Justin Herbert on Leadership Critics: 'I Don't Think They Know Me Very Well'

A borderline build-your-own-quarterback prototype from a physical standpoint, Justin Herbert's biggest knock coming into the 2020 NFL draft has been his perceived lack of leadership skills—particularly concerns over his introverted nature.

Herbert is pushing back against those narratives coming into the 2020 NFL draft.

"I don't think they know me very well, then. If they think I'm pretty quiet, they must not know me," Herbert said on Good Morning Football when asked about evaluators who believe he's too quiet to lead an NFL team. "I think a lot of the guys in the locker room would tell you the same thing—I probably talk too much at times. It's probably something I should work on."

A starter for each of his four years at Oregon, Herbert's Ducks did not have on-field success until his senior season. Herbert led Oregon to a 12-2 record that concluded with a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin and a fifth-place spot in the final AP poll.

From a production standpoint, Herbert also had his best individual passing season, throwing for 3,471 yards and 32 touchdowns against six interceptions. Perhaps Herbert was more introverted early in his career, but he appeared to grow into more of a leader as he became comfortable with his place on the team.

"I think when I first came here, I was a little nervous," Herbert told Bleacher Report's Michael Weinreb in January. "I didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Now I've caught myself saying things to the team, and I think, 'If it's that easy, I can do it again.'"

Herbert is expected to go off the board somewhere in the top 10, even as early as No. 3 in a trade-up scenario. He's been most regularly linked to the Miami Dolphins at No. 5 and Los Angeles Chargers at No. 6, both of whom would be banking on Herbert's growth as a leader carrying over to the pro level.

Based on what he has said publicly, Herbert seems to believe he's ready for the task.