The Los Angeles Chargers landed their quarterback of the future after the Philip Rivers era came to an end earlier this offseason, as Oregon QB Justin Herbert was picked with the No. 6 selection of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Herbert possesses NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent, intelligence along with above-average accuracy. General manager Tom Telesco covets production, which is what he exemplified in college.
Appearing in 43 career games (42 starts) for the Ducks, Herbert amassed 10,541 passing yards and 95 touchdowns to 23 interceptions. He also shined in the biggest games, including the Pac-12 Championship Game and Rose Bowl from this past season.
With Los Angeles shifting gears to a mobile quarterback, Herbert has the ability to shred defenses with his legs. And with the offense changing to a spread, RPO-heavy scheme, it molds with his strengths.
Herbert is unlikely to start Week 1 because Tyrod Taylor is in the driver’s seat to be the Week 1 starter. However, this could be a blessing in disguise as this will allow him to strengthen any weaknesses of his game with quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton in his rookie season.
The bottom line is that Herbert has the talent and a strong supporting cast to revitalize the L.A. offense. If the Chargers retool the mental issues on the field that he dealt with in college, they could have themselves a heck of a long-term signal caller that could possibly lead them to a Super Bowl down the road.
