Chargers News: NFL Columnist Believes LA's Late-Round QB Pick is Due to 'The Brock Purdy Effect'

Could we see the rookie QB take snaps sooner rather than later

The Los Angeles Chargers are one of few teams in the NFL set at the quarterback position for years to come. LA has one of the best at their disposal, Justin Herbert. From the moment Herbert went in his first game, fans, the media, and the team knew this will be Herbert's team for years to come.

However, you could never be too safe with just having one QB on the roster, so LA did its due diligence and drafted the 2022 Heisman runner-up Max Duggan from TCU. Duggan had an incredible senior season who is 22 years old and has matured throughout his collegiate career. Now he will back up the former 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the Bolts could've taken a chance on him because of the San Francisco 49ers rookie phenom Brock Purdy.

NFL columnist Lance Exley believes a handful of teams drafted a quarterback in the late rounds because of the young 49ers QB and he puts the Chargers on that list with the Duggan pick.

Max Duggan (Pick #239)

Max Duggan had an interesting college career to say the least. To lead the Los Angeles Chargers to a championship would be the perfect way to finish these past couple years for him.

Drafted to the same team as Quentin Johnston, a fellow TCU teammate, Duggan lands in a great spot with a ton of talent. Every single pass catcher for the Chargers is a big-bodied receiver. Austin Ekeler is electric with the ball in his hands and is also one of the league’s premier receiving backs. Rashawn Slater will keep Duggan upright and allow him to manage games like Purdy did. One of Purdy’s underrated traits was his ability to take off and run. That is something Duggan does extraordinarily well. If, for any reason, Justin Herbert goes down, Duggan could put on a show.

As Exley mentions, it is a copycat league, and with the 49ers' success last season, you can't blame others for replicating that. 

I'm sure the Charger faithful would never like to see Duggan on the field because that'd mean Herbert is hurt. However, at least the Bolts have a young QB to back up Herbert, who has a ton of big-game experience.