The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine kicked off Thursday with the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends working out on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.
Here are three Chargers takeaways from the workouts.
No. 1, Justin Herbert & Jordan Love shine
While LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa spectated, Herbert and Love earned the spotlight as they threw in front of all 32 NFL teams in hopes of separating themselves as this year’s QB3.
Herbert, who has been commonly paired to the Chargers in mock drafts. The former Oregon product showcased his arm talent, delivering wonderful spiral and throw power while placing the ball in perfects throw locations. He made all of his throws look easy, especially on the deep ball.
Herbert is known for his athleticism, and the testing numbers reflected. The Eugene native ran a strong 40-yard dash, clocking in at an official 4.68. He also finished second among quarterbacks in the vertical jump (35.5 inches) and third in the broad jump (10-foot-3).
Love, who has faced questions about his inconsistencies during a disappointing redshirt junior season, threw the ball well. He delivered pretty passes with his loose and live arm to remind everyone that there’s plenty to like other than what the stat sheet showed in 2019.
As for the testing portion, Love finished tied second among quarterbacks with a 35.5-inch vertical jump, and finished fifth in the broad jump at 9-foot-10.
Herbert has just about solidified himself as a top-10 selection, but Love could have as well. On the NFL Network broadcast, Ian Rapoport said buzz was picking up about Love as a potential top-10 pick.
No. 2, Jalen Hurts impresses
Hurts hasn’t been brought up in discussion among the top quarterbacks in this year’s class because some are torn on his potential at the position at the next level. While some questioned that going into the week, he proved those doubters wrong.
There’s no denying that Hurts’ athleticism is a plus to his game as he has shown he can win on the ground. His 40-yard dash time reflected that as he clocked in with an unofficial 4.59. His official time was later adjusted to 4.54 seconds.
The area of Hurts’ game that is scrutinized the most is his accuracy and consistency as a passer. However, Hurts impressed in throwing drills. All of his balls were in front of his receivers and his deep throws looked relatively good, too.
After tonight’s showing, the former Oklahoma product could garner attention as early as the end of Round 1. Should the Chargers choose to go somewhere other than quarterback with the first-round selection, he could be an option in Round 2.
No. 3, Potential option in Round 2 emerges
We’ve listed TCU’s Jalen Reagor and Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk as potential wide receiver options for the Chargers with their second-round pick. However, a new prospect arose as someone who should be in the mix.
Baylor’s Denzel Mims has been getting top-100 buzz throughout the pre-draft process, but it would be surprising if he gets out of the top-50 after his performance last night.
At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Mims ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, a 6.66 3-cone drill and posted a 38.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-11 broad jump and 16 reps on the bench press with 34-inch arms.
Mims would solidify Los Angeles’ wide receiver room as the No. 3 option where he would be lined up on the outside, winning with his speed, wide catch radius and blocking ability.
