Before he became the league’s highest-paid quarterback with the Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love was a relative unknown, even to those deep in the college football realm. From the Mountain West to the Midwest’s most famous team, Love’s rise from college to the NFL has been nothing short of epic.

Jordan Love’s college career began humbly

Love’s college football journey at Utah State is truly a story of talent, potential, and even some adversity. All of these factors combined to showcase his natural talent as a quarterback and ultimately laid the groundwork for his first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

From the beginning of his time in Logan, however, Love remained a humble leader, even after he was drafted into the NFL.

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Love was not heavily recruited, receiving limited offers from schools such as Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona and Utah State. Love, a native of Bakersfield, California, ultimately chose Utah State, where his underdog journey began.

He arrived at Utah State as a raw but talented quarterback, and it wasn’t until his senior year of high school that he really seized the position. He spent most of his freshman year as a backup to Kent Myers, but showed enough potential to earn some playing time.

Love appeared in 12 games, starting six during his redshirt freshman season. Despite his relative inexperience, Love completed 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,631 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions during his freshman season.

One of the highlights of his freshman year was his performance against UNLV. He threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns, helping Utah State secure a 52-28 victory. His ability to stretch the field with his arm and make plays with his legs gave a glimpse of what he could become.

Sensational second season of Love sets the stage for greatness

His sophomore year in 2018 can be seen as the breakout season that catapulted him into the national spotlight and established him as a legitimate NFL prospect. Under the tutelage of head coach Matt Wells and offensive coordinator David Yost, Love flourished in Utah State’s up-tempo, spread offense.

During the 2018 season, Love threw for an impressive 3,567 yards and 32 touchdowns against just six interceptions, completing 64 percent of his passes.

His ability to make quick decisions, read defenses and make deep throws helped Utah State achieve a school-record 11-2 season. Love’s performance was instrumental in Utah State’s high-powered offense, which averaged 47 points per game, ranking second in the nation behind Oklahoma.

Some of his notable games from the 2018 season included a career-high 491 passing yards and five touchdowns in a win over San Jose State, as well as a 356-yard, four-touchdown performance against Hawaii. Love’s playmaking ability became a hallmark of his sophomore campaign, earning him All-Mountain West Conference second-team honors.

Utah State’s season culminated with a win over North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl, where Love was named the game’s MVP after throwing for 359 yards and four touchdowns. By the end of the year, Love had established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in college football, and NFL scouts began to take notice of him.

But 2019 was a less favorable year for love.

His junior year in 2019 was marked by transition and some adversity. Wells left Utah State for Texas Tech and offensive coordinator David Yost followed, leaving Love to adjust to a new coaching staff and a different offensive system under new head coach Gary Andersen and offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr.

This transition, combined with the loss of several key attacking players, made for a challenging season.

Despite these challenges, Love still showed the same flashes of brilliance, throwing for 3,402 yards and 20 touchdowns. What was concerning, however, was that his interception total jumped significantly to 17.

Love’s decision-making appeared to regress at times, but many attributed this to the changing offensive scheme and lack of continuity from the previous season. Utah State’s offense struggled to match its success in 2018, and the team finished with a 7-6 record, including a loss to Kent State in the Frisco Bowl.

While his junior season wasn’t as good as 2018, Love’s physical qualities — his strong arm, athleticism and ability to play outside the pocket — were still evident.

Looking back, it’s clear that his junior year was a learning experience, and that didn’t stop NFL teams from seeing his potential.

Love moves to NFL, follows in Rodgers’ footsteps

Following the 2019 season, Love declared for the NFL Draft, skipping his senior year. Despite a mixed junior season, Love’s potential was too tantalizing for NFL teams to ignore. His size (6’4″, 219 lbs), arm strength, and athleticism made him a prototypical NFL quarterback prospect.

In the 2020 NFL Draft, Love was selected 26th overall by the Green Bay Packers, making him the first Utah State quarterback to be drafted in the first round. Notably, he had to wait nearly as long to be selected as Aaron Rodgers, a player he would eventually take over from in Green Bay.

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His time at Utah State, particularly his breakout season in 2018, remains one of the most memorable chapters in the school’s football history. Love’s collegiate career was defined by potential, flashes of brilliance and resilience, setting the stage for his professional career in the NFL.

And the rest is history for Love.

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