LA Chargers: Justin Herbert’s combine performance makes him even tougher to pass on
By Travis Wakeman
One day closer to the NFL draft and one more day filled with talk of Justin Herbert to the LA Chargers.
Herbert performed in front of teams in Indianapolis in the annual scouting combine on Thursday and he was quite impressive, easily one of the best outings of anyone for the combine’s opening day.
Here were the numbers posted by Herbert on Thursday:
40-yard dash: 4.68 seconds
Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 3 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.06 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.46 seconds
All of those numbers are quite good. What stands out is the quickness that was displayed by Herbert, who is 6-foot-6. In the 40-yard dash, only Jalen Hurts and Hawaii’s Cole McDonald posted a quicker time.
His numbers in each of the other drills were among the top five quarterbacks that worked out on Thursday. He also posted the best time in the three-cone drill.
Oh but there was throwing too.
Justin Herbert is finding his groove on the deep bombs?
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2020
If the combine were an exam, Herbert aced it. Bolt Beat’s Jack Jankowski attended the combine and noted that Herbert ran faster than most expected and was sharp throwing the ball. He was also great in the drill in which the quarterback navigates the pocket.
With quarterbacks like Joe Burrow not throwing and Tua Tagovailoa unable to, Herbert did nothing to hurt his stock on Thursday. He only greatly enhanced it.
In Herbert, a team is getting a big athlete who can throw the ball with strength and accuracy. He can move around in the pocket to extend plays and he can take off up the field and make plays with his legs. Despite his terrific physical traits and supreme athleticism, it still seems trendy to dislike Herbert.
However, most any concerns that he was saddled with toward the end of last season have been buried by his performance in the Senior Bowl and the combine, as that is the most recent tape he has put out there.
Related Story. Herbert goes to Chargers in Bolt Beat mock
Of course, teams will do their due diligence and find out if he really can overcome some of his weaknesses, such as his processing skills, but as of right now, the arrow is pointing way up for the former Oregon quarterback.