If it looks like a duck, it quacks like a duck and it swims like a duck, it's probably a franchise NFL quarterback.
The 2020 NFL Draft was highlighted by three first-round passers: LSU's Joe Burrow, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon's Justin Herbert.
Coming out of college, Herbert was the No. 3 quarterback off the board. To this point in the NFL, though, it's been a No. 1 and 1A between Burrow and Herbert, with Tagovailoa a fairly distant third entering his third season.
Herbert exploded in his rookie year, and that explosion carried over into his second year. Entering Year 3, Herbert's standing as a franchise quarterback — and one of the best passers in the entire league — is solidified.
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That said, five teams ahead of the Chargers decided to pass on Herbert. Some had good reasons; others, not so much.
Here's a look back at the scouting report on Herbert and how the 2020 NFL Draft unfolded:
Justin Herbert scouting report
Herbert was heralded for his frame, smarts and strong arm, but there were a few knocks on his game coming out of Oregon, too.
Herbert's mechanics were viewed as more robotic than smooth, and he had to learn to put a little bit more touch on the ball. On the intangible level, some scouting reports criticized Herbert for being a "quiet leader," while others said he lacked the "killer instinct."
Overall, Herbert had an excellent college career. The rest he figured out at the NFL level. The Chargers recognized as much, too.
"If Justin Herbert would have declared the year before, he was the number one guy on our board then," Chargers GM Tom Telesco said in 2020. "So, our guys were on him early. They loved him then. It didn't change through his senior year, so we trust those guys to get the work done and have great opinions on players and they've done such a great job."
2020 NFL Draft
As Herbert was selected No. 6 overall, five teams opted to pass on him.
No. 1, QB Joe Burrow, Bengals: Burrow was coming off the single greatest offensive season by a quarterback in college football history, so it made sense to take the Ohio kid No. 1 overall. Though, some debate can be had over measurables, but it's something that's obviously worked out for Cincinnati so far.
No. 2, DE Chase Young, Commanders: Young was heralded as the league's next great pass rusher, and though he's missed time with injury in 2021 and 2022, he's lived up to the billing, despite not putting up gaudy sack numbers.
No. 3, CB Jeff Okudah, Lions: Another Ohio State product, Okudah was expected to be the next lockdown corner in the league, but injuries and inconsistency have robbed him and the Lions of that so far in his career. At the time, the Lions were entering the end of the Matthew Stafford era.
No. 4, OT Andrew Thomas, Giants: Coincidentally, the Giants were very high on Justin Herbert — but drafted Daniel Jones the season prior with the No. 6 overall selection. New York fell in "full-bloom love" with Jones, and after Herbert opted to stay in school for another season, the Giants' plan to find a replacement for Eli Manning was accelerated. Andrew Thomas has shown to be a very good tackle when healthy.
No. 5, QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: The Alabama product didn't have the frame that Herbert had, or the arm talent, or the hair, but he dagnabbit, he was a winner. How much that does that account for? Apparently, one pick higher than Herbert. To be fair to Tagovailoa, he did have a dazzling career with the Crimson Tide, though some question how much of that was the design of the offense (and three, bonafide first-round picks at skill positions) and how much of it was him. The Dolphins are still trying to figure this part out.
Here's how the entire first round of 2020 broke down, with quarterbacks in bold:
| Round | Pick | Overall | Team | Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow, QB, LSU |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | Washington Commanders | Chase Young, DE, Ohio State |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | Detroit Lions | Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State |
| 1 | 4 | 4 | New York Giants | Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia |
| 1 | 5 | 5 | Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama |
| 1 | 6 | 6 | Los Angeles Chargers | Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon |
| 1 | 7 | 7 | Carolina Panthers | Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn |
| 1 | 8 | 8 | Arizona Cardinals | Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson |
| 1 | 9 | 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | Cleveland Browns | Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama |
| 1 | 11 | 11 | New York Jets | Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville |
| 1 | 12 | 12 | Las Vegas Raiders | Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama |
| 1 | 13 | 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Colts through 49ers | Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa |
| 1 | 14 | 14 | San Francisco 49ers from Buccaneers | Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina |
| 1 | 15 | 15 | Denver Broncos | Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama |
| 1 | 16 | 16 | Atlanta Falcons | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson |
| 1 | 17 | 17 | Dallas Cowboys | CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma |
| 1 | 18 | 18 | Miami Dolphins from Steelers | Austin Jackson, OT, USC |
| 1 | 19 | 19 | Las Vegas Raiders from Bears | Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State |
| 1 | 20 | 20 | Jacksonville Jaguars from Rams | K'Lavon Chaisson, OLB, LSU |
| 1 | 21 | 21 | Philadelphia Eagles | Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU |
| 1 | 22 | 22 | Minnesota Vikings from Bills | Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU |
| 1 | 23 | 23 | Los Angeles Chargers from Patriots | Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma |
| 1 | 24 | 24 | New Orleans Saints | Cesar Ruiz, C/G, Michigan |
| 1 | 25 | 25 | San Francisco 49ers from Vikings | Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State |
| 1 | 26 | 26 | Green Bay Packers from Texans through Dolphins | Jordan Love, QB, Utah State |
| 1 | 27 | 27 | Seattle Seahawks | Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech |
| 1 | 28 | 28 | Baltimore Ravens | Patrick Queen, LB, LSU |
| 1 | 29 | 29 | Tennessee Titans | Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia |
| 1 | 30 | 30 | Miami Dolphins from Packers | Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn |
| 1 | 31 | 31 | Minnesota Vikings from 49ers | Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU |
| 1 | 32 | 32 | Kansas City Chiefs | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU |