LOS ANGELES — After many months of speculation of who the Los Angeles Chargers would draft, on Thursday night during the first ever NFL virtual Draft, the team selected Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert with the sixth pick.
A few things that stand out about Herbert is that he’s tall, knows to how to overcome adversity, and not short on confidence. This was a great pick for general manager Tom Telesco and the organization.
They seemed to be impressed with Herbert for a while as they watched the quarterback elevate throughout his senior season that included a huge victory against the USC Trojans, his close Rose Bowl win and senior bowl conquest.
“I think the combination of his physical skills, his style of how he plays and his makeup. It’s just really intriguing to us,” Telesco said. “He’s a big, fast, dual-threat quarterback with plenty of room to grow. We really love his quarterback potential, his quarterback makeup, his leadership skills, his toughness, his mental toughness, being able to handle adversity — especially as a quarterback.“
During his video conference call with reporters, Herbert didn’t hide his excitement nor readiness to get to get to work.
“This is such an incredible opportunity, words can’t describe how excited and thrilled and fired up I am for this opportunity,” Herbert said. “I am going to do everything I can to be the best quarterback I can be, everything I can for the city of Los Angeles.”
He may not have the exact hype of a Tua Tagovailoa, but he’s the best fit for this franchise who is in the third year of being in the second largest market and entering a brand new $5 billion So-Fi Stadium with the L.A. Rams.
In a land that houses the Dodgers, Lebron James and the Lakers and Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers, Herbert is confident that he can make a significant impact for the Bolts. With weapons like Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and an upgraded offensive line, it’s the perfect time to make noise in a city that is constantly moving.
“It’s a chance to go play football and that’s what I love the most,” Herbert explained. “You get to go play football and you get to go be paid for playing football. An incredible city on the West Coast with an incredible team. They’ve got the players. They’ve got the skill. They’ve got the coaches. I just can’t wait to join the team and be a part of it.”
Nothing has been given to Herbert, he’s had to work his way to the top for years. From high school to his time at Oregon, he’s never shied away from wanting to be the best on the field.
“When I first showed up we went 4-8 my freshman year, and got booed by our fans at home. It wasn’t the Oregon football I was used to. Going through these past few years, [we] went through three head coaches, three different offenses, a bunch of different strength coaches,” Herbert said. “We fought through and dealt with adversity. We ended up going 12-2 and winning the Rose Bowl. I was really pleased with the way we turned things around at Oregon.”
He’s proven he can be poised under the noise whether negative or positive under center. Herbert ranked top three in the Pac-12 in touchdowns and yards thrown while making some incredible plays.
He’s committed to being the best quarterback he can be and living up to being the face of the franchise one day is definitely in this young quarterback’s DNA.
