Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, QB Justin Herbert was one of the most divisive NFL prospects to discuss in a stacked class. The third of five QBs taken in the first 53 picks, the Los Angeles Chargers selected Herbert with the sixth overall pick as their next franchise QB. The young QB heads into year three with massive expectations, but where did he spend his college career, and why was Herbert such a divisive prospect? Here’s a look at Herbert’s career before his NFL stardom.
Where did Justin Herbert play college football?
Born in March of 1998, Herbert was raised in Eugene, Oregon, where he attended Sheldon High School. A three-sport athlete, Herbert excelled on the football field but would face adversity after breaking his leg during his junior year. The injury created a complex recruiting process, and, despite throwing for 3,130 yards and 37 touchdowns and being named first-team All-State, Herbert did not initially receive any FBS offers. Eventually, both Nevada and Oregon sent scholarships his way. He chose to stay in Eugene to play for Mark Helfrich and his hometown Ducks.
Herbert entered the 2016 season as a true freshman. Despite being listed as QB2 to start the season, Herbert became the starter following Week 5 of the season and became the first true freshman to start for Oregon since Chris Miller in 1983. In Oregon’s worst season in 25 years, the Ducks went 4-8, and the true freshman was booed by his fans throughout the season.
Oregon parted ways with Helfrich that offseason and hired former South Florida coach Willie Taggart to take the reins. Herbert improved in Taggart’s “Gulf Coast Offense,” leading the Ducks to a 4-1 record to start the season. However, Herbert broke his collarbone during the fourth win against Cal and was sidelined for five weeks. In that span, Oregon lost four games, pushing them to .500 and in danger of suffering back-to-back losing seasons. Herbert returned and won two of the final three games to make Oregon bowl eligible.
Another coaching change for Herbert
While Oregon had just undergone a regime change between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Taggart’s hiring turned into a one-year stay. Florida State offered him their head coaching vacancy following Jimbo Fisher’s move to Texas A&M. This forced Oregon to find their third head coach in as many years. This time they chose to stay in-house, officially hiring interim head coach Mario Cristobal who had come to Oregon as a part of Taggart’s staff.
Not only would this be Herbert’s third head coach during his time at Oregon, but it would also be his third offensive scheme. While Helfrich and Taggart had Herbert executing different forms of the spread offense, Cristobal changed things up entirely as he transitioned the Ducks’ offense to the pistol. Herbert and Cristobal would lead the Ducks to a 9-4 season, but the QB still struggled in “big” games. Despite a high 2019 NFL Draft grade, Herbert decided to return to Oregon for his senior year with a handful of QBs projected to go ahead of him.
Thankfully for Oregon and Herbert’s development, Cristobal did not jump ship following the 2018 season. In their second season together, the duo went 12-2, the first double-digit win season since 2014. Herbert put up the best statistical season of his Ducks career, throwing for 3,471 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He also showcased some of his athletic ability by rushing for four touchdowns, three of which came in Oregon’s 28-27 Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin. With his fourth year of eligibility gone, Herbert made his way to the 2020 NFL Draft.
The draft drama
By this point, we all know the results of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, during the months leading up, there was no telling who was being selected in the first six picks. The Cincinnati Bengals owned the first overall pick. By the time the college football season ended, it was somewhat evident Joe Burrow’s record-breaking season had sealed his status as the first player selected. But then, four picks later, came the biggest and most talked about decision in this draft: which QB were the Miami Dolphins going to choose — Tua Tagovailoa from Alabama or Herbert?
The “Tank for Tua” campaign had been strong during the regular season, but a late-season injury to Tua complicated things. Would the Alabama phenom be okay following the severe hip injury? How would COVID-19 complicate his recovery in Miami? While the questions surrounding Tua mainly revolved around health, the concerns over Herbert were slightly different.
Herbert was described as very introverted, and to some, that affected the quality of his leadership. Despite enduring what many would describe as a whirlwind collegiate career, Herbert stepped up to the plate when faced with adversity every time. A new head coach? No problem. A third offensive system? So what! But still, despite what you could see on the field, many thought Herbert was the lesser of the two prospects.
What makes this even more interesting is Chargers GM Tom Telesco’s comments after the 2020 NFL Draft. Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Telesco revealed that Los Angeles was content with any of the three QBs falling to them at 6. Despite being excited about Herbert’s arrival, Telesco praised them all, saying, “All three are going to be really good players in this league, and it’s a comforting factor to know.”
Herbert has come a long way since his first snaps as a true freshman for his hometown Ducks. He showed four years of growth, responding to every challenge. While there have been some shades of his first two seasons of Oregon in the NFL, the Chargers hope Brandon Staley can also become a mainstay at the helm for Los Angeles. 2021’s matchups between the Chiefs and Chargers were thrillers. With both franchises loading up on even more talent in the offseason and his expectations for the 2022 season, the Week 2 matchup is sure to be a fantastic night of football.