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We got some prominent draft news on this Monday morning thanks to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. According to RapSheet, the Chargers recently met with Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert over FaceTime, finally checking off a prospect meeting we have all been waiting to hear about since January.
With no pre-draft visits due to Coronavirus, teams have turned to FaceTime meetings with prospects instead. For instance, #Oregon QB Justin Herbert has a video call with the #Raiders today, and he’s spoken with the #Chargers, too. Everyone is adjusting to new realities.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 30, 2020
Mocking Herbert to the Chargers at #6 has been the most-common pairing for the Bolts through this entire off-season. Draft analysts and media members alike have fallen in love with the idea of the west coast-native taking over for Rivers as the Chargers franchise quarterback. The league is used to seeing the 6’5 Rivers standing tall in the pocket for the last 15+ years and so it is almost second nature to replace him with the statuesque 6’6 Herbert. While Anthony Lynn prefers a strong ground game, his passing attack is built on vertical concepts that push the ball down the field early and often. Herbert’s arm strength would fit right into that scheme and his ability to extend plays and use his legs are a big plus for fans that grew tired of Rivers hitting the fetal position at the first sign of pressure.
Herbert finished his career with 10,541 passing yards with 95 touchdowns to just 23 interceptions. He only rushed for 560 yards across his four years in Eugene but looking at his rushing numbers paints an accurate picture of Herbert the athlete. He averaged just 2.4 yards per carry but rushed for 13 touchdowns in his career. He wasn’t a “running quarterback’ by any means, but he utilized his athleticism in short-yardage situations and in the red zone. Herbert rushed for three scores in his final game against Wisconsin in Pasadena and they all came within the red zone when the Badgers were completely clamping down on the Ducks’ passing game.
As of late, more mock drafts have seen the Chargers trading up to the third spot to draft Tua Tagovailoa in a bold move to secure the future of the franchise. Either way you go, it seems like the entire league is in consensus that the Bolts are going to grab their QB of the future while their roster is ready to compete in the present.