Teams draft player that they believe will help put them in the best positions to win football games. However, one of the key traits that has been highly coveted as of late when determining who is brought in is athleticism as the game is getting faster.
For the Chargers, it has been a priority. Last offseason they possessed the most athletic draft class out of all 32 NFL teams.
How did they fare with this year’s haul?
According to Relative Athletic Score (RAS), a measure created by Kent Lee Platte, Los Angeles’ draft class averaged a RAS of 7.38 (out of 10). For reference, last year’s class averaged a RAS of 8.63.
RAS uses a combination of size and athletic testing numbers to produce a composite score for each player.
Taking a look at the #RAS of the #Chargers 2020 draft class.
Their class averaged a RAS of 7.38.
They had 3 players score in elite range, over 8.00.
They had 2 players score below 5.00.
The rest fell inbetween. pic.twitter.com/Iwyj1Qwjt8— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 25, 2020
Based on the chart, it’s clear that athleticism wasn’t favored as much as the previous class, especially with the final two picks in the draft with safety Alohi Gilman and wide receiver K.J. Hill. Gilman and Hill tested poorly because they’re both lacking speed, but that doesn’t mean they’re not great players.
First-round selections quarterback Justin Herbert (9.70) and linebacker Kenneth Murray (9.89) had fairly similar scores. Herbert’s athleticism is evident when he scrambles, while Murray’s is apparent when going from 0-100 in a second, no matter the direction.
Running back Joshua Kelley (7.61) isn’t the most athletic, but he is still quick on his feet to make cuts and runs with vengeance to win yardage. Wide receiver Joe Reed (9.35) tested out extremely well. That athleticism shows on the field when accelerating to turn short gains into big ones with burst and top-end speed.