Stanford’s Bryce Love could have entered the NFL draft after the 2017 season, when he rushed for 2,118 rushing yards, won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top college running back and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“I’m very grateful to Dr. Andrews and his team for making the surgery a seamless process,” Love said in a statement to Thamel. “Obviously, there’s no such thing as an ideal injury, but I’m on the path to recovery, and my goal remains the same — getting drafted by an NFL team and being the ultimate professional. I’ll be back better than I’ve ever been.”
Love skipped the Cardinal’s Sun Bowl win over Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve, announcing on Dec. 17 — one day before the surgery — that he wanted to “focus on being completely healthy and prepared for the 2019 NFL draft” but not revealing the ACL tear.
— Bryce Love (@Blovee_20) December 18, 2018
Love will miss next month’s NFL combine, as recovery from a torn ACL usually takes between three and six months, but he should be ready for NFL training camp this summer, assuming all goes as planned (he’s expected to make a full recovery).
Entering the season, Love was seen as likely the top running back available in the 2019 draft, but the ACL injury, plus the ankle issues that dogged him throughout the season, have raised questions about his durability among NFL talent scouts. One recent mock draft, filled out before the injury news, has Love going late in the third round to the New York Jets.
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