The Chargers not only came away with the future at the quarterback position at No. 6 overall with the selection of Justin Herbert.
Los Angeles made an aggressive move by trading back up into the first-round with the Patriots to snag former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, adding a physical playmaker to the defensive side of the ball.
We asked you what you thought of the two picks – Herbert and Murray – but how did national writers and analysts feel about the Bolts’ first night of the draft?
A look at the experts’ ratings of the Chargers’ choices’ in the first-round:
NFL Media’s Chad Reuter: A
“Herbert wasn’t always exceptional as a passer at Oregon, but he lacked great weapons in the receiving corps. He presents the size, arm and intelligence needed to be a good NFL starter. Wisconsin saw his ability to run once out of the pocket in the Rose Bowl, as well. His Senior Bowl performance and NFL Scouting Combine workout almost certainly cemented his top-10 status. Plus, the team does not have to rush him on the field with Tyrod Taylor available. This is a smart pick, the right pick no matter how Herbert’s career unfolds. Plus, Kenneth Murray will be a star football player and leader on defense — I can’t blame the Chargers for moving up to get him. Giving up a second- and third-round pick in the trade is not ideal but getting a top-15 player at No. 23 makes it worth the price.”
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco: Herbert – B, Murray – B
On Herbert: “This kid has all the tools. Give him a little time and he can develop into a big-time quarterback. There’s a lot to work with there. Yeah, he’s got some mechanical issues but he can get those fixed.”
On Murray: “They gave up a bunch to go get him, but he’s a big-time playmaker.”
Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm: Herbert – B, Murray – B+
On Herbert: “The Chargers take their QB of the future to replace Philip Rivers. Herbert possesses ideal arm strength, athleticism and character for the position, but does he have the keen instincts and temperament to be great?”
On Murray: “Love this for the Chargers, even at the cost of a second- and third-round pick to trade up. Murray is a high-character selection, and he can be a key piece of a front seven needed to attack the Chiefs in the division.”
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar: Herbert – C, Murray – B
On Herbert: “I suspected that Herbert would go higher than his game tape would inspire, because he’s a big guy with a big arm, and for some teams, that’s all that’s required. The Chargers now have to deal with Herbert’s remedial field reads, his inaccuracy to the boundary, and his wonkiness when throwing on the run. I didn’t have a first-round grade on Herbert, but one understands which attributes move the needle when it comes to quarterbacks.”
On Murray: “The Patriots moved out of the first round at the Chargers’ behest, and L.A. Went with Murray, one of the most athletic linebackers in this class — as long as you know how he’s athletic. As a downhill run-stopper and a coverage guy from side to side, he’s great. But if you want a coverage ‘backer, he’s not ideal. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will trust his ‘backers to run and chase and drop into short and intermediate coverage, and it’s Murray’s ability to hunt through gaps that makes him a first-round talent — and a natural fit for this defense.”
The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia: C+
“On paper, the Chargers’ first round looks nice. They got quarterback Justin Herbert at No. 6 and drafted Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray with the Patriots’ pick. Murray is a super-athletic off-ball linebacker who flies around and has great intangibles. He has the upside to be a perennial All-Pro. The key for the Chargers will be figuring out how to use Murray on third downs and other obvious passing situations. He was mostly a downhill linebacker with the Sooners. After the trade, the Chargers don’t have another pick until the fourth round, and they have only six picks.
I like Murray a lot, and he is a relatively safe pick, but I’m not sure I would have given up two Day 2 picks if I were the Chargers, given the relatively low number of selections they have.”
Sports Illustrated’s Andy Benoit: Herbert – B-, Murray –
On Herbert: “Those around the NFL said the Chargers, who are well-stocked on defense, believe they will not have an opportunity to draft this high again anytime soon. And so they jumped at the franchise QB. Like predecessor Philip Rivers, Herbert is a classic “big, strong pocket passer,” but unlike Rivers, he can also make plays with his legs. The big concern is whether Herbert can be consistently accurate enough. He has a fastball and can make throws that many starting NFL quarterbacks cannot, but he was wild at times as a Duck, not unlike how Cam Newton or Josh Allen can be. Quarterbacks like that are best suited for a downfield passing attack that is supported by a sound run game. The Chargers have good front line pieces here in wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, plus tight end Hunter Henry, but they still need more depth and run game weapons.”
On Murray: “Murray, with his prototypical size, athleticism, speed and explosiveness, was widely regarded as the best stack linebacker in this class. The Chargers entered this draft with two-down linebacker Denzel Perryman and erratic ex-Bengal Nick Vigil penciled in atop their base package depth chart, and only 2019 fourth-rounder Drue Tranquill as a capable passing down linebacker. It’s a simple case of injecting talent where talent is needed, and it creates options for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who now has some depth and diversity to work with in the middle.
The only potential mark against this pick is that many see Murray’s blitzing prowess as a significant part of his value, and the Chargers are not a big blitzing defense. But maybe with Murray now paired with Derwin James, Bradley will get more aggressive.”
