The most important Dolphins question at Senior Bowl: Is Justin Herbert a Flores type of guy?
Credit Justin Herbert for this:
He’s self-aware, and unafraid to admit reality.
Oregon’s dynamic, divisive quarterback knows what people think about him. And he knows there’s some truth to it.
“I think people are worried about leadership and me being a pretty quiet guy,” Herbert, the biggest star of this week’s Senior Bowl, said during the game’s media day Tuesday. “But I would say I’m not too quiet. I’ll talk your ear off. So there are these things I want to be transparent with. And give a good representation of myself.”
Herbert continued: “I think early on in my career I was pretty quiet. I was shy. But as the years went on I kind of stepped out of my comfort zone. I forced myself to be uncomfortable. I kind of found myself and where I fit in with the offense.”
Herbert doesn’t believe he’s an introvert or an extrovert. Rather, he’s somewhere in the middle. But he knows more was needed than what he showed early in his time in Eugene.
Oregon coach Mario Cristobal — a familiar face to South Florida sports fans — helped Herbert find his voice. Cristobal is no shrinking violet, and “he did a good job of forcing me to be uncomfortable,” Herbert said.
But as he meets with dozens of NFL teams this week — the Dolphins, undoubtedly among them — he will have to convince coaches and general managers that his new voice is genuine.
That’s doubly true for the Dolphins, who would like to emerge from this draft with their quarterback of the future.
Herbert — the 6-foot-6 dual threat who threw for 95 touchdowns to just 23 interceptions in four years at Oregon — is one of many under consideration.
But no matter how impressive his numbers or his tape, Herbert won’t be the guy unless coach Brian Flores is confident he can lead a team. Ryan Fitzpatrick is an alpha, which is a major reason why he, and not Josh Rosen, started all but three games this past year.
“I had to figure out being myself,” Herbert said. “And being myself around the guys. Being comfortable with them. And not trying to be someone else. When I realize these are some really good guys on the team. These are some guys I’ll spend the rest of my life thinking about. And talking with. I was just myself. And that made it much easier.”
Herbert has to also prove to teams that his skills translate to systems beyond the spread zone-read used by Oregon. While the NFL continues to poach from the college game — and athletic quarterbacks are becoming the rule, not the exception — there is still a need for a drop-back pocket passer.
When asked if he can fit in any offensive system, Herbert responded: “That’s something I’ll have to figure out.”
New Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey was one of the first to use spread concepts in the NFL — although Flores was purposefully vague Monday when asked what kind of system the team will run in 2020. A spread-heavy system should help Herbert’s chances.
Much also depends on things beyond the Dolphins’ control. Will Tua Tagovailoa get a clean bill of health? Will a team jump them in the draft to take him? Will Herbert be available at a place where the Dolphins would be comfortable taking him? They have the fifth, 18th, and 26th picks. Herbert could potentially be available at all three spots.
“Big, strong arm, hard to bring down,” said Bengals coach Zac Taylor, whose staff is coaching Herbert and the rest of the South team this week. “He can make plays with his feet as well. All the impressive tools you’re looking for in the top quarterback in the draft. Excited to spend time with him this week and get a feel for where he is mentally. We know what’s reported, but that’s one of the advantages of coaching the Senior Bowl is being able to coach the guy in meetings, see how quickly he takes the information from the meetings to the field. Excited to work with him.”
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 5:25 PM.
