter in his first two seasons. 2022 will be a make or break year for him whether he will again be seen as a top end prospect. Kenny Pickett comes into the league as a 24-year-old rookie, backing up Mitch Trubisky.
Mature Prospects
It can be argued that athletes that are 25 and above have reached their athletic peak and might be expected to play at a similar level to last year. Among quarterbacks in the 25 to 29 range, you have:
- elite players like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes
- high quality starters like Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and Dak Prospect
- average starters like Carson Wentz and Jameis Winston
- low quality starters such as Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Jared Goff
- a sexual predator named DeShaun Watson
It will be interesting to watch Jordan Love’s development over the coming years and of course, it is not at all certain that he will actually display those talents with the Green Bay Packers.