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QB Jordan Love, possible NFL first-rounder, among 3 Utah State players cited for marijuana possession

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, a potential first-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft, is one of three USU football players facing a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.

According to multiple outlets, Love, receiver Sean Carter and running back Gerold Bright were all cited for possession, a class B misdemeanor, after police received a tip about USU students smoking marijuana on Saturday night. Elani Rice, a track and field athlete at USU, was also cited.

The news comes before Utah State is set to play Kent State in the Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas, on Friday. It is unclear if the charges will jeopardize the players’ availability for the game, which will be Love’s last in an Aggies uniform.

“We are aware that citations were issued. We have processes in place, both in Student Conduct and in Athletics, and we’ll follow these procedures in this case,” a Utah State spokesperson said, per Fox 13 in Salt Lake City.

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws the ball against Boise State during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Logan, Utah. (AP Photo/Eli Lucero)
Utah State quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws the ball against Boise State during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Logan, Utah. (AP Photo/Eli Lucero)

Love declared for the NFL draft last week

Love announced earlier this month that he would forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. It was also announced Tuesday that Love accepted a spot in the Senior Bowl, one of the top pre-draft scouting events.

Love is a tricky evaluation for NFL front offices. He jumped onto the radar of scouts across the league with a monster redshirt sophomore season where he threw for 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions. But his production dipped in 2019. He has 3,085 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions entering USU’s bowl game.

But a strong performance at the Senior Bowl and throughout the rest of the pre-draft process could put Love in the mix for a first-round selection. How the news of his marijuana citation fits into the equation remains to be seen.

Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm labeled Love as a “boom-or-bust prospect” when he wrote about him last week:

NFL scouts, you might be surprised, haven’t bailed — at least not completely. There is still strong appreciation for Love’s skills, and this season has reinforced that he’s a work in progress. Inputting him into an NFL starting lineup in Week 1 next year could be a disastrous rush job. But for a patient team with good coaching and a strong supporting cast, the payoff could be immense.

Love’s ceiling is extremely high, and it would have been fascinating to see him work with better offensive talent. Certainly one reason for his statistical nosedive was the Aggies’ loss of nine offensive starters — including Kansas City Chiefs sixth-rounder Darwin Thompson and tight end Dax Raymond, who was waived by the Chicago Bears — leaving them with few difference makers.

Edholm placed Love at No. 17 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in his most recent mock draft.

He has high-end arm talent, good athleticism, great deep-ball touch and improvisational ability. In August, Love was even compared to Patrick Mahomes for his off-platform throwing ability.

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