The Chargers could have a star in the making.
After emerging in his rookie season, linebacker Drue Tranquill has high expectations set for him heading into Year 2.
CBS Sport’s Josh Edwards believes that Tranquill is bound for a breakout season in 2020.
Here is what he had to say about the former Notre Dame product:
Tranquill is a more mobile linebacker used primarily in sub packages. Our breakout defensive team is going to be smaller, but no less impactful in our approach to combat more spread style offenses. Tranquill was all over the field last season. He should have more opportunities to make an impact with an improved defensive unit around him this season.
After serving as a special teamer, Tranquill’s hard work led to more playing time. Week in and out, the 2019 fourth-round pick was consistently making plays in the middle of the defense, finishing as the second-leading tackler with 75 total tackles.
Going into his sophomore season, it remains to be seen if Tranquill will be the starter at MIKE because of Denzel Perryman’s presence, which happens to still be highly coveted by the coaching staff.
Tranquill will likely see the field for 60% of the defensive snaps with the majority of them coming on passing downs while Perryman is on the field for rushing downs. They could experiment with him at WILL, but that would take snaps away from first-round pick Kenneth Murray.
After finishing the 2019 season tied for eighth in the NFL in special teams tackles with 11, Tranquill will continue to be a special teams ace as well, especially after losing key assets on kick and punt coverage defenders, including Adrian Phillips, Derek Watt and Nick Dzubnar.