Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Bengals’ Joe Burrow were viewed differently before becoming NFL stars

CINCINNATI — There was a point in time when Justin Herbert was viewed as the consensus No. 1 overall pick and it didn’t matter whether he enlisted in the NFL draft in 2019 or 2020.

Joe Burrow changed that certainty when he delivered arguably the greatest season ever for a college quarterback on his way to winning a national championship and the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt senior at LSU.

But Burrow is still surprised about the Cincinnati Bengals making him the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 because he remembers how strongly NFL scouts and draft experts felt about Herbert, the 6-foot-6 prospect from Oregon with all the physical traits.

Burrow was a backup quarterback at Ohio State for three seasons – and a teammate of Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa – before transferring to LSU.

Herbert ended up being the third quarterback taken in last year’s draft (sixth overall) behind Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, who was selected fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins.

“He was always the guy, really the whole time,” Burrow said of Herbert this week. “For his whole three years, he was going to be the next No. 1 pick. So I knew him the entire time he was playing. I never thought I would be the No. 1 pick. I was some unknown backup guy for three years.”

Burrow and Herbert had their narratives flipped as draft prospects, but they’re viewed in the same light as professionals. They will battle for the first time Sunday when the Chargers (6-5) meet the Bengals (7-4) at Paul Brown Stadium.

Herbert was on the sideline when Burrow scored his first career NFL touchdown, a 23-yard run up the middle against the Chargers in the 2020 season opener in Cincinnati. But Herbert was the backup quarterback to Tyrod Taylor, who guided the Chargers to a 16-13 victory that day.

Herbert had to wait to alter his narrative after many scouts and draft pundits changed their tune on him following a rocky senior season at Oregon. Herbert went from a sought-after prospect with a rocket arm to a quarterback with many red flags, including the perception that he was not charismatic enough to lead an NFL locker room.

Burrow’s physical skill set wasn’t on par with Herbert’s, but many noticed the swagger and poise he displayed at LSU and he enjoyed a meteoric rise up the draft boards. But the Chargers didn’t forget about Herbert’s physical gifts and did their homework on his reserved personality.

The Chargers planned to take a slow approach with Herbert’s development, but he was thrust into a starting role a week after they left Cincinnati, and it didn’t take Herbert long to remind the scouts and draft pundits why they once penciled him in as the No. 1 overall pick.

“Any time that you’re able to watch on the sideline, there are things that you can learn and pick up,” Herbert said of being the backup for that first game. “I would have loved to have watched more games and learned more, but that was the situation that it was. I got to pick up as much as I could from Tyrod and those guys in the quarterback room. It was a lot of learning, for sure.”

Former Chargers coach Anthony Lynn took plenty of heat for once saying Herbert is the “backup for a reason,” but the slow approach might have paid off because many were baffled by how well Herbert played after making his starting debut with 5 minutes of notice against the Kansas City Chiefs. A team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung before kickoff and that paved the way for Herbert’s memorable rookie season.

Many draft experts have said Herbert was a much-improved player in his rookie season than what he displayed as a senior at Oregon. Or was that an excuse for overvaluing how vocal an NFL quarterback needs to be?

Herbert, without saying it, proved he belonged on the same level as Burrow, and the two were neck-and-neck for Offensive Rookie of the Year before Burrow tore his ACL in Week 11. Herbert went on to hoist the award and broke nearly every rookie record for a quarterback.

Burrow recovered from his devastating injury and has surpassed the high bar he set as a rookie.

“We haven’t spoken since then (the NFL Scouting Combine), but Joe was a great guy to meet,” Herbert said. “I’m always rooting for him. The success that he’s had over the past couple of years has been awesome. I’m always cheering for the best for him.”

They didn’t battle in Week 1 last season and there was no photo finish for rookie of the year, but the two will finally meet on the field Sunday.

Being viewed the same way, however, is rarely enough for the football public, which always wants someone to be the better quarterback. Herbert might have a slight lead in that debate based on statistics and his physical skills.

Burrow has completed 69.3% of his passes for 2,835 yards, 22 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a passer rating of 101.6 this season. Herbert has completed 66% for 3,230 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 96.5 this season.

The Bengals likely wouldn’t change their draft pick from Burrow to Herbert if they had to do it again. Burrow has the Bengals well-positioned to reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.

Burrow has changed the culture in Cincinnati and has the offense humming with rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and running back Joe Mixon.

The Chargers are also content with their quiet star quarterback and are probably thankful every day that five teams passed on Herbert in last year’s draft.

There will always be a debate about who is the better quarterback, but the Chargers and Bengals likely don’t care about that discussion and would simply prefer a win this weekend.