Bryce Love hopes Stanford tape shows NFL draft value while rehabbing knee

Share

ALAMEDA -- Stanford running back Bryce Love was at the Raiders local pro day, but couldn’t work out. Rehabbing ACL tears will keep you on the shelf.

The timing for his couldn’t have been worse.

Love got hurt in Stanford’s final regular-season game, ruining his opportunity to impress during the pre-draft process. He has awesome traits to show, with tremendous speed, agility, and toughness.

He had to refer teams to excellent game tape for all that, unable to join in on NFL combine or Cardinal pro day testing work and positional drills.

Love had a rough 2018 all around, but was a Heisman Trophy finalist the year before. The guy can flat play.

He’s reminding teams of that wherever possible, showing off the one advantage not hindered by his rehab.

“I’m letting my film speak for itself and showcasing the mental aspect of my game,” Love said. “I’m doing things that I can do. Obviously, you dream about being able to do the combine and your pro day, but that’s not how it worked out.

“At the end of the day, I’m a mental giant in terms of looking on to the next and focusing on what I have to focus on.”

Primarily, at this stage, that’s rehabbing right. Love hopes he’ll be ready for physical activity on July 8, in time for NFL training camps. He went back to Indianapolis recently for an NFL combine medical re-check, and his knee is progressing well. NFL teams get those updates this week. The Raiders need running back help, and Love could be an intriguing option if available in the later rounds. 

“You have to trust the process and be patient and understand what you can and can’t do,” Love said. “I’m trying to get better day by day with a proper mindset. It definitely makes you appreciate the things you can do physically when you’re able, especially when you’re not healthy.”

[RELATED: Former Broncos first-round draft pick visits Raiders]

He will still get drafted at the end of this month, though far lower than he would’ve if he was physically right. That’s a tough pill for a proud competitor, which has taught Love a lot about patience.

“You certainly learn a lot about yourself and the caliber of person you are to persevere,” Love said. “I know I’m going to be back, better than I was before,” Love said. “I have that mentality. I’m trying to push myself to another level right now.”

 

Contact Us