NFL teams hoping to make Justin Herbert their quarterback of the future may have to wait until the 2020 Draft to make that happen.
Justin Herbert has established himself as the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be the first signal-caller off the board in 2019. It’s very likely the talented prospect will stiff-arm the NFL and stay at Oregon for one more season.
Jason La Canfora is reporting that it would be a “surprise” if Herbert elected to leave the Ducks at the conclusion of this season. Instead, he wants to stay in college one extra season to play with his younger brother, Patrick, who will enroll as a tight end for Oregon before next season begins.
The idea of turning down millions in favor of an extra collegiate season isn’t unheard of, but it is pretty rare. Ironically, the last two high-profile instances of this phenomenon have occurred in the Pac-12. Andrew Luck famously spurned the NFL to spend an extra year at Stanford before becoming a star for the Colts. More recently, Bryce Love opted for one more year for the Cardinal before turning pro.
With that being said, it’s still a major risk for Herbert. Obviously, the threat of injury will loom large for him during his final season for the Ducks. He can take out an insurance policy that will protect him against the loss of future earnings, but there’s nothing that can protect him against losing his chance at NFL stardom. Deciding to stay in school is a calculated risk form a health perspective.
Staying at Oregon an extra season will also give NFL scouts even more game tape to nitpick. It may be difficult for him to hang on to his place as the draft’s top quarterback by playing 12 more games for Oregon. NFL executives can always find weaknesses in prospect’s games before they turn pro. Herbert is just giving everyone more time to poke holes in his game.
In the end, no one should criticize Herbert for making the choice he believes to be in his best interest. It’s still a huge risk though for him personally even though it’s great news for the Oregon football team.