Ask Farrell: If Herbert stays at Oregon, will a QB go in first round?
TAKE TWO: How will Bama's win over LSU impact five-star Ishmael Sopsher?
Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert would almost certainly be one of the top few picks in the 2019 NFL Draft if he decided to leave the Ducks after this season, but there is a strong sense that Herbert will return to Eugene next season.
According to a report by CBS Sports, there are numerous reasons why Herbert wants to play one more season at Oregon from having a desire to win big for his hometown school, the chance to play with his brother, Patrick, who is a four-star tight end in this recruiting class and “several scouts” have said they would be surprised if Herbert leaves Oregon after this season.
The quarterback crop for this upcoming draft is light, unlike the 2018 group that saw five players - Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, USC’s Sam Darnold, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson - all drafted in the first round.
Mock drafts this early are really just an educated guess at best, but it’s widely accepted that this could be the best defensive line haul in a long time. An abundance of the first-round picks could come at defensive tackle and defensive end,. but quarterback is light.
Some names that are being tossed around at this point as possible first-rounders: NC State’s Ryan Finley, Missouri’s Drew Lock, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and Duke’s Daniel Jones.
We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell to weigh in on whether there is a quarterback worthy of a first-round grade if Herbert decides to stay for his senior season with the Ducks or if this could be the first draft since 1996 to not have a quarterback taken in the first round.
FARRELL'S TAKE
“This could get ugly, but I still think some team will reach on a first-rounder whether it’s Finley or someone else. This quarterback class is very weak overall with Finley and Lock being the only two I could see possibly getting a first-round grade. But if the New York Giants, who need a quarterback, are picking in the top five, could they possibly take one of these guys? I don’t think so. I could see a team or two trading back in the first round and taking a guy like Finley late in the first round, but we aren’t going to see a quarterback go in the top 10 and might not see one in round one.”