Last month Bryce Love announced he would be sitting out the Sun Bowl "to focus on being completely healthy and prepared for the 2019 NFL draft.” It was the latest in a series of draft-eligible players opting not to participate in lower-tier postseason injury opportunities.
It turns out Love wouldn't have been able to play anyway.
He underwent surgery on a torn ACL two weeks prior to the Cardinal's game in El Paso. The injury occurred on his final play as an amateur; a 10-yard run to the Cal 3-yard line with a little over four minutes remaining in The Big Game, which Stanford won for the ninth-straight time. The Cardinal took a timeout following the carry.
Love surprised many when he decided to exhaust his eligibility in lieu of forfeiting his senior year, a decision that likely cost him a lot of money:
He was just the second draft-eligible tailback to return to school at the Football Bowl subdivision level after rushing for 2,000 yards.
Love’s statistics dipped upon his return for his final season. Running behind an offensive line riddled with injuries, he finished the season with just 739 total yards, as his yards per carry dipped from 8.1 to 4.5 and touchdowns fell from 19 to 6.
The 2019 NFL Draft begins April 25. Love projects to be taken somewhere in the middle rounds.
