Tag: Bob McGinn

What scouts said about Chargers LB Kenneth Murray ahead of draft

NFL evaluators were very high on linebacker Kenneth Murray coming out of college.

The Chargers traded up 14 spots with the Patriots to draft former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray.

Los Angeles saw the high production throughout the past three seasons for the Sooners, and they were able to witness the great character that he possesses up close and personal when they interviewed him at the combine.

Rated highly by the media, Murray was arguably one of the best players at his position in this year’s class. But how did NFL evaluations feel about him?

The Athletic’s Bob McGinn reached out to three scouts to get a better idea what those in the league thought of him ahead of the draft.

The first scout had high praise for Murray, saying that he believes he was better than Bears’ Roquan Smith coming out of college and that he should have no issue making the Pro Bowl.

One of my favorite players. When you plug in the player and the person you love him even more. He does everything you want. He runs the defense. I thought he was better than Roquan Smith. I don’t think he’s quite as good as a Luke Kuechly. He’ll be a Pro Bowl-type player. He didn’t cover there. They didn’t ask him to, but I think he can. He’s an explosive athlete but he’s not a physical tackler. That’s one of the only knocks I have on him.

The second scout had nothing but good things to say, too, despite pointing out some of his weaknesses with his game.

He can run the show. Just a little bit lacking on instincts and angles. But he’s big, fast and a hell of a kid. He loves football. Great locker-room guy.

Here is what the third scout said:

He’s sideline-to-sideline. Inside, he tries to take on. He’s just not the strongest. He’s more of a slip-and-dip type, which is what you’re playing with now. As far as a modern-day linebacker, he has those traits. Covers well.

Overall, Murray is a quick-twitch athlete who possesses the speed and physicality against the run and pass with blitz ability, projecting as three-down starting linebacker for the Chargers.

Murray does need to dial up his instincts, clean up some overaggressive tendencies as he’s been caught over-pursuing ball carriers at times and develop a better feel in coverage. However, he has the talent and skillset to be a really good linebacker and locker room presence for the next decade.

What scouts said about Chargers QB Justin Herbert ahead of draft

The first scout raved about Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert prior to the draft.

The scouting reports and analysis on quarterback Justin Herbert were a mixed bag prior to the draft.

While many had him pegged as a top-10 caliber prospect, there were some that wouldn’t take him until the third-round.

Rather than what the media thought of the former Oregon and now Chargers signal-caller, how did NFL evaluators feel about Herbert?

The Athletic’s Bob McGinn spoke with a few scouts ahead of the draft to get their opinions on Herbert.

Here is what one scout, who seemed really bullish on Herbert, said:

If the Oregon kid had Alabama’s receivers or Oklahoma’s receivers or LSU’s receivers he’d be the best one. He had nobody helping him. He’s got a cannon arm. He runs 4.6. He’s smart as a whip. He’s not a dynamic leader, but remember, Troy Aikman was not a dynamic leader. I’m not saying this guy’s Troy Aikman, but there’s no difference in this guy and the guy at Duke (Daniel Jones) last year. In fact, this kid is a better athlete. He’s got everything, plus he’s a great kid. If you don’t like that damn quarterback at Oregon put the Rose Bowl on and the Pac-10 championship.

Here what another scout said, debunking all of the talks of Herbert not being able to lead a team because he is “too quiet”.

He took some knocks about his personality. The word ‘introvert’ was thrown around. That couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s just a nice, genuine kid and is comfortable in his own skin.

The third scout isn’t as high on Herbert as the first scout, but he still believes he is a decent player.

I like him, to a degree. I don’t think he’s an elite player. He’s kind of robotic and mechanical. Accuracy’s off. He has the classic looks of an NFL quarterback. That’s that guy that has burned a lot of people in the past. Big, tall, good-looking, interviews well, smart, throws the ball a mile, all that stuff. (Blaine) Gabbert. Jared Goff. Not a lot of vision. Not a really good playmaker.

Overall, Herbert possesses NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent, intelligence along with above-average accuracy but he needs to improve his decision-making, passing instincts and consistency.

He is in the perfect situation to clean up the woes to his game, as he will be able to sit in Year 1 while Tyrod Taylor starts and he will be able to clean up any mechanical or mental issues with new quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton.

Also, unlike at Oregon, Herbert should benefit from a slew of proven pass-catchers.