Breaking down everything you need to know about Patriots sixth round pick Justin Herron.
Justin Herron, OL: Sixth round, 195th overall
Height: 6-5
Weight: 305
College: Wake Forest
Hometown: Silver Spring, Md.
Strengths: Four-year starter. …Quick feet with natural movement skills. … Flexible bender with a good punch to stun defenders. …Good flexibility and recovery athleticism. …Maintains good pad level moving to second level. … Smart, sorts out defenders well. …Team captain in final season.
Weaknesses: Torn ACL in 2018 required his second red shirt season. … Needs to improve overall strength to deal with NFL defensive lineman. … Could require shift inside to guard. …Will be 25-yead-old rookie. …
Personal: Team captain during senior season, also earning All-ACC Academic team in three seasons and third team All-ACC honors as both a grad student and junior. …Father and two uncles played basketball at Villanova. …Was three-time All-Interstate Athletic Conference pick in high school though he did not play football until high school. ...Three-star recruit initially committed to Rutgers. …Played the trumpet in high school jazz band.
Comparable NFL player: Korey Cunningham, a good athlete with the requisite movement skills but who needs to develop their strength to the deal with the array of speed and strength of NFL defensive ends.
Workout Numbers
| Herron | Combine Avg. for Pos. | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6-5 | 6-5 |
| Weight | 305 | 308 |
| 40 Yards | 5.26 | 4.9 |
| Bench (225) | 27 | 22 |
| Vertical Jump | 33.0 | 27.4 |
| Long Jump | 105.0 | 101.0 |
| Shuttle | 4.88 | 4.83 |
| Cone | 8.41 | 7.84 |
What They're Saying
NFL.com: Herron is flexible and athletic with the foot quickness to compete in a camp as a zone-blocking guard. However, he's often in a state of flux and having to fight for survival due to suspect hand usage and body control. He may not have enough play strength to withstand NFL defensive tackles in one-on-one situations, but he does have intriguing athletic traits and may be looked at as a developmental prospect.
Dane Brugler/The Athletic: Overall, Herron spends too much time trying to catch his balance and will struggle vs. NFL power, but his foot quickness and athletic twitch give him a chance to earn a reserve role at the next level, projecting best inside at guard.
