With the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, the Chargers selected Justin Herbert, who Los Angeles surely is hoping will be the franchise’s quarterback for years to come.
But what would the Bolts have done if Herbert was unavailable?
Three teams picking in the top six of the 2020 draft were in need of quarterback help: the Bengals, Dolphins and Chargers. Everyone in the world knew Cincinnati was going to take Joe Burrow No. 1 overall, but plenty of uncertainty surrounded Miami at No. 5. After countless rumors in all different directions, the Fins ultimately selected Tua Tagovailoa.
But had the Dolphins selected Herbert fifth overall, the Chargers were comfortable with taking the Alabama product with their top pick.
“Yeah, we felt great about both guys,” LA general manager Tom Telesco said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Well, actually, we felt great about all three quarterbacks that went in the top six. All three are going to be really good players in this league and it’s a comforting factor to know — I hope we don’t pick six very often. If we do, I won’t be making very many picks here. So if you’re going to pick this high and there’s a potential, down-the-road franchise quarterback there that you like, you gotta take him. We were lucky to have some quarterbacks there in this draft that are really good players.”
BREAKING: Tua would have been a member of the @Chargers if the #Dolphins took Herbert at 5
GM Tom Telesco confirms #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/ZEqeqFUmva
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 28, 2020
For what it’s worth, the Chargers will visit the Dolphins at some point in the upcoming season.