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.