Four former Razorbacks have a shot at getting drafted into the NFL today and tomorrow, led by quarterback Ryan Mallett and tight end D.J. Williams. Pound it here to check out a preview and to watch the NFL Draft LIVE.[details]
2010 (Senior): A returning leader on the offense, Love is listed as the starter at offensive tackle heading into the season. A team captain in 2009, he has 24 starts for his career. He started at tackle for the Red team in the Red-White Spring Game.
2009 (Junior): He started all 13 games for the Razorbacks. He was a member of an offensive line which blocked for a unit that led the SEC in scoring offense (36.0) and passing offense (295.5), and was third in total offense (427.3). The Razorbacks were 10th in the nation in passing offense, 20th in total offense, ninth in scoring and 11th in passing efficiency. The line did not allow a sack against Missouri State, Eastern Michigan or East Carolina. Love blocked for seven 100-yard receiving games and three 100-yard rushing performances. His blocking helped Arkansas set school passing records for yards in a game (447 vs. Missouri State), passing yards in a season (3,842), passing yards average (295.5), passing touchdowns in a season (32) and passing first downs in a season (147). He also protected quarterback Ryan Mallett, who set or tied 16 different records.
2008 (Sophomore): He started eight games for the year, all at strong guard, and played in 11. He started the first four games against Western Illinois, Louisiana-Monroe, Alabama and Texas, and the final four against Tulsa, South Carolina, Mississippi State and LSU. He also took the field with the offense in games against Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss. He missed the Florida contest with an injury. He helped Michael Smith become the ninth 1,000-yard rusher in school history, finish the year second in the SEC and No. 22 in the nation with 207 carries for 1,072 yards and eight touchdowns. He also helped protect Casey Dick, who completed 205 passes, and threw for 2,586 yards and 13 touchdowns. The completion total is a school record, the yardage total ranks second and the TDs tie for eighth. Arkansas’ 3,115 yards passing is a school record and the 4,477 yards of total offense ranks ninth.
2007 (Freshman): He played in eight games and started the final three contests of the year at right guard against Mississippi State, LSU and Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. He earned a season grade of 80.2 with 16 knockdowns. – He did not play in the first two games against Troy or Alabama. He saw the first collegiate action of his career in the third game of the season against Kentucky, playing two snaps. He played 28 snaps against North Texas, grading 87 percent on running plays and 85 percent for the game with a season-high five knockdown blocks. He was in for a then-season high 38 plays against Chattanooga the next week and graded out at 81 percent overall and 100 percent on passing plays with four knockdowns. In 10 plays against Ole Miss, he was perfect, earning grades of 100 on running and passing plays, and overall with one knockdown. In 12 snaps against Florida International, he had an overall grade of 83 with a 100 on passing plays. He played 62 snaps against Mississippi State in the first start of his career with an 82 overall grade and a 94 on passing plays with four knockdown blocks. He also started against LSU and Missouri.
2006 (Redshirt): Love bided his time behind a host of veterans on the UA offensive line. He used his redshirt season to gain more strength and get some valuable snaps on the practice field.
Personal: Born March 7, 1988, he is the son of Martin and Marcia Reise. He is enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.
High School: He was a starter at offensive tackle as a sophomore before being moved to offensive guard for his junior and senior seasons for Coach Allen Wilson. As a senior, he helped his team to an 11-1 record and a second-round state playoff berth in the state’s largest classification (5A). Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 57 offensive lineman in the country. Rivals.com also rated him as the No. 99 overall prospect in Texas. He was also tabbed as the No. 68 prospect on the Dallas Morning News All-Area team. He was also recruited by Kansas, Arizona, UTEP and Kansas State.
Notes: Redshirted in 2006. Dislocated a kneecap in August and sat out the first two games in '07. On the season, played in eight games and started the final three at right guard to due injury while grading out at 80 percent with 16 knockdowns. Started 8-of-11 games in which he played at the strong-side guard position in '08. Sat out against Florida and did not start three other contests because of an ankle injury. Started all 13 games at strong-side tackle in '09. Moved to the weak side in '10 and started all 13 games. Team captain.
Positives: Very good body length. Solid base strength to handle a charge and sit in pass protection. Can latch on and control defenders. Is aggressive, competes and the game is important to him.
Negatives: Very thin below the knees. Too stiff, slew-footed and narrow-based, and it negates his power. Plays top heavy and is not agile to counter or play in space. Bad-bodied. On the ground too much. Not athletic transitioning or handling movement. Does not play with power. Gets beat inside too much - struggles to handle inside moves.
Summary: Struggled inside and outside at the Senior Bowl, but is better suited to move inside where he could be protected on each side. A long-armed, underpowered mauler who tends to smother and hold defenders, Love could compete for a job in a zone-blocking scheme, but might never look pretty executing in it.
NFL projection: Fourth- to fifth-round pick.
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