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Predicting each 2017 Heisman candidate’s NFL future

By John Buhler

LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 18: Lamar Jackson No. 8 of the Louisville Cardinals throws a pass against the Syracuse Orange during the game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 18: Lamar Jackson No. 8 of the Louisville Cardinals throws a pass against the Syracuse Orange during the game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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August 27th 2017, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia; College Football Sydney Cup; Rice University v Stanford University; Standford Cardinals running back Bryce Love makes a break; (Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images)
August 27th 2017, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia; College Football Sydney Cup; Rice University v Stanford University; Standford Cardinals running back Bryce Love makes a break; (Photo by Nigel Owen/Action Plus via Getty Images) /

Bryce Love has had no problem taking the running back reigns from Christian McCaffrey with Stanford in 2017. Love will be yet another Stanford running back that will be making the trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation. He ran all over the Pac-12 and could do so in the NFL should he leave school a year early.

A few things stand out when watching Love run the football for the Cardinal. He is equally good running between the tackles and off tackles. Love is not really a punishing runner, but is able to make big plays with his great breakaway speed and his underrated shiftiness. He’s not going to juke you out of your shoes, but it’s definitely a key part of what makes him so successful at running the football.

No doubt Love’s home run ability will translate to the next level. When he gets to the second level, even elite Pac-12 athletes struggle to keep up with him. He may not be a volume runner in the NFL, but could be a first-round pick in the right situation. Love would be a player that teams like the Green Bay Packers or the Oakland Raiders could have serious interest in.

However, Love is not without some faults as an NFL prospect. His upright running style could make him susceptible to injury. He doesn’t have great NFL size at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. Love has not shown that he can pass protect worth a flip in college. That will keep him off the field. He’s also not a receiving threat out of the backfield. That’s two strikes against him potentially being a star running back. Those two things will keep him off the field early in his career.

It’s hard to determine if Love is a volume runner professionally or a guy that can succeed as a change of pace back that can thrive on 10 carries a game. Again, not being able to catch the ball out of the backfield or pass protect is really going to hurt him at the next level.

His NFL ceiling would be that of a Eric Dickerson or a Todd Gurley for that upright running style. Perhaps his best NFL comparison would be to Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals, an underrated tailback with great juking ability, but has never established himself as a bell-cow back. As for Love’s NFL floor, it might be Toby Gerhart. Love is probably a high second-round pick. There is a chance he could be just a system player while at Stanford. Or he could carry your fantasy football team in 2020.

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