Former Oregon Ducks star quarterback Justin Herbert has been placed on a major NFL watch list.
Even though Justin Herbert hasn't played for the Oregon Ducks since the 2019 season, fans in Eugene are still following along closely as he competes for the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL.
Herbert played all four of his college seasons at Oregon. He was a standout star for the Ducks and ended up being selected by the Chargers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
During his four-year tenure with Oregon, Herbert put up big-time numbers. He completed 64 percent of his career pass attempts for 10,541 yards, 95 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions, while also running for 560 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Throughout the first six years of his NFL career, Herbert has been a star in L.A. He has played well in the regular season, but his lack of postseason success has been a dark mark on his record. Herbert is hoping to turn that around in 2026.
In six years with the Chargers, he has played in 95 games and thrown for 24,820 yards, 163 touchdowns, and 58 interceptions, while completing 66.5 percent of his passes.
At 28 years old, Herbert actually has never been an All-Pro. That is something he could change this year.
Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker has placed Herbert on a major watch list entering the 2026 season. Locker believes that Herbert is among the players who could become a first-time All-Pro.
"The circumstances for Herbert will be diametrically different in 2026 as he returns two Pro Bowl-caliber tackles in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, plus ushers in one of the game’s foremost offensive minds in Mike McDaniel," Locker wrote.
"As the gunslinger boasting the fourth-best PFF passing grade (90.6) since 2021, it’s fairly surprising that Herbert has never made an All-Pro team. The cards may finally fall into place in 2026, although he’ll also face steep competition."
While there is no question that Herbert is one of the more talented quarterbacks in the NFL, he has work to do in multiple areas. In order to be considered a bonafide superstar, fans and analysts want to see him take the Chargers into Super Bowl contention.
Hopefully, the 2026 season is the year that Herbert puts everything together and that the team around him can compete for a championship. As he pursues that goal, Oregon fans are sure to be among the loudest rooting for him.
