Tag: Chargers draft

Chargers Mailbag: Analyzing fan’s seven-round mock drafts

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez takes a look at five different Los Angeles Chargers mock drafts.

With draft season in full gear, projections continue to flood the internet. I’ve dropped a few mock drafts over the past couple of months, but I wanted to go ahead and give fans the spotlight to show what the Los Angeles Chargers could do when they’re on the clock.

With that, I went ahead and went on my personal Twitter account to ask for the most ideal seven-round predictions. I received a lot more than anticipated, so if I’m unable to get around to yours on this edition, I’ll be sure to stash it away for later.

Mock 1 (Submitted by @Rob_Base78)

Right out the gate the Chargers grab their future face of the franchise. The opinions are mixed on the Eugene native because of his inconsistencies in college, but the talent, traits and potential to become a premiere NFL quarterback is there, especially with the slew supporting cast that he would have around him.

The wide receiver class is loaded with talent, and even though Los Angeles might be better off addressing the position a little bit later, it’s one that could be addressed earlier than expected – especially if they view this as an opportunity to give Herbert a vertical threat, which is exactly what Reagor is, who thrives with his blazing speed.

Getting Hall in the third-round would be an absolute steal. An ankle injury limited his senior season to six games. Had he not gotten hurt, there’s a good chance that he would be the top-ranked corner in this class. Hall, whose game oozes with physicality, quickness and ball skills, would make out to be the perfect compliment to Casey Hayward.

I expect the linebacker position to be addressed, but I’m not sure if it’ll be this early on Day 3. Nonetheless, Davis-Gaither would be a nice addition to a group that’s highlighted by first-year standout Drue Tranquill. A safety-linebacker hybrid, Davis-Gaither could rotate with Kyzir White at WILL, where his speed and range would come in handy, especially in coverage.

The next three picks are essentials, as well. Even though I expect Cleveland to go in the 50-75 pick range after the Combine, selecting him would add some much-needed talent to the group up front. The nose tackle position is needed more so than another three-technique, you can’t go wrong with a dependable rotational piece. Dillon would be a solid short-yardage back, who can help keep the offense to move the sticks.

Mock 2 (Submitted by @BrennanGadd)

To some, taking Love with the No. 6 overall selection is rich because he’s raw. But NFL teams will bank on potential more than anything and will still pull the trigger no matter where they’re selecting. Love, who is a loose passer and has extremely impressive arm talent, could be the long-term solution if they were to fix his inconsistent decision-making.

Jackson in the second-round has become a popular pairing, given the need the glaring need at the position. The former USC product has all the physical traits and movement skills to be a plug-and-play at right tackle, with the capability of moving to the left side by Year 2 or 3 while his mechanics are polished.

Like Hall, the Chargers would be hitting a home run with Dantzler in Round 3. Even though he’s adept at the line of scrimmage, Dantzler is more suited as a zone coverage corner, where he’s at his best reading quarterback’s eyes, showing great spatial awareness and attacking the football when it’s in the air.

Kindley would be a great depth option at guard. Edwards in the fifth-round would be a steal because I expect him to go in Round 3 or 4, but he would he able to stretch the field and open things up in the passing game. I don’t expect the tight end position to be addressed in the draft. They could find a No. 3 via undrafted free agency. If the Chargers want another flex player to serve as a wideout and running back, Gibson would be a nice option.

Mock 3 (Submitted by @KaiBigBettis)

Despite the injury concerns, I expect Tua to go in the top-5, specifically to the Miami Dolphins. But if he’s available when the Chargers are on the clock, he will be heavily considered. Assuming the medicals check out, Tagovailoa has the arm talent, field vision, instincts and intelligence to be a polarizing NFL starter after a redshirt season.

After two down seasons, Arnette helped his case to become one of the most improved prospects with his stout senior campaign. This might be a smidge too early for him, but there’s denying that the Chargers would be intrigued by his size, ball skills and talent in multiple coverage techniques.

Bartch sits atop of my big board after watching his tape and his showing at the Senior Bowl. The former tight end might find his way into Round 2 after the Combine, but should he be there in Round 3, they have to pull the trigger. His movement skills, flexibility and power both on the film and in Mobile, AL showed a capable starting tackle in the NFL.

Johnson in the fourth-round just goes to show how deep this wide receiver class is. Getting him in Day 3 would be another steal, providing the Chargers with a polished route-runner, who is strong after the catch.

Like mentioned above, I don’t think the Chargers will draft a tight end. Jones could be an intriguing rotational nose tackle. Taylor could be a depth option at the tackle position, and while his physical tools are there, he needs plenty of polish to his game.

Mock 4 (Submitted by @BossKaiju)

After watching the College Football Playoffs, everyone should know who Simmons is. The versatile play-maker, who can stop the run, cover and blitz, would be another talented defensive player to form a deadly one-two punch alongside Derwin James. This would be an enticing pick, but the way I see this happening is if they address the quarterback in free agency, their top quarterbacks are off the board or they are considering one in Round 2.

Like Bartch, Jones also sits atop of the must-draft list if he’s available. The 6-foot-5 and 311 pounder is a mirroring magician in pass protection and a bulldozer in the run blocking department. Jones is a smooth mover, who has the length and hand usage to keep defenders out in front of him. He’d be the starting right tackle come Week 1 of the season.

I don’t know that the Chargers snag an interior defensive lineman this early in the draft, but this would be a great selection. Fotu, the 6-foot-5 and 337 pounder would be the successor to Brandon Mebane. Truth is, I think he will be better than Mebane in his career. Not many people can move like Fotu at that size, where he is disruptive at stopping the run and getting after the quarterback.

Lemieux in Round 4 would be a steal, as you’re getting a plug-and-play guard. His mauling mentality would be welcomed by a team that will likely resort more to the ground game next season. Pittman has some Tyrell Williams to his game, as he is a fast straight line runner, who wins with his ability to go up above the rim. Strnad would serve as depth at Will linebacker. Lipscomb would be solid to close out the draft, but I don’t think they will double dip at wide receiver.

Mock 5 (Submitted by @wadleigh_matt24)

I mentioned that I don’t believe the Chargers will take a defensive tackle early on, but Brown could possibly be their top-ranked player and he would solidify the interior front with a disruptive presence, who can play the one or three-technique.

Fromm hasn’t been brought up in discussion as a possibility for the Chargers, simply because many believe that it will be addressed in free agency or the first-round. Should they choose to wait, the former Georgia product will likely be available at the top of Round 2. Fromm has below average physical traits, but there’s no denying he has the accuracy and high football IQ to garner starting consideration.

Tega Wanogho in the third-round would be a steal, considering I believe he goes somewhere on Day 2. Even though he’s a little raw and needs to learn the finer details of the position, Wanogho still has the physical tools and a skillset that would allow him to instantly start at right tackle.

The cornerback position needs to be addressed, but I don’t think they are looking for a nickel corner, which is what Robertson is. The reason why Gandy-Golden might not be high on their board is because they already have a jump-ball specialist and red-zone threat with Mike Williams. Instead, they need speed. Walker wouldn’t be a bad depth option at linebacker, given his athleticism, but he doesn’t have much experience in coverage.

Who would Chargers take in Round 1 of 2017 NFL re-draft?

The Los Angeles Chargers could have drafted a proven right tackle in the first-round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Los Angeles Chargers selected wide receiver Mike Williams with their seventh overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Williams was the wild card throughout the pre-draft process because many thought the Bolts were going to take an offensive lineman, safety or defensive tackle with that pick.

The team elected to go with Williams because they were in need of adding an insurance after Keenan Allen had been hit with two consecutive season-ending injuries.

Williams hasn’t stamped himself as one of the league’s best wideouts, but he’s improved each season and has been a reliable No. 2 for the Chargers, doing what he does best by elevating to haul in 50/50 balls down the field.

What if Los Angeles went a different route with pick No. 7? Pro Football Focus believes that they could’ve used the selection to bolster the offensive line with tackle Ryan Ramczyk.

Over the last three seasons, no tackle in the league has graded higher than Ramczyk. The scary part is that it has come in the first three seasons of his career. The learning curve that some tackles have once they get to the NFL level hasn’t existed for Ramczyk, and he was the only tackle with pass-blocking and run-blocking grades above 80.0 in 2019. The Chargers, who have had struggles on the offensive line for a decade, would welcome Ramczyk with open arms to start opposite Russell Okung and hopefully provide them some stability up front. We all know they could use it.

Viewed as one of the top-rated tackles during the pre-draft process, Ramczyk fell all the way to the last pick in the first-round, where he was taken by the New Orleans Saints. Based on his play through three seasons, he wouldn’t have fallen that far in a re-draft.

To address the trenches, the Chargers double dipped with Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney in Round 2 and 3, respectively. Unfortunately, it hasn’t panned out in both of their professional careers to this point, but they were viewed as steals based on where they were selected.

Had Los Angeles taken Ramczyk with their first-round pick, they would have a reliable presence to protect the pocket at the right tackle position, as Ramczyk and left tackle Russell Okung would create a formidable duo up front.

The Bolts could have also selected their quarterback of the future with Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson, both who were available when they were on the clock.

Chargers 2020 NFL Draft Target: Boise State OT Ezra Cleveland

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland, a potential draft target, under the microscope.

Over the next few months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2020 NFL Draft. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, we are taking a look at Boise State offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland.

Honors and Awards

  • All-Mountain West First Team (2018-19)
  • All-Mountain West Honorable Mention (2017)
  • Academic All-Mountain West (Fall 2017)

Strengths

  • Tall, proportionate frame.
  • Athletic feet in pass protection to reset and react to movement. Efficient kick slide, sliding very smoothy and getting to his destination point with ease. Initial quickness to cut off wide speed.
  • Uses his long arms to lock out, slow rushers and maintain space.
  • Strong mirroring skill and agility skills to be able to hold his own against the most athletic edge rushers.
  • Patient hands. Mixes up how he throws pass-rushers off balance. Has the grip and core strength to hold his own at the point of attack.
  • Alert to recognize blitzers and reorganize his assignments.
  • Quick to climb and comfortable in space, taking out second-level defenders with clean angles and sustain skills.

Weaknesses

  • Marginal recovery anchor, playing too much on his heels and in an upright position.
  • Late or wide hands, allowing rushers to attack his chest and walk him backwards.
  • Several bad habits like ducking his head and lunging.
  • Rarely snaps his hips through when blocking in the run game. Hardly ever the low man in this area. Doesn’t always match the power of nasty of defensive linemen.

Summary

Cleveland, the 6-foot-6 and 315 pounder, started all Boise State’s 40 games since redshirting as a freshman. The Washington native has an athletic frame, who is a coordinated mover who’s comfortable in space, flashing the instincts and smarts required for the next level. While he isn’t necessarily overpowering strength player in the run game, he quickly finds his landmarks and uses his natural coordination to stay between the defender and pocket.

Chargers Fit

Cleveland needs to improve his play strength in the run game, but his balanced athleticism and loose movement skills allow him to stymie different types of rushers off the edge. He is capable of filling in an immediate void at right tackle, but also has a skillset to provide depth inside.

Projected Round: Early-Mid Third

Will Chargers consider trading up in 2020 NFL Draft? Don’t count L.A. out

The Los Angeles Chargers could be looking to move up in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Los Angeles Chargers possess the No. 6 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s a good spot to land one of the premiere prospects, but it might not be good enough for general manager Tom Telesco.

Picking in the top-10 for the third time since 2004, this marks the first time that L.A. will likely be heavily considering a quarterback with their first-round pick since then.

But they might have to pay up a price to get one.

Teams are increasingly reaching the conclusion that quarterbacks that have potential don’t grow on trees and one of the most valuable assets is a starting quarterback on his rookie contract.

With that, teams are more eager than ever before to trade up and get the one they want. In fact, 10 of the last 13 first-round quarterbacks have been drafted by a team that traded up to get him.

There’s a high possibility that top-rated quarterback Joe Burrow will be off the board with the No. 1 overall selection to the Cincinnati Bengals, which leaves Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Utah State’s Jordan Love as the next tier of signal-callers available.

There is one team ahead of the Chargers that is in need of a quarterback – the Miami Dolphins (No. 5). Behind them that could be in the market for one are the Carolina Panthers (No. 7), Indianapolis Colts (No. 13), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 14) and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 19).

All teams mentioned above could very well be working the phones with the Washington Redskins (No. 2), Detroit Lions (No. 3) and New York Giants (No. 4) to move up for Tua, Herbert or Love.

Even if those teams aren’t calling to trade up after all, the Chargers have no idea what’s going on while they’re in the war room. If a player is that vital to them, the only thing they can control is doing whatever it takes to get their guy.

How much would it cost the Chargers, should they choose to go down this route? History suggests a pretty hefty price might be required.

In 2018, the New York Jets, who had the No. 6 overall selection, traded with the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 3 overall selection. The Jets gave up their 2018 first (No. 6 overall), two 2018 seconds (37th and 49th overall) and a 2019 second-round pick.

Seems like quite a bit, doesn’t it? It does, and even if they’re able to work out a better deal with a team, you’re looking at a player at a position that’s the most important on the field, who you are banking on being your signal-caller for the next decade, which means sacrifices will have to be made.

The bottom line is that it shouldn’t be surprising if Telesco were to jump up a couple spots on draft day when factoring how much of a need a quarterback is for Los Angeles, as well as the other teams that could be looking to pull the trigger to trade up.

It sounds risky to give up ammo for one player, but sometimes that risk could pay huge dividends in the long-run.

Chargers 2020 NFL Draft Target: TCU OT Lucas Niang

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang, a potential Los Angeles Chargers prospect, under the microscope.

Over the next few months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2020 NFL Draft. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, we are taking a look at TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang.

Honors and Awards

  • 2018 Pro Football Focus First-Team All-Big 12 (2018)
  • 2018 Second-Team All-Big 12 (2018)

Strengths

  • Certainly looks the part. Big, athletic frame carrying more than 320 pounds with ease. Vine-like arms and large hands.
  • Natural mobility for a man of his size. Gets range immediately off the snap. Ideal foot quickness in pass protection.
  • Able to mirror and counter stunts, twists or blitzes. Uses quick feet and hips to turn and recover when beaten. Secures combo block with a vengeance.
  • Combines upper & lower-body power and arm extension to consistently hold the point of attack. Adept at redirecting his body and striking moving targets.
  • Ascending mauler in the run game. Once he gets his hands and grip on defenders, he usually sustains and finishes to create lanes.
  • Mean and highly competitive. Toughness is evident. Played through hip injury in 2019 before getting surgery.

Weaknesses

  • Footwork can get sloppy and undisciplined, causing base to narrow.
  • Relies too heavily on length over feet. Pad level rises at contact, robbing him of optimal leverage.
  • Knocked off balance by power pass rushers due to poor balance during deep sets and inconsistent footwork.
  • Suffered hip injury during senior campaign that caused him to miss the last half of the season.

Summary

Niang, the 6-foot-6 and 336 pounder is an ascending offensive tackle prospect with the frame, foot quickness, mobility and range that NFL teams don’t pass up for very long. The Connecticut native will need to be much more consistent with his pass set technique, particularly his footwork, rather than just relying on his athleticism and physical tools, as well as making sure he can stay healthy if he is to reach his full potential in the pros.

Chargers Fit

All of Niang’s snaps for the Horned Frogs came at right tackle. The former TCU product would be a plug-and-play for Los Angeles over Sam Tevi in Year 1. Improving his footwork upon getting to the league and consistently staying healthy will be key.

Projected Round: Early-Mid Second

What are Chargers’ odds to win Super Bowl LV?

The Los Angeles Chargers rank near the middle of the pack to win Super Bowl 55.

Heading into the offseason about a year ago, the Los Angeles Chargers had the sixth-best odds to win Super LIV.

The team fell well short of those odds and many people’s expectations, finishing with an underwhelming 5-11 record. Injuries, a mid-season coaching change and in-game woes that saw nine of their 11 losses be determined by seven points or less hindered them.

With the 2019 season officially over, it’s time to look forward to 2020. At the moment, the Bolts are tied with the Las Vegas Raiders with the 15th-best odds to win Super Bowl LV, per BetMGM.

It’s not all that surprising that L.A. ranks near the middle of the pack. Even though they still possess a talented roster, there are a slew of key players that will be free agents, including quarterback Philip Rivers.

It’s hard to gauge where the team will stand when the man under center remains to be seen. It could be Philip Rivers (if he’s re-signed), Tyrod Taylor, a rookie or even a free agent.

Not only that, but the Chargers also need to address the offensive line, wide receiver, cornerback and defensive tackle corps to ensure they have enough ammo to go toe-to-toe with AFC West rival and Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs.

If Los Angeles nails their offseason, those odds will likely increase prior to the 2020 regular season.

Chargers 7-round mock draft: Senior Bowl-only edition

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out a seven-round mock draft with only players from the Senior Bowl.

With the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl officially in the rearview, this is an appropriate time for a mock draft of what the Chargers could do if they only had players in the annual all-star game to choose from.

This is just an exercise, but keep in mind general manager Tom Telesco does covet the Senior Bowl as an outlet to find talent. Nine Chargers of the last three drafts attended the showcase in Mobile, AL.

Round 1 – QB Justin Herbert, Oregon

This has been the most popular pairing to this point, but Herbert to Los Angeles makes a lot of sense and he would be the perfect heir to QB Philip Rivers. The 6-foot-6 and 227 pound signal-caller didn’t have to play in the Senior Bowl because he’s already projected to be first rounder, but he did because he wanted to “compete”.

“I love seeing players that are ‘projected to go high’ and still want to come play in this game. That’s great to see,” Telesco said. Telesco was there in attendance to see the former Oregon product up close. Given his showing during the three practices and his performance in the game, Herbert should’ve caught his attention.

Not only did Herbert flash his live arm and accuracy as a passer, along with the ability to win with his legs, but he took a leap in the mental aspect, displaying better vision and processing when going throughs his reads – which is something he is knocked for. The former Oregon product looked poised and in control of the offense, and his receivers responded to him really well.

No matter if it’s Rivers or Tyrod Taylor as the projected starter in 2020, Herbert is the most ideal replacement. With the weapons around him and an improvement to the offensive line – which can be addressed in free agency and rounds following the first – Herbert could really maximize his potential.

Round 2 – OT Josh Jones, Houston

Upgrading the offensive tackle position is an absolute must. But the Chargers should benefit from this deep class where they can find a starting caliber tackle on Day 2. Among the crop is Jones, who if he’s available when they’re on the clock, would be a home run selection.

Arguably the best tackle all week was Jones. The 6-foot-5 and 311 pounder is a mirroring magician in pass protection and a bulldozer in the run blocking department. Jones is a smooth mover, who has the length and hand usage to keep defenders out in front of him.

Jones is a plug-and-play tackle who can take over Sam Tevi with the ability to move over to the left side when the team decides to part ways with Russell Okung. He’s got the tools, talent and durability to stay in the starting lineup for years to come.

Round 3 – OG Damien Lewis, LSU

Remember back in 2017 when the Chargers selected two offensive linemen (Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney) back-to-back in Round 2 and 3? That’s the route the team could look to go to solidify the offensive line this year, depending on what they do in free agency.

Using his brute strength, functional athleticism, intelligence, Lewis stymied defenders of all kinds that were in his way, both in pass protection and the run blocking department. The 6-foot-3 and 332 pounder does need to clean up his base in pass pro, but this is something that can be easily fixed.

With uncertainty surrounding Michael Schofield’s future, inconsistencies with Feeney and durability concerns with Lamp, the interior part of the offensive line does need a makeover that many people might not realize. Lewis is capable of earning a starting job as early as Year 1.

Round 4 – CB Troy Pride Jr., Notre Dame

Telesco is notorious for finding gems late in the draft, primarily on the defensive side of the ball. In this case, he digs one out near the top of Day 3 with the former Notre Dame product – who would be the perfect compliment opposite of CB Casey Hayward.

Throughout the week, Pride showed speed, mirroring ability and spatial awareness to blanket receivers and not give up too much space in coverage. The 5-foot-11 and 193 pounder would be a perfect zone defender for the Chargers since he has a knack for reading and getting a feel for route concepts before making a play on the ball.

Round 5 – WR Quartney Davis, Texas A&M

Could the Chargers benefit from adding a burner at the wide receiver position? Sure. But in a league where getting open is an absolute must, the team could benefit from getting great value from a player who’s one of the best at doing so, along with the speed to beat safeties.

Davis possesses very good speed, quickness, and a fluid style in his route running to get open with ease and then become an absolute terror in the open field. He projects as a solid No. 3 receiver at the next level with No. 2 WR upside.

Round 6 – DT Benito Jones, Ole Miss

The Chargers have young talent with Justin Jones and Jerry Tillery, but they need to add more beef up front because Brandon Mebane doesn’t have that much juice left in the tank, and Damion Square and Sylvester Williams are both unrestricted free agents.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 321 pounds, Jones doesn’t play like someone of that weight. He has the movement skills and a plethora pass-rush moves to make an impact as a pass-rusher and the power and quickness to bulldoze his way into the backfield to stop the run.

Round 7 – RB JaMycal Hasty, Baylor

If the Chargers move on from Melvin Gordon, they could look to find another back to solidify the backfield. Telesco has had a lot of success finding talented players at the position late in the draft or in the undrafted free agency pool.

Hasty isn’t a complete back, but given the other two play-makers in Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, it isn’t an absolute necessity. The 5-foot-8 and 203 pounder has one of the best jump cuts to make defenders miss at the line of scrimmage and he has a hard running style where he runs through arm tackles with ease.

Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk could add dynamic element to Chargers’ offense

The Los Angeles Chargers should have this dynamic playmaker on their radar.

Speed kills.

That’s something that the Los Angeles Chargers have been lacking at the wide receiver position. The talent is there with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams highlighting the group, but they could be touted as one of the best corps in the league if they were to add a dynamic play-maker at the position.

Insert former Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk was a phenomenal wideout in his two years at Sierra College – a community college in Northern California. He totaled 2,499 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns in his two-year career. He had a few offers, including Alabama, Tennessee, Kansas and Arizona State.

But ASU was one of few schools that actually wanted him to play receiver and a return specialist, not a cornerback, so he elected to play for the Sun Devils. After two years of junior college, Aiyuk was immediately inserted into the wide receiver rotation upon arriving.

In 2018, he caught 33 passes that season for 474 yards and three touchdowns. Little did we know that Aiyuk was about to be in store for a monster senior season after the offense was more tailored to former teammate and current Patriots wideout N’Keal Harry.

Serving as freshman phenom quarterback Jayden Daniel’s go-to guy, Aiyuk was targeted 99 times in 2019, hauling in 65 of them for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. Dangerous with the ball in his hands, he was near unstoppable after the catch with 18.3 yards per reception.

In a league where getting open and stretching the field has become a must to have offensive success, there’s no denying that Aiyuk has a skillset that matches what is being needed in today’s NFL.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Aiyuk has been blessed with an uncommon blend of burst, agility and track-like long speed.

Aiyuk changes speeds and direction incredibly well. He makes dynamic cuts that showcase tremendous acceleration, putting his foot in the ground without losing any speed and exploding upfield.

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Aiyuk, who’s expected to run in the low 4.4’s, is capable of blowing right by defensive backs on vertical routes if they play in off-man coverage or they simply don’t get their hands on him.

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He’s also explosive as a return specialist. He averaged 34 yards per kick return and 16 yards per punt return. That special teams ability could allow Aiyuk to make an immediate impact for the Chargers, knowing they have struggled to find a consistent return man.

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The area where Aiyuk will have to improve in is being more consistent with using his hands to defeat press coverage. He needs to get better in contested catch situations as he doesn’t have the “go get it” mentality as much to extend throwing windows.

However, Aiyuk’s play-making athleticism is what would be the selling point for the Bolts.

The former Arizona State product is currently being viewed as a top-50 prospect, which means that the second-round is where they would likely have to draft him.

It seems a bit rich to address the wide receiver position that early even though it is a positional group that needs to be solidified. But general manager Tom Telesco could see this as an opportunity to give whoever is behind center another dynamic option.

The thought of Allen in the slot, Williams as the X, Aiyuk as the Z and tight end Hunter Henry would force defensive coordinators to really draw up an efficient game-plan to stop this prolific group on a weekly basis.

6 potential Chargers who stood out during Senior Bowl game

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out six potential Los Angeles Chargers who stood out during the Senior Bowl game.

After a trio of practices, the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl concluded on Saturday with the annual all-star game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Here are six potential Chargers targets who stood out in the showcase:

Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon

Herbert has already been mentioned as a player who shined earlier this week, but he’s on here again because he finished it off with a solid outing in live game action. The 6-foot-6 and 227 pound signal-caller finished 9-of-12 passing for 83 yards and one touchdown, as well as three carries for 22 yards, showing off his mobility. Not only did Herbert flash his live arm, but he took a leap in his vision and processing. The former Oregon product looked poised and in control of the offense in his only quarter of action. As a result, he was named the 2020 Senior Bowl MVP. Already a commonly mocked prospect to the Chargers with the No. 6 overall selection, he helped his case even more to potentially being the pick.

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Rex Ryan hopes Chargers draft QB Tua Tagovailoa

Rex Ryan wants the Los Angeles Chargers to draft quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Former Buffalo Bills and New York Jets coach Rex Ryan is currently in Hawaii serving as the head coach for one of the two teams at the Hula Bowl, an all-star game for some of the top prospects in the country.

Ryan spent some of his time talking to KHON2 News’ Ren Clayton, where he talked about some of top players from the state of Hawaii. Among them is former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who Ryan believes him and the Los Angeles Chargers would be the perfect pairing.

“I hope he lands with the LA Chargers. And the reason I say that is because my son is a coach on that staff. He wants Tua. I want him there because my kid’s there. And I know if he’s there, they’re going to win,” Ryan said.

Ryan said that his son, Seth wants him with the No. 6 overall selection. Seth works as a quality control coach on the staff of the Chargers.

Tua is certainly in consideration for the Bolts’ first-round pick. He is arguably one of the most polarizing prospects in this year’s class, but he is the most questionable, considering he is coming off a severe lower body injury.

“I understand he’s an outstanding young man. So he’s got it. I know he’s had some injury issues and things but that’s just the way it goes. Every player is going to get injured at some point. He just happened to get injured now. Hopefully all that’s behind him and he goes on and has a 10-15 year career. That would be great. I know that’s what the state of Hawaii is looking for also.”

Tagovailoa is expected to hold about a 40-minute session in which he makes 60-80 throws in front of scouts. If his recovery process goes quicker than anticipated, he could throw at Alabama’s Pro Day in March. If not, he will hold it likely closer to the draft.

Tagovailoa could benefit from being on a team like Los Angeles because he wouldn’t have to start Year 1 since Philip Rivers or Tyrod Taylor will be the starter in 2020, giving Tua enough time to sit and completely get back to full health for the 2021 season where he could then take the reins.