The Green Bay Packers provided one of the shocks of the first round when they traded up to No. 26 overall and drafted Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. The move marks the Packers’ first first-round draft pick at a skill position since taking Aaron Rodgers in 2005, and it starts the clock on Love eventually replacing Rodgers and taking over as the next starting quarterback in Green Bay.

Here are the pros and cons of the Packers’ decision to take Love:

Pros

– The Packers just bought a lottery ticket that, if it hits, will provide long-term stability at the game’s most important position. Imagine 10-15 more years of high-level quarterback play. The city of Green Bay has known nothing but high-level quarterback play for the last quarter-century. Clearly, the Packers think Love can carry it on.

– In terms of perceived value, the pick actually stacks up really well. Love was considered a top-25 player by several prominent draft analysts. In fact, Dane Brugler had Love as his 19th best player overall. Daniel Jeremiah had him at No. 23. This wasn’t necessarily Aaron Rodgers falling to No. 24, but Love got picked right in the range most expected.

– Love can certainly spin the football. He effortlessly drives the ball to all areas of the field with velocity. And his tape has moments when he creates something out of absolutely nothing by extending the play. Natural talent is not in question.

– Love not only has real talent, but he’ll get a rare opportunity to truly sit and learn, possibly for multiple seasons. The Packers love his talented arm, size and athletic ability (RAS of 8.45). And while they know he needs time to develop, having Aaron Rodgers affords exactly that. For Love, the landing spot couldn’t be any better.

– To be fair to Love, his 2018 season was considerably better than his 2019 season, and there are good reasons why the dropoff happened. Love said he was pressing last season. He almost had to press after losing most of his skill position weapons and the bulk of his coaching staff from the year prior. That’s a lot for a young quarterback to overcome as they’re developing mentally and physically at the position. Gaining some stability in a quarterback-friendly place like Green Bay could put his development back on track.

– The Packers say they stuck to their board, and it’s easy to believe them. Brian Gutekunst suggested a trade down wasn’t an option and Love was the last first-round quality player on the team’s board, so they moved up and got him. Jalen Reagor, Justin Jefferson, Kenneth Murray and Brandon Aiyuk all came off the board before the Packers traded up to get Love.

– If the Packers think this draft is really strong in the middle rounds (it probably is), and they come out of Day 2 with two potential starters and find another potential starter on Day 3, taking a developmental quarterback in the first round won’t matter that much, both in the short and long term.

Cons

– The timing is certainly debatable. Sure, the best time to draft a quarterback is when you don’t need one. But Aaron Rodgers is under contract for another four years. He is essentially unmovable – both by release or trade – for at least the next two years. Love is going to be sitting for a while as a matter of necessity, possibly for as long as Rodgers sat beyond Brett Favre. Does that really work in today’s game?

– There are real question marks about Love’s game. His highlights paint the picture of a future elite quarterback, and he can certainly move and make any throw. But his decision-making and inability to avoid turnovers (17 interceptions) or throw with accuracy consistently during the 2019 season make for a scary projection. He is boom or bust. With the right development, all his tools could come together and help him become a special starter. If his development continues to stagnate, the Packers could have DeShone Kizer 2.0. Like Love, Kizer had the size, the talented arm and the athleticism, but he never put it together from a decision-making or accuracy standpoint. Can bad habits be erased in young quarterbacks? Or are some of these flaws just a part of a quarterback’s DNA? The Packers are about to find out.

– Adding a developmental quarterback did nothing to help the Packers get closer to a Super Bowl in the short term. Love could be great in time, but he might also have a legitimate battle with Tim Boyle to be the No. 2 quarterback this summer. Also, he’s probably not going to be the type of rookie quarterback who is capable of entering the game for an injured starter and keeping the offense competitive. The Packers made the NFC title game last year, but they aren’t much better for 2020 after Thursday night.

– The financials of the whole thing are kind of a mess. Teams can derive huge competitive advantages by constructing a roster around a cheap but productive young quarterback. Now, most of those years will be wasted while Love sits behind a veteran quarterback with a massive contract. The financial side was a strong argument for the Packers waiting at least another year to take a quarterback high.

– Will a quality receiver, linebacker or offensive tackle be available on Day 2? The Packers are now in a situation where they must do terrific work in the second and third rounds to get better for 2020. They’ve lessened their margin for error considerably. Missing out on a contributor from this deep, talented group of receivers would be a tough pill to swallow.