The Arizona Cardinals won’t be looking to draft a quarterback this year in the 2020 NFL Draft like they did the last two years. However, they must be very pleased to see what Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert did over the last week.
Herbert was one of the stars at the Senior Bowl in Mobile this past week.
He was named the Senior Bowl practice player of the week. He was the game MVP on Saturday despite the fact his team, the South, didn’t win the game.
He led the South to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, completed 9-of-12 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown and he also rushed three times for 22 yards.
Why does this matter for the Cardinals.
It only does indirectly.
They won’t draft him but he appears to have cemented himself as the third-best quarterback in the draft class. LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa appear to be locks right now in the top-five of the draft.
With Herbert’s stock rising, he could potentially be a target for a quarterback-needy team in the first eight picks of the draft.
Arizona, of course, has the No. 8 pick. If things go right, the Cardinals might be able to acquire a number of picks from a team looking to select Herbert.
But the Cardinals don’t even have to be a trade partner to benefit. If a team ahead of them were to select Herbert or another team trade up to get him, it means three quarterbacks are off the board and the Cardinals would have one of the top-five non-quarterbacks in the draft be available for them. They will not even consider Burrow, Tagovailoa or Herbert, so they will have a better chance of getting their favorite player.
Potentially, the Cardinals could get their No. 1 offensive lineman, receiver or an impact defensive player.
There is still plenty of time before the draft. There is still the NFL combine, pro days and private visits. Herbert still has a way to go. However, right now things are going in the right direction for him and that is great for the Cardinals.
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Ep. 256
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Ep. 255
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