NFL mock draft: Identifying 5 potential busts

The spotlight is heavy on some of college’s best athletes entering the 2020 NFL Draft, but how many of them will pan out at football’s highest level?

Let's explore five of the most hyped players who could end up with underwhelming professional careers.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Gunslinger Jordan Love is expected to go in the first round, despite a shaky junior season at Utah State. In 2018 as a sophomore, Love racked up 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. With a new offensive coordinator in 2019, Love’s output dipped to 3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns, and he coughed up an alarming 17 interceptions.

While you can blame the coaching change or lack of talent around him, Love will need to adjust to a new coaching staff again in the NFL. Depending on where he goes, that might be another difficult transition.

Love also got himself in some trouble with a charge for marijuana possession just before Utah State’s bowl game and days after he declared for the Draft. The charge was later dismissed.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

Jonathan Taylor garnered a ton of attention during his junior season. He rushed for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns, which both tied for third in the FBS. Taylor further impressed at the combine, with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, which ranked first at his position.

One problem with Taylor is his ball security. He lost five fumbles last season, including two against Purdue and one in a 28-27 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Taylor has massive potential, but if he can’t take care of the ball when the game is on the line, he won’t last long in the NFL.

Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame

There isn’t much excitement surrounding tight ends in the 2020 draft, and it’s possible no one at the position will come off the board in the first round. Cole Kmet could hear his name called in the second round, but much of his appeal is based on his size, as opposed to his skill set.

Kmet was the second-leading receiver for the Irish in 2019, with 515 yards and six TDs on 43 catches. His blocking could use some help, and he’ll need to be more explosive to create separation on routes. His balance has also been criticized, but his physicality, arm length, and hand size make him an enticing project.

Kmet's stature has been compared to Rob Gronkowski's, and he could develop into a similar star, but he’ll need to work on all of the above to get there.    

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

There’s still the slightest chance Tua Tagovailoa could end up the No. 1 selection in the Draft, but a severe hip injury last season has everyone guessing what his ceiling is in the NFL. Labeled a “generational talent” by some, including former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, Tagovailoa is an incredibly accurate thrower with a high football IQ, a strong presence in the pocket, solid footwork, and above-average scrambling ability.

Whether Tagovailoa will still possess those qualities once he has fully recovered from his injury is what makes him a boom-or-bust prospect. His durability is the main question mark. A dislocated hip isn’t the only issue he’s faced in his career. He also injured his knee and both ankles, which caused him to miss time and affected his performance as he nursed himself back to full strength.

If he can build up his body to withstand the brute-force tackles he’ll endure from NFL defenses, Tagovailoa may measure up to the hype that surrounded him in college. Otherwise, his career may fizzle out within a few short years.

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

When you consider where Joe Burrow is headed, as the projected No. 1 draft pick (-5000), there’s reason to believe he’ll fall flat in the NFL, because of the organization that could select him—the Cincinnati Bengals.

A glimpse at Burrow’s college stats incites some doubt, as well. Before Joe Brady implemented a spread offense at LSU in 2019, Burrow underwhelmed as a starter in the Tigers’ run-focused system. In 2018 he completed 57.8% of his passes for 2,894 yards and threw 16 touchdowns to five interceptions. That was one year removed from Burrow riding the bench at Ohio State, behind J.T. Barrett and Dwayne Haskins.

In his senior season at LSU, Burrow’s production skyrocketed. His completion percentage improved to 76.3%, while he tallied 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns (a single-season record in college football), and got picked off just six times.

Some of Burrow’s improvement can be attributed to his hard work, but how much of it was a consequence of LSU’s new offense? Could other quarterbacks have performed just as well if given the opportunity in Brady’s upgraded system?

Baker Mayfield is a shell of himself since he left the comfort of Lincoln Riley’s offense at Oklahoma. Burrow could be the next collegiate superstar to struggle to adapt at the pro level because of new coaching, different offensive schemes, and better competition.

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