Top 5 quarterbacks to watch for the 2019 NFL Draft

1. Justin Herbert – Oregon

When Herbert was healthy and on the field for the Ducks last season their offense was unstoppable. The lowest point total they scored in any game he started was 35 in a shootout loss at Arizona State.

Unfortunately a broken collarbone interrupted his 2017 campaign and derailed Oregon’s quest for a Pac-12 title. The Ducks lost four out of five without Herbert on the field.

If he manages to come back strong this season he has a chance to be this year’s most prolific quarterback in college football. He’ll need to adjust to the loss of coach Willie Taggart, but he has too much talent to be held down. Herbert is the rare college prospect who shows he can terrorize defenses with his legs and make plays with his arm. He needs to learn to trust his pocket a little bit more, but he is not just an athlete who happens to play quarterback. He’s a quarterback who knows how to leverage his athleticism for big plays.

In addition to his speed and arm strength he also has outstanding size for the position. Measuring in at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds makes him look more like an outside linebacker than a quarterback. Scouts will be watching closely to see whether or not his collarbone injury was a freak occurrence or a sign that his body can’t take the physical pounding required at the next level.

If Herbert plays every game next season for Oregon he may end up with a Heisman Trophy. It also may catapult into the discussion for being the first quarterback taken in the draft.