Will Jordan Love help the Cleveland Browns on draft night?

In the last few days, multiple teams have continued their due diligence on quarterback Jordan Love. If a team gets aggressive moving up for Love, could that help the Cleveland Browns in the draft?

As we are now just over a week from the first round of the NFL draft, players are seeing their stock rise or drop as teams continue to evaluate combine statistics and game film. Quarterback Jordan Love from Utah State is no different, as it appears teams continue to be torn on his NFL potential.  A rise in Love’s stock could potentially help the Cleveland Browns tremendously.

After 2018, Love was one of the top quarterback prospects, but decided to return to Utah State for his senior season. As a junior, Love threw for over 3,500 yards, which included 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions. This powerful season brought Love’s name into first-round discussions.

After a somewhat disappointing senior season in 2019, Love is still the fourth-best quarterback in the field. The big question is how far does he fall after Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert?

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Love’s completion percentage fell from 64 percent in 2018 to 61.9 percent in 2019. He also saw his touchdowns decrease and interceptions increase (20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 2019). While Love’s arm strength and tremendous 2018 season has kept him in the first-round mix, how high could he potentially go? A quick release and the ability to throw on the run like Love’s is extremely attractive to quarterback-needy NFL teams.

The shortlist of teams continuing due diligence on Love is the Dolphins, Saints, Patriots, Packers, and Redskins. Does this mean the Dolphins or Redskins would consider Love in the top-five? Not likely, but teams may want to “appear” interested to leverage trades.

It appears certain the Bengals, Dolphins, and Chargers will be in the quarterback market, likely taking Burrow, Tagovailoa, and Herbert in that order. The Redskins could also be interested in a quarterback, but will likely only use that thought to leverage a trade back from the second pick.

Would a team like the Jaguars take Love with the ninth pick, or are they set with second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew? With the Saints still comfortable with Drew Brees at quarterback, don’t look for them to be aggressive to trade up for a Brees replacement.

The team that could consider trading up if they like Love is the New England Patriots. At No. 22 overall, the Patriots could sit back and assume Love will fall to them. But with the importance of a good quarterback in the NFL, the Patriots may not risk a team snagging him before. After losing Tom Brady in free agency, the Patriots find themselves looking for a quarterback for the first time in over a decade.

If the Jaguars or a trade partner take Love at No. 9 or earlier, all four, or at least three of the top-four offensive tackles could be available for the Browns to choose from at No. 10. This scenario is also assuming a player like Isaiah Simmons from Clemson, who has continued to see his stock rise, goes to the Giants at No. 4 versus falling to possibly nine or ten.

This would give the Browns options. First, they get THE offensive tackle the team has needed since Joe Thomas retired. Or secondly, the Browns can trade back a few slots and still get one of the top four tackles.  At this moment, look for the Browns to stay put at No. 10.

Browns fans should certainly root for Love’s stock to go up and an aggressive team trade into the top-10 to draft him. If all four tackles are all available for the Browns to choose from, I expect them to go with Andrew Thomas from Georgia, although the athletic Tristan Wirfs from Iowa will be tempting.

An additional scenario that could play out if four quarterbacks go in the top-10 is Simmons falling. If Simmons falls to No. 10, the Browns MUST draft him. Figure out offensive tackle at No. 41 in the second-round or sign a veteran like Jason Peters.

Also, don’t forget Trent Williams could be available via trade and the Browns could snag him for a third-rounder if he remains on the Redskins roster until draft night. Don’t get me wrong, Love going in the top-10 is a stretch, but certainly, a possibility that could help the Browns.