Surprise quarterback tops former general manager’s evaluation of 2020 quarterback selection class

admin | January 20, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Jordan Love’s recent excellent performance has one former general manager shouting his praises.

Rick Spielman, who was the Vikings’ general manager from 2012 to 2021, stated that he would choose Love above other excellent quarterbacks in the NFL divisional round against the 49ers, who are the top seed.

On CBS’ “With the First Pick” podcast, Spielman ranked Love as the top 2020 quarterback prospect he’d want to have on his club for the next five years. Bengals’ Joe Burrow finished second, followed by Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, and Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa.

Spielman’s ranking is surprising for several reasons. Love was selected second-to-last out of the top five quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft, with the 26th overall pick. Only Hurts, the Eagles’ 53rd overall choice in the second round, came following.

Love also has the least amount of starting experience of any of the aforementioned quarterbacks. After sitting behind four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers for the first three seasons of his NFL career, the Utah State graduate was finally given the opportunity to start in 2023. Burrow, Herbert, Hurts, and Tagovailoa, on the other hand, have each participated in 52 or more games over the last four seasons, while Love has only played 27.

🎥 Former Miami Dolphins GM Rick Spielman ranks Tua Tagovailoa last amongst the 5 QBs taken in the 2020 draft he’d want want for the next 5 years (@NFLonCBS) #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/eAcqfl4RM9

— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) January 20, 2024

Then there are the honors that these quarterbacks, who are not named Love, have earned.

The 2020 quarterback class has been well represented in the Super Bowl recently, with Burrow and Hurts taking their teams to the big game in 2022 and 2023, respectively, though both lost. The pair were also nominated finalists for the 2022 AP MVP award, but were each narrowly defeated by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Herbert and Tagovailoa have also accomplished a great deal in their early careers. The former has the most passing yards of any quarterback in his first four seasons (17,223), whilst the latter was chosen an AFC starter in the Pro Bowl this season after leading the NFL in passing yards (4,624).

Despite this, Love is the only franchise quarterback still in the playoffs. With a 48-32 victory over the Cowboys in the wild-card round, the Packers became not only the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game, but also the youngest team (average age: 25 years, 214 days) to do so since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.
With an upset win over the 49ers, Love might solidify his status as one of the best quarterbacks in his draft and the league.