Former NFL quarterback and current NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms has started unveiling his annual quarterback rankings.
No. 36-40 are the only ones that have been released.
Checking in at No. 37 is Chargers rookie Justin Herbert.
“Ceiling could be higher than Joe Burrow. Big-time arm is just a tier below Mahomes-Rodgers. Can throw with touch too. Battle-tested in college & handled the spotlight at Senior Bowl & Combine. But needs to throw with body more rather than just arm,” Simms said.
Herbert came in ahead of Bears Mitchell Trubisky (No. 38), Redskins’ Dwayne Haskins (No. 39) and Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (No. 40).
Seeing Herbert rank this low is no surprise, but seeing him above Tagovailoa might raise some eyebrows due to many having the former Alabama product ranked higher than the former Oregon product throughout the pre-draft process.
The anticipation is at an all-time high to see the No. 6 overall selection take the field. Now that the Philip Rivers era has come to an end, fans are hopeful that Herbert can help the team take a leap.
There’s no denying Herbert’s NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent and intelligence, but he needs to improve his decision-making, eye discipline and consistency to succeed.
The Chargers are hopeful that he can fix those with the mentorship of quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton, as well as surrounding him with an offense that’s tailored to his strengths and above-average skill players.