With Joe Burrow looming large in the background, the Cincinnati Bengals are getting an up-close-and-personal look at some of the 2020 NFL draft’s top quarterback prospects.
Oregon’s Justin Herbert is the most promising of the bunch and it begs the question — can he do enough to convince the Bengals he should be the pick over Burrow?
Bengals coaches certainly haven’t been shy about praising what he’s been able to do so far.
Head coach Zac Taylor said of Herbert, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: “He’s an impressive kid. I think he’s got a good grasp of what we’re asking him to do…you can see a lot of power in his arm.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan has been saying similar things:
Herbert isn’t nearly as exciting as Burrow. He didn’t have the historic Heisman campaign and he certainly doesn’t have the fun hometown kid storyline going for him. Most experts seem to agree he’s not as good of a prospect as Burrow either.
But Herbert isn’t a shabby prospect by any means. He’s a seasoned four-year starter who was once in the Heisman conversation who completed 64 percent of his passes with 95 touchdowns and 23 interceptions while leading a big-time program of his own.
Can Herbert do enough at the Senior Bowl to sway the Bengals? Maybe not, but if a shocker of a draft trade occurs, it seems clear the Oregon product has some traits they’d consider if they moved down.
