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Our Chargers’ NFL draft preview series continues with the defensive tackle position.
After taking a steady approach in free agency, signing just one external player in linebacker Eric Kendricks and re-signing a handful of their own, the Chargers now have their sights set on the draft where they will look to bolster their roster with their selections and make a deeper run in 2023.
Before, we’re going position by position to break down where Los Angeles stands entering the draft.
Next up is the defensive line.
Catch the previous profiles here:
Trevor Reid turned some heads at Louisville’s pro day on Tuesday.
Draft season is heating up, even with executives in Phoenix, AZ for the league meetings.
Aaron Wilson reported Tuesday that the Chargers had scheduled a private workout with Louisville offensive lineman Trevor Reid. The workout is set to take place on Monday.
Reid attended this year’s Shrine Bowl, where Chargers Wire reported that Los Angeles’ scouts on hand were focused on the offensive line groups. After his strong performance in Las Vegas, NV, the 6-foot-4 tackle turned some heads at Louisville’s pro day on Tuesday.
At 311 pounds, Reid ran a 4.9 40-yard dash, benched 225 pounds 25 times, and jumped 38 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-4 in the broad jump. All of those numbers, save the bench press, would have been the best marks for an offensive lineman at the NFL Combine in early March.
Reid profiles as a developmental Day 3 pick.
Following their eight selections in the 2022 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Chargers signed 14 undrafted free agents.
Following their eight selections in the 2022 NFL draft, the Chargers signed 14 undrafted free agents.
Here’s the full list followed by a quick breakdown for each player.
Peters is a sixth-year senior who began his career at Michigan as a four-star recruit. Injuries took their toll and resulted in a transfer to Illinois, where he started for three seasons. In 2021, he went 91 of 169 for 1,170 yards, 7 TDs, and 4 interceptions in nine games played. Peters has an above-average arm that he’s willing to take chances with, but he’s an early bailer from the pocket when the rush threatens to get near.
Marks was long the complementary back to Commanders RB Jaret Patterson at Buffalo. 2021 was his lone season as a starter, with 414 yards and 5 TDs on 108 carries in 9 games to his name. While his testing numbers are average across the board, he does have the straight-line speed and quick feet to keep defenders honest. Marks is a back who’s always looking to hit a home run, and his development will center around teaching him that singles and doubles are worth just as much.
A former four-star recruit, Brown made 2020’s All-Big 12 first team after a 1,010-yard season. He followed that up with 1,065 in 2021, becoming just the 12th Mountaineer to log back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. What relegated him to the ranks of the undrafted is a lack of speed – his 4.64 40 is in just the 42nd percentile for running backs. Brown is a throwback rusher who lacks dynamism but will drag tacklers for miles before finally hitting the dirt. He’s also a potential fullback convert if he can show value on special teams.
With 151 career receptions for 1,904 yards and 14 TDs as well as 26 kick returns for 263 yards, the 5’9” Bradford joins the Bolts as a potential developmental slot receiver and kickoff return specialist. He lacks the size to win outside on a consistent basis but possesses sturdy hands and build-up speed that makes him more of a deep threat than his pedestrian 4.52 40 would suggest. He’s also one of the better ball trackers down the field from this draft class.
One of the best names in this year’s class, Smartt started his career as a quarterback, first at Riverside City College and then in 2019 at Old Dominion. When the Monarchs’ season was canceled in 2020, Smartt used the opportunity to move to wide receiver, logging 17 receptions for 167 yards in 2021. Now, the 6’4”, 226 pound Smartt will move to tight end, where his 4.62 40, 4.19 shuttle, and 40” vertical provide some optimism about his developmental potential.
Krommenhoek had 39 career receptions for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns across 23 games. This type of production usage should clue you in to the fact that he’s spent most of his career as a blocker. He’s more than eager to engage in that phase of the game, whether it be stacking defensive linemen or climbing to the second level to decleat linebackers. He’s a stiff route runner who’s still working on finding the soft spots in zones the way that successful NFL TEs with similar athletic profiles are able to. There’s room for his frame to add more muscle, which could up his power as a blocker a bit.
Trainer has walked a winding road to Los Angeles. Originally committed to Virginia as a tight end, the 6’7” Trainer flipped to Illinois when Cavaliers coach Mike London was fired. The Illini shifted him to offensive tackle and he chose to transfer to William & Mary, where London was his coach. As a 2021 All-CAA selection at left tackle, it’s fair to call Trainer an FCS standout despite his complete lack of buzz as a prospect. It’s a developmental depth play at tackle for the Chargers.
Weaver is a 6’6”, 310-pound lineman who jumped at elite levels but lacks either speed or agility. He’s played every offensive line position except right tackle, but I have him down at center, where his lack of quicks won’t get him exposed as much as it will at other spots. I have some questions about his power, but perhaps those can be remedied with the aid of an NFL strength program. With a prototypical size for the line and plenty of potential to grow, Weaver is an intriguing take for Los Angeles.
A bit undersized at 6’4”, 249 lbs, Shelby makes up for his stature with speed (98.8th percentile 10-yard split) and power (83rd percentile on the bench). While starting 19 games over 44 appearances, Shelby racked up 146 total tackles, 25 for loss, 12 sacks, and a forced fumble. Shelby has compared his own play to that of Chargers star Joey Bosa, and now he’ll work for an opportunity to learn from the four-time Pro Bowler full-time.
A five-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Maddox-Williams started in every game in 2018 and 2019 before being supplanted in the opening lineup for his final two seasons. In 48 career games as a Scarlet Knight, he logged 193 total tackles, 14.5 for loss, 2 sacks, 7 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles. He’s an instinctual linebacker with plenty of experience in coverage who struggles to stack and shed blockers due to a lack of functional strength.
Despite poor 40 and agility testing, Sebastian’s highlight reel from Boston College is rife with examples of speed adequate enough to shut windows and close on receivers. That closing ability led to 8 interceptions, 4 of which came in 2021, and a whopping 29 pass deflections over 43 games as an Eagle. It’ll be all about reigning in that aggressiveness while maintaining his on-ball production as a pro.
Indiana’s 2019 Special Teams Player of the Year, Layne moved from cornerback to safety during spring practice prior to the 2020 season. An injury then wiped out his entire campaign, leaving him with just 12 career games as a safety, all from 2021. With 147 tackles, 1 interception, 7 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles in his 50 career games, Layne was only an average producer. His toughness, willingness to adapt and special teams ability could nonetheless be a path to a roster spot.
Thomas started his career at Washington State, where he had 152 tackles and 6 interceptions over three seasons. He opted out of the 2020 season and then transferred to Liberty, where he had 55 tackles and 2 interceptions in 2021. He’s a versatile defensive back with the ability to play inside or outside at corner as well as his natural position of safety. With a 4.52 40 under his belt, it’s clear Brandon Staley and co. are prioritizing speed on the back end of this Chargers defense.
A three-year starter at kicker, McCourt is the eighth-most accurate kicker in Illinois program history with a career line of 37-for-52. 8 of those makes came from 50+ yards, an Illini program record. He also has the cool under pressure needed from kickers, as evidenced by his game-winner to complete an upset over #6 Wisconsin in 2019. While he may not crack Los Angeles’ opening roster, the Chargers may be keeping McCourt’s number on speed dial in case Dustin Hopkins goes down during the season.
Meet the Los Angeles Chargers’ 2022 NFL draft class.
The Chargers completed the 2022 NFL draft with eight selections in total, four on offense and four on defense.
Los Angeles opened up the draft in the first round (No. 17) with guard Zion Johnson and closed it out in the seventh round (No. 260) with fullback Zander Horvath.
Here’s a look at every player the Bolts drafted and the spot where they were taken.
The Chargers rounded out their 2022 draft class with a fullback.
The Chargers have taken former Purdue fullback Zander Horvath with the No. 260 overall selection to round out their 2022 draft class.
Horvath mainly played running back as a Boilermaker, putting together 1,181 yards and 8 TDs on 268 carries with 68 receptions for 592 yards and 1 TD in 30 career games. He’s also an exceptional athlete for a backfield player, but his 4.61 40 is a clue as to why he’s going to be moving to fullback as a pro.
It’s an interesting projection for Horvath, who hasn’t actually played fullback before and broke his leg in September 2021. He’s healthy now, at least enough so that he went through testing on his pro day. He also does have the special teams upside teams look for from fullbacks. While he doesn’t figure to touch the ball often at his new position, his background as a true running back will give him a leg up as a runner. As a receiver, Horvath has soft hands and should provide a nice dump-off option for Justin Herbert.
It’s looking like a more and more difficult path to the roster for Gabe Nabers, who has seen LA draft a golfing aficionado (Zion Johnson), a meat smoking savant (Otito Ogbonnia), and now a player at his position this weekend. The more conspiratorial among us may view this as a concerted effort to phase Herbert’s best friend on the team out of a roster spot. While that’s probably not true, a camp battle between Horvath and Nabers will be one of the more hotly contested depth chart competitions of the offseason.
Keep up with who the Los Angeles Chargers sign from the undrafted free agency pool.
The 2022 NFL draft has wrapped up, and teams will now begin filling their 90-man offseason rosters. After selecting eight players in the draft, the Chargers will now turn their attention to signing undrafted free agents.
While there’s no guarantee that any of this year’s UDFAs will turn into big contributors, Los Angeles has had an excellent track record of finding hidden gems throughout the years.
We’re going to be tracking all of the team’s college free agent signings here. So please refresh this page because the list of players will be updated every time we learn of a new signing.
Here is a list of the UDFA’s Los Angeles has signed thus far:
What the selection of Deane Leonard means for the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers have gone north of the border for their latest pick, selecting Canadian DB Deane Leonard from Ole Miss with the No. 236 overall selection.
Leonard spent two seasons at the University of Calgary, where he had 47 tackles, one sack, and six interceptions in 23 games. He then transferred to Mississippi, where he logged 62 tackles and seven pass deflections in 18 career games.
This is a pure upside pick for Los Angeles, who are betting on Leonard’s elite 4.39 speed and good size at corner as developmental touchstones. Despite playing in 41 games over four seasons, Leonard is a raw player who will benefit from additional seasons of professional coaching and strength and conditioning. There’s reason for optimism: Leonard had 48 tackles in 2021 after an entire offseason in an SEC lifting program, more than he had in his entire career in Calgary.
Leonard’s instincts will need fine-tuning, as he failed to log an interception during his time as a Rebel. However, his technique is more polished than you’d expect from a seventh-round pick – I like how he flips his hips, and his footwork is mostly clean. He’s likely a practice squad stash candidate while the coaching staff works with him to develop his game further.
The Chargers continued the shore-up of their secondary with the No. 236 overall selection.
The Chargers have taken former Ole Miss defensive back Deane Leonard with the No. 236 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
Leonard’s college career began at the University of Calgary, where he appeared in 23 games, recording 47 tackles, 13 passes defended, and six interceptions.
After transferring, in two seasons with the Rebels, Leonard appeared in 18 games, posting 63 tackles, 14 passes defended, and one fumble recovery.
Leonard ran a blazing 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, as well as a 33-inch vertical jump and 9-11 broad jump.
At 6-foot and 195 pounds, Leonard has the size and length coupled with the speed and athleticism to make plays on the football, projecting as a developmental corner.
What the selection of Ja’Sir Taylor means for the Los Angeles Chargers.
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The Chargers have added some experience to their secondary, opting for Wake Forest cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor with the No. 214 overall selection.
Taylor was the Demon Deacons’ career leader in games played with 62 over five seasons, bursting onto the scene with five passes defended as a true freshman. For his career, Taylor racked up 184 tackles with 8 for loss and 1 sack, 6 interceptions, 24 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble.
At 5’11” and 188 pounds, Taylor is a bit undersized for a boundary corner. He makes up for that lack of size with elite lateral movement and burst – both his three-cone drill and 10-yard split were above the 80th percentile for the cornerback position. Those quick feet and oily hips aid him as a sticky man coverage corner. He also has experience in the slot, where the Bolts have a need, and as a kick returner.
Taylor struggles at times with his anticipation in coverage and lacks functional strength as a tackler, which will likely push him inside as a pro. His 4.47 speed will be a stellar asset on special teams, where he can serve as a returner or gunner at a high level. That’s likely to be his role as a rookie as a replacement for Ryan Smith, who the Chargers chose not to retain after an injury limited him in 2021.
While special teams will be his focal point, Taylor’s twitchiness as a coverage man could get him an opportunity on a Chargers defense that struggled with the slot corner position a season ago. I don’t think Taylor is ready to take that leap yet, but his extensive experience in a Power 5 conference should fast-track his development compared to other players with similar draft positions.
The Chargers addressed the cornerback room at pick No. 214.
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The Chargers have taken former Wake Forest cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor with the No. 214 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
Taylor logged 184 tackles, six interceptions, 24 passes defended, one sack, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries in 62 career games.
Taylor also returned kicks in his final season, averaging 26.3 yards per attempt, including one touchdown, on eight attempts.
At his Pro Day, Taylor recorded a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and a 1.54-second 10-yard split. Taylor also amassed a 37-inch vertical jump, 10’5″ in the broad jump, and a 6.84 three-cone drill.
At 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, Taylor has the speed, fluidity, physicality, and ball skills to compete for a roster spot.
