Justin Herbert bets on himself going to Senior Bowl: Oregon QB can repair NFL Draft stock

Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert is ready to bet on himself on a big week down at the Senior Bowl.

The Senior Bowl continues to grow as a fan event, and under executive director Jim Nagy, it has become a must-attend event for the NFL Draft world, and for the top seniors in the upcoming draft class.

The latest top senior to enter the 2020 game is Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, who’s had an interesting career in Eugene. He was ranked by many draft analysts as the top quarterback for the 2019 NFL Draft, until he chose to stay at Oregon for his senior season.

Heading into the 2019 season, he was up there with Tua Tagovailoa as a potential No. 1 overall prospect, but an uneven season has put his abilities as a franchise signal-caller into question, along with his value.

The good news for Herbert is that the Senior Bowl provides him an opportunity to right the ship in terms of his shaky draft stock. He will get to prove he can be consistent with his accuracy, a major question when turning on the tape. Some games he’s on the money, while in others he is constantly missing receivers. Herbert has the opportunity to go out against top talent and dominate on the practice field and in the game.

Another big question for him is his leadership ability. Does he have that alpha style that teams like to see in a quarterback? With a strong presence on the practice field and in meetings, Herbert can quiet that concern as well.

We’ve seen other quarterbacks enjoy rises in their draft stock at the Senior Bowl. Carson Wentz was practically unknown by most until his great week in Mobile, and he went second overall. Both Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen had successful weeks, and both quarterbacks ended up as top 10 selections in 2018. Herbert could enjoy that same rise with a big week.

With a strong week down in Mobile, Herbert could put himself into the conversation for the Miami Dolphins, who pick fifth overall in the 2020 draft, especially with Tua’s injury concerns. He would probably not get past the Panthers at the seventh overall pick and could go to the Chargers in between at six overall. If he has a shaky week in Mobile, there’s a solid chance he could fall past the 10th pick, where the Colts, Buccaneers, and Raiders would have a decision to make.

It’s possible Jordan Love and Jacob Eason could surpass him, and teams like the Patriots and Saints could have a chance at selecting toward the end of the first round.

Herbert is betting on himself to have an outstanding week and prove himself, and in two weeks, we will find out if he checked all the boxes or left some red flags for NFL teams to consider.

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