Yahoo Sports 5 things for Chargers fans to know about Justin Herbert: raw talent could be key
Justin Herbert went No. 6 overall in the 2020 NFL draft to the Los Angeles Chargers. Here are five things to know about the prized Oregon signal-caller.
Why Herbert returned to Oregon
1) Herbert could have been chosen as the first quarterback in the 2019 NFL draft, as he was the top prospect on many teams’ boards. But he returned to school for his true senior season to get his degree in biology and have one more season of football in Eugene. Herbert grew up a Ducks fan, as one of his grandfathers starred for Oregon and his family has season tickets in Section 12 of Autzen Stadium.
Lane Johnson, his coach at Sheldon High School in Eugene, summed up Herbert’s mentality best to Yahoo Sports last August: “I would have been shocked if he left,” Johnson said. “I know how important this is to him.”
Herbert a star in biology class, too
2) Herbert’s love of biology helped keep him around campus, as he’d began his academic career with a goal to become a doctor. He grew up adoring science, as both his father and grandfather taught biology. (His father, Mark Herbert, later shifted to a job with Timber Products selling particle board.)
Herbert was such a natural student that his BIO 212 instructor asked him to become a teaching assistant. Herbert happily accepted, rearranging his schedule to help overwhelmed students better understand complex concepts such as iron regulation in animals. How was he at that job? Mark Carrier, the instructor, said he’s welcomed back “indefinitely.”
What troubles scouts about Herbert
3) If this were 15 years, ago Herbert likely would have been assured as a top-three pick. He fits the paradigm of what many NFL evaluators looked for in a quarterback — big 6-foot-6 frame, sturdy 236-pound build, huge arm — before the era of mobile quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson quickly trended into vogue.
Herbert’s athleticism is far from a liability, but he’s also not mobile enough to be considered a consistent run threat with a 4.68 40-yard dash time. For someone so smart, it’s ironic that Herbert’s decision-making is one of teams’ biggest questions about him. Herbert’s implosion at Arizona State this year — 20-for-26 with two interceptions — is the game that scares scouts the most.
Herbert’s raw ability may work in his favor
4) The case for Herbert is often tied to a left-handed compliment. He’s still very raw and basic in his football life. His footwork and motion made coaches and scouts cringe at times. Multiple veteran NFL coaches told Yahoo that part of the attraction to Herbert is that he comes into the NFL under-developed and that his raw strength, physical tools and talent are attractive enough that teams think they can work with him.
Can Herbert be an alpha in an NFL locker room?
5) Herbert helped address one of his biggest weaknesses at the Senior Bowl, as he’d earned the reputation in college as being shy and introverted. Herbert is ultra competitive, but he’s didn’t take on the persona as the alpha that many NFL personnel men desire to have in their locker room.
How does someone who isn’t a natural leader work on becoming one? I asked Herbert at the Senior Bowl. “Great question,” Herbert said. “You kind of have to force yourself to become uncomfortable. You have to put yourself in positions that aren't normal for you, and I think this past year I've done a great job with that — speaking up when they need someone to speak up.”
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