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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is impressed with both the elite speed and ability to process the playbook of rookie tight end Luke Musgrave during the offseason workout program.
The team’s vacancies at tight end, combined with Musgrave’s athleticism and mental acuity, provided plenty of first-team opportunities for the first-year tight end.
“First impression of Luke, he’s going to be a great player,” Love said Wednesday. “He’s a lot faster than anybody thought, on tape just watching him. He’s picking up the offense really fast, he’s getting a lot of reps right now, which is great for him. He’s making the most of it. Learning every day, not making the same mistake twice. And he’s catching the ball really well right now, he’s making plays.”
The Packers drafted Musgrave out of Oregon State with the 42nd overall pick. His Relative Athletic Score of 9.78 — an elite score helped greatly by a 4.61-second time in the 40-yard dash — and extensive football background (son of college quarterback, nephew of NFL quarterback/coach) create an intriuging rookie profile, even at a position traditionally stressful on first-year players.
For much of the team periods during the offseason workout program, Musgrave was on the field and operating as the starting tight end, according to Paul Bretl of Packers Wire.
During individual receiving drills, Musgrave showcased smooth and explosive movement ability. He easily changes direction and has the body control to adjust to passes outside his frame.
Love said having two “really fast” tight ends in Musgrave and Tucker Kraft will help the Packers stretch the field and open up opportunities for others in the offense.
Processing quickly and correcting mistakes are obvious ways for a young player to get up to speed quickly in the offense.
Love’s assessment of Musgrave so far mirrors that of coach Matt LaFleur, who called the rookie “different” after seeing him perform during a few OTA practices.
“Certainly, he does have an elite trait that he can flat fly,” LaFleur said in May. “He’s a really, really intelligent player….If he makes a mistake, he hasn’t made many of the same mistakes twice because he’s super into it. Very intentional. Deliberate about his work. Invested. He continues to show progress every day.”
Musgrave not only showed his elite speed at the combine but also at the Senior Bowl, where he was clocked as the seventh fastest player overall by GPS despite standing 6-6 and weighing over 250 pounds.
In many ways, Musgrave is looking like the tight end version of Christian Watson, who entered the NFL as an elite athlete and then picked up the offense quickly, providing an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way right away. While tight end is the more demanding position, Musgrave is charting a similar course as the Packers enter the break before training camp.