Bryce Love finished the 2017 season as the Heisman runner-up, and some thought he would turn pro.

The decision to return to Stanford will likely cost him significantly in the draft.

His drop began during a lackluster senior season and picked up steam when, on the last play of his last collegiate regular season game, he tore his ACL.

Today, video surfaced of his progress four months after surgery. And it will not help.



Four months after a knee injury and less than a week before the draft, @Blovee_20 is working to regain his explosiveness that led to being a 2017 Heisman finalist at @StanfordFball. pic.twitter.com/eiCAcTNruH — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 19, 2019

I am not sure whether the video is doctored (sped up) for effect or to mitigate Love’s shortcomings, but his deficiencies are clear. Kudos to him for his hard work — remember, he is just four months post-op — but he appears to have a longer road to full recovery that what should be expected.


Love does not at any point on the video demonstrate full extension. In fact, his flexion is likely impaired as well. On the treadmill, he moves quickly but clearly limps and has a short stride/uneven gait that goes with this loss of motion. Pay special attention to the end of his sprint, as he leans forward and is off balance as he ends his short stint.

After ACL surgery on my professional athlete (or even regular) patients, I want to see full range of motion by six weeks and certainly within three months.

I am not saying that Love won’t be drafted. I am not saying he won’t be a top NFL player. I am saying he has a bigger hill to climb than others at four months after ACL surgery. It is unlikely Love will be ready to contribute at the start of the season, and he might even need to be a “redshirt” project.

For those thinking that the release of this video or ensuing analysis will hurt his draft stock, that is simply not true. NFL medical staffs have examined Love and know all of this already in more detail than anyone (like me) watching from afar. This is just the first public glimpse of what teams likely already know.


Teams will need to rely on his game film, the medical exam and how he projects.

The reality is that Love almost certainly won’t be ready for training camp or the start of the season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have a productive (even stellar) NFL career.

It is hard enough for a seasoned NFL veteran to return from a late-season ACL tear but even harder since Love has to jump a level of play from college. Now add to it that he has yet to regain his full motion, and that makes his challenge even greater.

Undoubtedly, he will get his NFL chance. But it will likely be as a bargain for a team that is willing to wait for him to be 100 percent.