Chargers News: Pro Bowl QB Finds Traces of Justin Herbert in Star Rookie

But can the kid deliver in the pros?

Dec 10, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws against the Denver Broncos during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert, whose rocket arm remains the focus even in the team's reconstituted 2024 era under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and new general manager Joe Hortiz, has already accomplished plenty at the NFL level. Now, the 6-foot-6 former Oregon Duck is being used as a comp for the next generation of gunslingers.

Former longtime NFL signal caller Matt Hasselbeck, himself a three-time Pro Bowler in his day, believes that freshly-selected New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has some positively Herbert-ian tendencies. Maye turned heads during a decorated run at North Carolina before emerging as the No. 3 pick in last month's 2024 NFL Draft.

Maye, like Herbert (and a certain recent Patriots quarterback), is a bit oversized for the position. He earned two All-ACC team nods in college, while also being named the conference's Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. In 2022, his most successful NCAA season, he started all 14 of his games for the Tar Heels, passing for 4,321 yards while completing 342 of 517 attempts. Maye notched 38 touchdowns against seven interceptions, posting a tantalizing 157.9 passer rating for his efforts. He also rushed for an additional 698 yards, on 184 attempts, registering seven touchdowns that way.

“To me, he’s a lot like Justin Herbert. So if you like Justin Herbert, I think you’ll like Drake Maye. And I really like Justin Herbert,” Hasselbeck opined to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

“I think his best football is ahead of him. I love his personality," Hasselbeck continued. "I love his demeanor. I love his toughness. I love his athleticism. Athleticism can get you in trouble sometimes, and it doesn’t always translate from college to the NFL, but I think his athleticism does. I think, more than anything, I think I really like the person. He has a contagious thing about him.”

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