Jim Harbaugh was asked about Justin Herbert’s progression this offseason and had a lot to say about his quarterback:
He’s been incredible. I think it’s probably the reaction that everybody has. From my standpoint, I knew he was really good, but you’re right up next to him watching where you can feel the way the ball comes out of his hand. When it comes out, it’s going a lot faster than you think, than it looks on tape. He’s bigger, taller than you’d think watching TV. Every kind of sense, smart. It’s incredible the way he picks things up and masters things. Every detail, every small detail. The conditioning test was another eye-opener. Just when you think he can’t go another rung on the ladder of my esteem, anyway, he finds another one. He smashed the conditioning test last Thursday. I mean, crushed it, like out in front with people trying to keep up with him. To the point, the athleticism and strength, really, he could play tight end here. He could play edge rusher here. And the arm talent is even better than advertised. It’s an exciting thing. I found myself just sitting at my desk at times, going, ‘He’s on our team!’ You know it’s not just in shorts because I’ve seen him do this in 11-on-11, NFL, padded football games.
Perhaps Herbert being an aesthetically pleasing football thrower and a detail-oriented player are not particularly surprising things to hear. But the idea that he is attacking the challenge of Ben Herbert’s new conditioning program positively is certainly a step forward into the new regime.
Harbaugh was also asked about Herbert’s leadership and had more to say:
There have been so many guys that have stepped up into that role of example-setter, tone-setter. Here every day, every meeting, every weight room session, every practice engaged. Every day, every hour, every minute. Nobody more than [S] Derwin James [Jr.] and Justin Herbert. Those two have been really off the charts and incredible, set the tone and been leaders by example the entire offseason.
Harbaugh also credited Herbert for how he’s picked up the system. Previously, in a mic’d-up video, Greg Roman and Marc Trestman both marveled at Herbert’s acumen for learning as many offensive systems as he has in the last number of years. He mentioned instances of Herbert’s blitz pickup and recognition improving under the current system.