Tag: Chargers mock draft

Chargers trade back, stack deck in latest four-round mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers trade back and still make of the most of their selections in Gavino Borquez’ latest four-round mock draft.

The Chargers have the No. 13 overall selection in this year’s draft, but there’s the possibility of the thought of moving back and acquiring more picks via trade with a quarterback-needy team could intrigue.

In this case, the Bears, who have a quarterback controversy, choose to move up seven spots to get their signal-caller of the future. In return, Los Angeles gets their first, third and fifth-round picks.

Let’s take a look at how the Bolts’ draft shakes up after trading back in my latest four-round projection.

Round 1, No. 20 (via CHI), Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

Sam Tevi is a pending free agent and Trey Pipkins hasn’t done enough to warrant starter status. Therefore, the Chargers are in need of a reliable, long-term left tackle. Darrisaw has been commonly mocked to Los Angeles at No. 13, but he still falls in their laps here seven picks later.

Starting in all 35 games for the Hokies, Darrisaw earned second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-ACC accolades for his play last season. In 2020, he only allowed six total pressures on 267 snaps in pass protection.

The 6-foot-5 and 314 pounder is smooth in pass pro, showing anchor ability and body control. In the run game, he flashes strength to move defenders. He shows solid ability to reach and has the athletic traits and movement skills when getting to the second level to pave the way.

Overall, Darrisaw projects as a strong NFL starter at left tackle with All-Pro upside.

Round 2, No. 47, Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State

Mike Pouncey retired and Dan Feeney is currently a pending free agent. Even if Feeney is re-signed, the Chargers need to add someone with high upside to offer competition because while he’s managed stay healthy, his play has been inconsistent.

Anchoring an offensive line that helped the Buckeyes average 266.8 rushing yards per game last season, Myers is a seasoned run blocker who possesses very good intelligence, athletic traits, and effort to block in space very effectively, while possessing good strength to anchor down vs bigger rushers.

Overall, Myers would be an immediate starter at center for the Chargers. Their scheme would allow him to maximize his athleticism, short area quickness, lateral movement to move defenders and pre-snap mental processing.

Round 3, No. 77, Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB

Melvin Ingram’s stint with the Bolts could be coming to an end since his contract is up. Therefore, L.A. could be looking for someone to compliment Uchenna Nwosu who fits the mold well as a rotational edge rusher/outside linebacker in Brandon Staley’s 3-4 scheme.

In his first season at UAB, Smith finished with 53 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. This past season in eight games, Smith amassed 22 tackles, nine for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and an interception.

Smith has the explosiveness, length and high motor to win around the edge at the next level and has the ability to hold his own the run game, but needs to improve his hand usage and add some counter moves to be a more well-rounded player.

Round 3, No. 83 (via CHI), Trill Williams, CB, Syracuse

The cornerback room needs some refinement this offseason. Michael Davis’ future with the team remains to be seen because he’s scheduled to be a free agent and both Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. aren’t getting any younger.

The Chargers recently met with Williams, showing that they have interest in the 6-foot-2 and 198 pounder. During his career with the Orange, Williams amassed 92 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and five pass breakups.

Williams is long, rangy, athletic, physical, and aggressive, thriving in both man and zone coverage. He also offers appeal as a special teamer as he had three return touchdowns in his three seasons. Staley covets position versatility and Williams can play cornerback, safety, or cover the slot.

Round 3, No. 97, Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn

The goal is to build around QB Justin Herbert, which is why the Chargers go receiver here.

Schwartz, the 6-foot and 179 pound wideout, amassed 54 catches, 636 yards and three touchdowns this past season. He had 117 catches for 1,433 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons at Auburn.

The former track star who ran a 10.15-second 100 meter, is an excellent athlete who has very good speed to create constant separation and pull away from pursuing defenders. He also has the physical tools, tracking ability and soft hands.

Given how much Herbert likes to air it out, Schwartz could quickly become a consistent target and he could be a reliable return man for a struggling special teams.

Round 4, No. 118, Kendrick Green, IOL, Illinois

Forrest Lamp is slated to be a free agent and his injury history and inconsistent play when healthy may be enough to warrant him not being re-signed by the Chargers.

Green was recruited as a defensive tackle but switched to the offensive line as a redshirt freshman. Green started 33 games for the Illini, with 29 games at left guard and four at center. This past season, he was named USA TODAY second team All-America and All-Big Ten first team.

At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Green has good movement skills, is as durable as it gets (33 straight starts) and plays with a nasty disposition. While his pass protection is still a work in progress, he has the foot quickness and explosiveness up front to be impactful.

Green projects to be a strong contributor inside either at guard or case — in this case at left guard. It may take him a year to carve up a starting role, but given his reactive athleticism and run blocking prowess, he profiles well to the next level.

Full 4-round Chargers mock draft, Post-Super Bowl edition

The Chargers take three offensive linemen in the first four rounds.

The 2020 NFL season has officially come to an end after the Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Sunday.

With this past season behind us, now all attention has turned to 2021, specifically the roster-building process that will be vital if the Chargers wish to be in next year’s Super Bowl, which will be held at SoFi Stadium.

With that being said, let’s take a look at what Los Angeles could do in the draft to aide in dethroning Kansas City and make a run to the Lombardi Trophy in my latest four-round projections.

Chargers 2021 NFL Draft Target: USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, a potential draft target, under the microscope.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2021 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 USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 315

College Bio Page

One-Liner

Vera-Tucker needs to improve his hand tactics to better sustain the point of attack, but he comes with highly impressive athleticism and movement skills to match, projecting as an NFL starter — has experience outside at tackle, but his natural NFL position might be inside at guard.

Highlights

Strengths

Impressive frame with essential body thickness.

Very quick moving backwards and keeps up with most pass rushers off the edge while maintaining great technique.

Balanced feet, both in space and when locked up. Flexible lower body to drop and roll his hips at contact. Consistent knee bend in pass protection. Quick to recover after a jab to his chest.

Core strength to anchor at shallow depth. Powerful hands to punch, reload and fire again.

Clean puller to seal or stick defenders in space. Flips his hips with smooth footwork and builds momentum down the line.

Never content, staying busy with active eyes to identify stunts/slants.

Demonstrated versatility at USC by playing guard and tackle at a high level.

2020 Morris Trophy — Best offensive and defensive lineman in the Pac-12.

2020 First-Team All-Pac-12 (Pac-12 and Pro Football Focus).

Weaknesses

Active hands, but placement lacks refinement, often landing outside his target.

Can get head start protecting the edge, setting too aggressive outside and late protecting inside moves.

Reliable square blocker, but can struggle with speed at times.

Chargers Fit

Vera-Tucker is an ideal fit for the Chargers’ zone-blocking scheme, either at tackle or guard. He comes in with the ability to do anything Los Angeles could ask of him: pulls, reach blocks, screens. He is a major improvement over Sam Tevi and Forrest Lamp in pass protection and should provide an upgrade in the running game. Inside at guard, where he would likely start in his rookie season, he’s proven that’s he’s plenty strong to anchor against more powerful defensive linemen and can handle athletic defenders, as well. He has demonstrated that he can be called upon as a starting blindside protector, too.

Chargers 2021 NFL Draft Target: USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, a potential draft target, under the microscope.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up into the 2021 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 USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Vitals

Height | 6-4

Weight | 315

College Bio Page

One-Liner

Vera-Tucker needs to improve his hand tactics to better sustain the point of attack, but he comes with highly impressive athleticism and movement skills to match, projecting as an NFL starter — has experience outside at tackle, but his natural NFL position might be inside at guard.

Highlights

Strengths

Impressive frame with essential body thickness.

Very quick moving backwards and keeps up with most pass rushers off the edge while maintaining great technique.

Balanced feet, both in space and when locked up. Flexible lower body to drop and roll his hips at contact. Consistent knee bend in pass protection. Quick to recover after a jab to his chest.

Core strength to anchor at shallow depth. Powerful hands to punch, reload and fire again.

Clean puller to seal or stick defenders in space. Flips his hips with smooth footwork and builds momentum down the line.

Never content, staying busy with active eyes to identify stunts/slants.

Demonstrated versatility at USC by playing guard and tackle at a high level.

2020 Morris Trophy — Best offensive and defensive lineman in the Pac-12.

2020 First-Team All-Pac-12 (Pac-12 and Pro Football Focus).

Weaknesses

Active hands, but placement lacks refinement, often landing outside his target.

Can get head start protecting the edge, setting too aggressive outside and late protecting inside moves.

Reliable square blocker, but can struggle with speed at times.

Chargers Fit

Vera-Tucker is an ideal fit for the Chargers’ zone-blocking scheme, either at tackle or guard. He comes in with the ability to do anything Los Angeles could ask of him: pulls, reach blocks, screens. He is a major improvement over Sam Tevi and Forrest Lamp in pass protection and should provide an upgrade in the running game. Inside at guard, where he would likely start in his rookie season, he’s proven that’s he’s plenty strong to anchor against more powerful defensive linemen and can handle athletic defenders, as well. He has demonstrated that he can be called upon as a starting blindside protector, too.

Chargers 4-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez releases his second four-round mock draft for Los Angeles.

The Chargers are four games from wrapping up their 2020 regular season. Sitting at 3-9, they will have an opportunity to load up on a handful of this year’s top draft prospects.

Like always, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator to take a crack at predicting what Los Angeles might do based on positional need and players that fit its scheme. This time, there was a trade involved.

Let’s dive into the four-round mock draft!

Round 1, No. 10 (Trade via WFT), OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech

If the Chargers expect quarterback Justin Herbert to continue to play at a high level, the team is going to have to provide him with some quality protection, which is why they go with a blindside blocker with their first selection.

Darrisaw, the 6-foot-5 and 315 pounder, has seen his stock creep up week in and week out. A mover in the run game, Darrisaw has the athleticism, balance, and forceful hands to stymie defenders.

Round 2, No. 36, IOL Josh Myers, Ohio State

The Chargers could elect to move on Dan Feeney and Forrest Lamp, both who are set to be free agents after the season. If they do, that would create some holes at the center and left guard positions.

Myers has served as the Buckeyes’ starting center, but he has the ability to play some guard, if need be. The 6-foot-5 and 312 pounder is a very fluid and mobile lineman with the pop and flexibility to succeed at different levels of the defense.

Round 2, No. 42 (Trade via WFT), EDGE Jayson Oweh, Penn State

You can never have too many pass rushers in this league, and with Melvin Ingram set to hit free agency after this season, the Chargers could be looking to add another dominant force to pair with Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu.

A basketball player in high school, Oweh is an athletic freak. Even though he is very young in his football years, his speed rush and twitch are the type of traits that could see him become a promising long-term pass rusher in the NFL.

Round 3, No. 68, CB Rodarius Williams, Oklahoma State

Given how Michael Davis has been playing, I can see him being re-signed. But the chances are a bit slimmer with Casey Hayward once his contract is up after the 2021 season solely based on seeing slight regressions with his play.

Williams, the younger brother of Browns corner Greedy Williams, has allowed six yards or less in six of his eight starts, with more forced incompletions (eight) than first downs allowed (six), per Pro Football Focus.

His combination of coverage ability, reactive athleticism, length and physicality would bode well with how the cornerbacks play in Los Angeles’ scheme.

Round 3, No. 74 (Trade via WFT), TE Hunter Long, Boston College

There’s no guarantee that Hunter Henry, who’s slated to be a free agent after this season, will be back in 2021. Plus, his backup, Virgil Green, is also expected to hit the free agency market.

Long is a smart, willing blocker who shows athleticism in his routes, very good speed, and chunk yardage creation after the catch, showing the ability to be a monster off the play action.

Round 4, No. 97, WR Anthony Schwartz, Auburn

Mike Williams is going to be a free agent after the 2021 season. Rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill could make more of an impact in Year 2, but their production this season has been nonexistent. With this draft being revolved around Herbert, the Chargers go receiver here.

Schwartz shows the speed to take the top off of a defense with good route running, tracking ability and soft hands to bring in the deep passes. Given how much Herbert likes to air it out, Schwartz could quickly become a consistent target.

Round 4, No. 105, OT Myron Cunningham, Arkansas

The Chargers pick up their third offensive lineman with the hopes of bolstering an offensive line that needs a lot of retooling.

Cunningham, the 6-foot-7 and 320 pounder, has the versatility that Los Angeles would covet, as he has experience at left and right tackle and right guard. He possesses the athleticism, size and pass blocking nuances that could pay dividends for years to come.

Round 4, No. 111 (Trade via WFT), LB Tony Fields, West Virginia

Linebacker Denzel Perryman has shown that he’s worth being re-signed, but his injury concerns could hold the team back from doing so. Even when Drue Tranquill returns next season, the depth behind him and Kenneth Murray is very thin.

Fields fits the mold as a modern coverage linebacker who has the necessary sideline-to-sideline speed and athleticism to make an impact on third downs and beyond. He would be a natural fit on special teams with his skill set in space, which is something the Chargers would benefit from.

Todd McShay gives Chargers QB Justin Herbert weapon in early 2021 NFL mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers would finally have a threat with legitimate breakaway speed.

ESPN’s Todd McShay released an early 2021 NFL mock draft.

McShay sent Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to Los Angeles – in this case – with the No. 11 overall selection.

Here is what he had to say about the pairing:

Keenan Allen is a free agent in 2021 (one of many on this Chargers roster who could demand big money), Mike Williams will follow in 2022, and the depth behind that duo is lackluster. Quarterback of the future Justin Herbert is going to need weapons, and Waddle does a little bit of everything. He is the most elusive receiver in the country and can be dynamic as a kick/punt returner. In 2019, he averaged 17.0 yards per catch, 24.4 per punt return and 35.0 per kickoff return — and scored at least once on each.

The 2020 draft marked the fifth time two receivers from the same school went in the first round (Alabama’s Ruggs and Jeudy). If Smith and Waddle come off the board on Day 1, it’d be the first time a school has done it twice, let alone in back-to-back years.

The Chargers’ wide receiver room looks fairly strong heading into the 2020 season, which is led by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams The rest of the unit is made up of Jason Moore, Darius Jennings, Jalen Guyton and rookies K.J. Hill and Joe Reed.

But the continuity with the team’s top wideouts remains to be seen. Allen’s contract expires after the season, and Williams is slated to become a free agent the year after. As for the rest of the group, they have yet to prove themselves.

Waddle would give the Chargers offense something that they have not had in awhile – which is a pass-catcher with elite phone booth quicks and legitimate breakaway speed to threaten a defense vertically.

Los Angeles has an outstanding defense, but their offense still needs some pieces in order to be successful for years to come, which is why they could benefit from giving Herbert a premiere option like Waddle to distribute the wealth to.

Todd McShay’s two-round mock sends Chargers EDGE in second round

Todd McShay has the Los Angeles Chargers addressing the quarterback and outside linebacker position.

With the Chargers filling a handful of their positional needs in free agency, they will have a little bit more flexibility to take the best player approach.

That’s what Los Angeles does in ESPN’s Todd McShay’s latest two-round mock draft, which sees them taking former Wisconsin edge rusher Zack Baun with their second-round selection.

Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III are both set for free agency in 2021 (though Bosa isn’t likely to reach it), so edge could be a problem in the not-so-distant future. The Chargers’ 30 sacks ranked in the bottom five in 2019, and Baun had 12.5 at Wisconsin.

In a league where you can’t have too many pass rushers, the Bolts add to a corps that features Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. With both of them set to become free agents after this season, McShay sees this as an opportunity to add to the position group in case Bosa or Ingram aren’t back.

However, the Chargers still have linebacker Uchenna Nwosu who has made an impact at rushing the quarterback. If Ingram isn’t re-signed, Nwosu will likely take his spot as the LEO. Isaac Rochell has also proven his worth in that same role.

Even though Baun is likely going to primarily rush the passer at the next level, he does have the versatility to drop in coverage and defend the run, projecting as a SAM linebacker in a 4-3 system, but Kyzir White is expected to start at that position.

While Los Angeles could address the position in the draft, I don’t think it will come on Day 1 or 2. Instead, they could find value on Day 3 or look to sign an undrafted free agent. Positions like quarterback, left tackle, wide receiver and cornerback will be the priorities.

Quarterback does sit atop of the Bolts’ priority list and that’s what McShay has them addressing with the No. 6 overall selection with former Utah State’s Jordan Love.

Yes, this is a bit of a reach, but the Chargers struck out in the Tom Brady sweepstakes, and they are looking for long-term answers under center. (They can live in the short term with Tyrod Taylor.) Could free agents Cam Newton or Jameis Winston be in play? Maybe. I’m told Los Angeles likes all four of the top quarterbacks in the draft class — and this pick could end up being Oregon’s Justin Herbert, too — but Love has the arm to make NFL-caliber throws and should be available here at No. 6.

Love’s statistical decline from 2018 to 2019 has drawn some major concerns, but he has franchise quarterback traits. With NFL coaching and being able to sit and learn in Year 1, Love could develop into the future face of the franchise with Pro Bowl potential.