The Los Angeles Chargers struck gold with Justin Herbert. Herbert was always a top prospect coming out of high school and into Oregon, so it is not surprising he is playing so well, but he was the third quarterback taken in his own draft class. To be fair, Joe Burrow has done quite well.
Still, while Burrow came in as the more NFL-ready prospect, Herbert was always more physically enticing. The upside may be higher, and as he enters the third year of his NFL career, we may finally be seeing that.
Herbert, who was 236 pounds at the NFL combine, is up to 245 pounds. He noted that he has a trainer now and is hitting his physical peak.
Considering Herbert is not even 25 years old yet, there is still room to grow for him. With the fact that all of his most prestigious accolades have come from his physical dominance, you start to think that once everything comes together and we see him hit his peak, he could be the best quarterback in the NFL.
Still, the next step for Herbert to take is not one that features how big his arms look. It is now about winning. Herbert stepped into a moving train during his rookie season and flashed. In year two, his team was a game away from the playoffs, but he did not make it.
Now, they added Zion Johnson in the draft to help his offensive line. They added J.C. Jackson, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Khalil Mack to improve the defense at all levels, and they are primed to make a run with a third-year quarterback and second-year head coach.
There are no excuses for Justin Herbert in 2022, so this is a big year for him. His arm is strong, and he makes wow throws, but if the Chargers miss the playoffs, the obvious sign is that he has to take more mental reps than muscle reps.
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