The Green Bay Packers made one of the most surprising moves in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, which was held virtually on Thursday night, by selecting Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick.
The Packers, who originally had the thirtieth overall pick of the night, traded up to acquire the pick from the Miami Dolphins, sending them their original pick and a 4th round pick in exchange.
Green Bay, which had not selected an offensive skill player in the first round since taking current quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 Draft, acquired a player that many view as the superstar’s future replacement under center.
The move surprised many and raised some eyebrows, as Rodgers is still one of the top signal callers in the league at the age of 36. Few expected the team to make a move to select a quarterback in the first round that is seen by some as Rodgers’ heir to the position.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said, “I can understand the fan base and people thinking, ‘Why would you do this at this time?’ But I just think the value of our board and the way it sat, it was the best for the Green Bay Packers, and we’re really excited to get Jordan here and get him in the door and learning our system.”
Love is expected to break camp as Rodgers’ backup and to begin learning and understanding the team’s offensive scheme this summer.
