The Los Angeles Chargers parted ways with longtime signal caller Philip Rivers this offseason, and as such, the team entered the 2020 NFL Draft with Tyrod Taylor as its nominal starter and a need for a quarterback of the future. With the sixth pick in the draft, the team addressed this need, opting to pick Oregon QB Justin Herbert.
The presumed No. 3 quarterback in the draft behind LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Herbert had a productive career in Eugene. While there were concerns about consistency, Herbert was capable of doing some incredible things, to the point that his name was mentioned as a potential No. 1 pick during his collegiate tenure.
This is a No. 1 pick throw by Justin Herbert pic.twitter.com/y1qvNZUDT8
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) October 19, 2019
That, of course, did not come to fruition, but Herbert is heading to a spot that should suit him nicely. The Chargers can afford to be patient with him thanks to Taylor being on the roster, and whenever he’s ready to take over, he’ll be surrounded by some serious skill position talent in running back Austin Ekeler and wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Evans.
During his collegiate career, Herbert completed 64 percent of his passes for 10,541 yards with 95 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. While he’s not a runner by trade, he is comfortable using his legs when need be and accrued 13 touchdowns on the ground. He capped off his career with an impressive performance in Oregon’s Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin.
