The NFL draft hopes of a trio of players with ties to the state of Utah are increasingly getting better, according to the latest prospect ratings by NFL.com writer Daniel Jeremiah.
Jeremiah released his ratings of the top 50 prospects for the upcoming draft on Wednesday and Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson and Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae made the cut.
Love was the highest rated of the trio, coming in at No. 20 overall, third among quarterbacks.
Jeremiah touted Love’s measurables, namely his size, arm strength and athletic ability, while also bemoaning the quarterback’s decision making. While “there is risk with him,” Jeremiah writes, “the payoff could be huge.”
Johnson came in at No. 27, and Jeremiah was enamored with the defensive back.
“He offers an enticing size/speed combination for the position,” Jeremiah writes. “He plays a lot of press-bail technique, but also flashes a firm two-hand jam. … Johnson is very talented and should be a Day 1 starter outside with the potential to cover in the slot, as well.”
As for Anae, the edge rusher was rated as the 48th best prospect in this year’s draft, in large part due to his productivity at Utah.
“He struggles when isolated in space versus athletic backs and quarterbacks,” writes Jeremiah. “Overall, Anae isn’t an ultra-twitchy athlete but he’s a very productive player.”
Love’s seismic leap in the ratings came in large part due to his recent showing at Senior Bowl practice. Love was one of the Day 2 winners according to a number of reporters, including the Sun Sentinel’s Safid Deen and Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm.
Deen declared that Love has the possibility to be the player who rises and keeps rising up draft boards this draft season.
As for Edholm, he named Love his biggest winner from Day 2 of Senior Bowl practice and argued that the quarterback now appears to be a better prospect than Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
“We can’t quit Love — which sounds like a Motown song title — and Wednesday’s performance is case in point of why,” Edholm writes. “Love makes some of the prettier throws you’ll see. There are times when you think there aren’t a dozen QBs in the NFL who are more gifted throwers.”
Edhlom conceded that Love has been inconsistent, but that wasn’t an issue on Wednesday and as a result, Love was the standout performer.
“I thought Love had a better day overall than any other Senior Bowl QB, even Justin Herbert, who again was very solid after a strong Tuesday effort,” Edholm writes. “Love’s evaluation isn’t an easy one, given his up-and-down final season, but the likelihood of him being a top-15 pick feels higher than the possibility of him slipping out of Round 1, in our minds.”
Anae also received some praise after Day 2 of practice, with The Draft Wire’s Jon Ledyard touting him as the North team’s best edge rusher.
Chris Trapasso, NFL draft writer for CBS Sports, was largely in agreement.
The 2020 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held from April 23 to 25 in Paradise, Nevada, and will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and ABC.