Tag: Deane Leonard

Projecting Chargers’ secondary depth chart in 2022

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers secondary will look like in the 2022 season.

Football has returned, and the Chargers officially kick off training camp with high expectations and new faces.

A revamped secondary loaded with star power starters is sure to be watched closely, along with the depth waiting in the wings behind them.

Here is how I expect the defensive back room to shake up when the Chargers head into Week 1 against the Raiders

Cornerbacks

J.C. Jackson

The $82.5 million free agency splurge. Jackson was brought to Los Angeles to erase No. 1 targets and frustrate quarterbacks into throwing interceptions. He is one of the NFL’s best cover men and will face no shortage of tests in 2022.

Asante Samuel Jr.

After many draft analysts pegged the former Florida State Seminole as a slot-exclusive player, the Chargers demonstrated their faith in the second-round choice by trusting him on the outside. Samuel is technically sound, sticky to his opponent’s hips, and multitasks with confidence. His ascension opposite Jackon will be exciting to watch

Bryce Callahan

Staley praised the former Denver Bronco slot agent’s movement skills, long speed, and lower body strength this offseason. Callahan is a capable defender against the more agile inside weapons, and he’s a great fit for Staley’s defensive philosophy that values athleticism over size.

Michael Davis

Last year’s CB1 finds himself as a rotational player heading into this season, but Davis offers the Chargers vital flexibility. If the offense’s top target shifts to the slot for a play, Davis suit up at the outside spot and allow Samuel to move inside. Davis had his share of ups and downs in 2021, but he knows the defensive system and offers 4.34 speed with plenty of length at 6-foot-2.

Ja’Sir Taylor

Taylor didn’t capture national attention during the draft process, but the sixth-round selection is versatile, fast, and brings a studious mentality to the game. Taylor tracks the ball well and responds to every detail revealed by the offense. He’ll back up Callahan in the slot and contribute as a returner on special teams.

Deane Leonard

Leonard will compete with Teavaughn Campbell, Kemon Hall, and Mark Webb Jr. for the final spot in the defensive back room. He’s only a rookie still learning the system, but his quickness, ball skills, and strong OTA performance give him the best shot to make the team. 

Safeties

Derwin James

James rebounded with a strong 2021 campaign after missing eleven games the previous season. He’s the perfect blend of physicality, range, coverage ability, and instincts. Rumblings around the league suggest he’s primed for a massive payday before the start of the season.

Nasir Adderley

Adderley lined up with James for a full season and the results were catastrophic for offenses. Staley will alternate James and Adderley over the top and down in the box, using them both as chess pieces to add strength against the pass and patch up necessary gaps facing the run. Adderley puts down ball carriers hard and has only scraped the surface of his opportunistic abilities.

J.T. Woods

Woods played the ultimate centerfielder role for Baylor and racked up so many interceptions the coaching staff started calling him ‘The Heartbreak Kid.’ He’s also got 4.3 speed (notice a trend?) to provide swift help to the team’s cornerbacks when needed. Woods and his eye for turnovers in the deep half should lead to more freedom for James and Adderley.

Alohi Gilman

Gilman will compete with Woods for two-deep duties behind Woods and Adderley. He contributed 37 tackles and an interception to the unit last season. Both Adderley and James have missed the majority of a season at one point in their careers, so having extra depth at the position is a good idea.

6 position battles to watch at Chargers training camp

Exploring Los Angeles Chargers’ six position battles to watch entering the start of 2022 NFL training camp.

After an offseason of retooling the roster, the Chargers are ready to hit the field for training camp which is slated to begin this week, Wednesday, July 27.

There are a few key spots yet to be filled, and the same goes for a few at the bottom of the depth chart at various positions.

With that being said, here are six positional battles for Chargers fans to keep an eye on this summer:

4 toughest cuts based on latest Chargers’ roster projection

Based on The Athletic’s latest roster projection, these notable Chargers players might be on the outside looking in.

One of the struggles for teams with strong rosters is that roster cuts get more challenging. Talented depth pieces fall victim to a numbers game every offseason and veterans with high cap hits are released to save salary room.

For teams like the Chargers, several notable players might be on the outside looking in. Based on The Athletic’s Daniel Popper’s latest roster projection, these players may soon be looking to find that foothold.

WR Joe Reed

Reed spent last season on the practice squad’s injured reserve following ankle surgery in September, which perhaps makes him a less difficult cut this time than if he had performed. Drafted in the fifth round in 2020, the Chargers used him as the primary return man as a rookie, as he logged 21 kick returns for an average of 20.7 yards. With DeAndre Carter now on the roster, Reed’s path to the roster is much murkier than it was months ago. However, he’s one of the fastest receivers on the roster, if not the fastest. Losing that speed in a room without many deep threats could preclude the team from pushing the ball downfield as often as offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has suggested they want to.

DL Breiden Fehoko

Arguably the best run defender from last year’s team, Fehoko may be caught in the numbers game on the defensive line. With four new additions to the position – Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and Otito Ogbonnia – every member of last year’s team could be on the chopping block. Jerry Tillery seems likely to make the roster, considering Tom Telesco has never been one to bail on high draft choices early on. Popper has touted veteran Christian Covington as a virtual lock to make the roster, but I’m not sure how strongly I agree with that sentiment. If that’s true, however, Fehoko would be the first odd man out, and I don’t anticipate he’d make it through waivers to be added to the practice squad. I’ve been a strong advocate for Fehoko to make the roster this season, but he’ll have to have a strong training camp to make the coaching staff make the tough decision to cut bait with a more established veteran.

CB Tevaughn Campbell

Although Campbell was the source of much consternation from Chargers fans last season, I think he is a decent depth piece who we know has a good grasp on the defensive system. The fact that he was forced into playing huge numbers of snaps isn’t his fault, after all. With JC Jackson and Bryce Callahan now on the roster, LA has four established corners (Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis). The battle for CB5 will come down to Campbell, special teamer Kemon Hall, and rookies Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard. In some ways, Campbell reminds me of former Charger Brandon Facyson, who never performed exceptionally well for LA but has hung around the league and figures to play a decent number of snaps for the Colts this season.

CB Deane Leonard

While it may be premature to call a seventh-round rookie with two seasons of football in the US under his belt a tough cut, Leonard made plays during seemingly every OTA session. If that production is maintained through training camp, he could make it very difficult for the Chargers to release him to get him to the practice squad. One barrier for Leonard, however, is that he’s primarily an outside corner. Brandon Staley has been clear that he wants this year’s Bolts squad to be multiple on defense, and that says to me that the corners further down the depth chart need to be able to play inside and outside. Jackson and Davis are boundary corners only, while Samuel and Callahan are flexible (although Callahan is primarily a slot corner). At CB5, the Chargers will likely want a player they can cross-train to plug in for anyone forced to miss time due to injury. That probably gives Taylor a leg up on players like Campbell and Leonard.

Ranking Chargers’ rookies by potential 2022 impact

Ranking every rookie draft pick in order of their potential impact in 2022, beginning with the top pick, Zion Johnson.

With training camp set to start on July 27th, Chargers fans will soon get a true first look at the 2022 rookie class, which features at least one full-time starter in first-round guard, Zion Johnson. Meanwhile, the rest of the class will battle for rotational snaps throughout July and August.

Here’s a quick overview of the entire draft class, with players ranked by their potential impact as rookies.

1. G Zion Johnson

As mentioned in the introduction, Johnson is already cemented as a starter. Part of the reason for that is the lack of talent opposing him in a competition, but part of it is that Johnson has the talent to be an impact player right away. He may not get off to a scorching start the way 2021 first rounder Rashawn Slater did at left tackle, but Johnson also has the unenviable task of creating chemistry with both Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton during training camp as their battle for the right tackle spot unfolds. Matt Feiler’s presence a year ago has been cited as a big reason Slater’s transition to the NFL went so smoothly, and Johnson will not have that benefit (although center Corey Linsley is a top-tier running mate on the other side). Even so, the expectations will be high for the Boston College product, and early returns from OTAs suggest he’ll be up to the challenge.

2. RB Isaiah Spiller

Despite being the Chargers’ third pick of the draft, Spiller clocks in second here because of how wide-open the competition for touches is behind Austin Ekeler. It’s a situation that’s been discussed at length this offseason: Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree have struggled, Spiller was billed as a top back in this draft before ultimately falling to the 4th round, etc. OTAs didn’t give us much in the way of definitive rankings between the three of them, which means training camp will be all-important in determining what exactly Spiller’s role will be. If he performs well, Ekeler could finally have the running mate LA has been searching for since Melvin Gordon left in free agency after the 2019 season.

3. S JT Woods

Many people were surprised to hear Woods’ name called as early as it was when the Chargers picked him up in the third round, which seems to suggest they have big plans for him. As a rookie, I’d guess his primary role is going to be backfilling Derwin James’ safety spot when the All-Pro moves to dime backer or into the slot. However, he’ll first have to prove he’s more capable in that role than Alohi Gilman. Woods will also be valuable injury insurance if James or Nasir Adderley is forced to miss time, which represents a massive upgrade on the razor-thin group the Chargers put on the field in 2021 when similar issues struck them. With a 4.36 40, expect him to also make an impact on special teams right away.

4. FB Zander Horvath

It may seem ambitious to name a fullback drafted with the team’s last pick of the cycle in the top half of these impact ratings, especially when he’s still facing a competition with incumbent Gabe Nabers to make the team. But teams rarely draft fullbacks unless they have a vision for them, and Horvath profiles as an immediate impact player on special teams, an area where Nabers has been serviceable but not a standout. Daniel Popper of The Athletic also believes that the fullback spot is Horvath’s to lose heading into training camp. With his background as a running back at Purdue, Horvath may also get a few goal-line touches if the bruiser-type running backs continue to struggle this season.

5. DL Otito Ogbonnia

We’ve entered primary backup territory, as Ogbonnia will likely be a rotational player at best with the likes of Morgan Fox and Jerry Tillery soaking up most of the snaps at 5-tech. It’s possible that Tillery ends up as a surprise cut or trade before the season starts, but I think it’s more likely that he makes the roster and plays out his rookie contract before leaving in free agency next offseason. Fox wasn’t a huge impact player in Carolina, but performed much better with the Rams, when he was in the same defensive system as the Chargers’ current one. It’s a testament to how improved the defensive line is that Ogbonnia won’t be playing a lion’s share of the snaps, but it also means that the fifth-rounder likely won’t make a significant impact as a rookie. Considering he’s just 21 this season, with Tillery and Fox on expiring contracts, year two may be his chance to shine.

6. CB Ja’Sir Taylor

Popper has Taylor making the roster as LA’s fifth corner as of right now, citing his inside/outside flexibility and special teams upside. I tend to agree, although the competition on the back end of the roster between Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tevaughn Campbell, and Kemon Hall will be a fierce one. The former Demon Deacon has an unreal amount of college experience under his belt, with 62 career games played over 5 seasons at Wake Forest. That seasoning could be enough to take him over the top. With an elite speed grade and experience as a returner, Taylor should be one of the favorites at gunner as well.

7. OL Jamaree Salyer

I was a huge fan of Salyer coming into the draft, primarily because of his ability to play all five spots along the offensive line. For a brief while, people theorized that he may even be in the mix for a starting spot if Matt Feiler moved to right tackle to quash the battle between Norton and Pipkins. With Feiler staying at guard, it’s more likely that Salyer is the team’s primary backup there, with the loser of the right tackle competition serving as the swing tackle and free-agent pickup Will Clapp backing up Corey Linsley at center. With that hierarchy all but established heading into training camp, Chargers fans should almost hope that Salyer’s impact is low. Because if he is asked to be a high-impact player as a rookie, it likely means that one of Feiler or Zion Johnson have gone down with injury.

8. CB Deane Leonard

Leonard still faces a bit of an uphill battle to make the roster, although he was making plays left and right in OTAs. Carrying that momentum into training camp could be enough to catapult him over Taylor, Campbell, and Hall for that CB5 spot, but I think it’s more likely he becomes a priority practice squad addition. Leonard is a bit more of an unknown than Taylor, simply because the former played three seasons at Calgary in Canada before transferring to Mississippi. While the game has grown tremendously in recent years north of the border, adjusting to the level of competition in the NFL may take an extra year or two for Leonard, and that’s okay! Luckily, the Chargers aren’t in a position where they need to ask him to contribute right away.

One reason to be excited about each of Chargers’ draft picks

From Zion Johnson to Zander Horvath, here’s one reason to be excited about each incoming rookie for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers came away with a solid haul of draft picks last month.

We picked out one stat to know about each of the Bolts’ draft picks from their collegiate career. These numbers should make supporters feel even more intrigued about the incoming rookie class.

 

What CB Deane Leonard brings to the Chargers

Breaking down what the Los Angeles Chargers are getting with cornerback Deane Leonard.

The Los Angeles Chargers recently inked cornerback Deane Leonard, their seventh-round selection at the 236th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, to a four-year deal worth $3.66 million.

Few players will have a more unconventional route to the pros than Leonard, who began his career with the Calgary Stampeders in his native Canada. He became a first-team All-Canadian in 2019 after notching 22 tackles, eight pass breakups, and four interceptions.

From there, Leonard set his sights on playing college football in the United States and wound up at Ole Miss before the start of fall camp in 2020. This resulted in an uneven junior season with only 14 tackles as Leonard got integrated with the Rebels, but he flashed good ball skills with four breakups. 

In 2021, Leonard saw consistent playing time in an Ole Miss system that frequently utilizes six defensive backs to prevent long plays from developing. Leonard started 11 games and racked up 50 tackles (30 of which were solo takedowns) and eight pass breakups. 

In a stacked class of premier defensive backs, Leonard’s name struggled to rise to the surface. However, a solid pro day showed promise for the expansion of his skills at the next level. Leonard ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and put up 14 reps in the bench press. His measurements at 6-1 and 194 pounds are a sturdy build to play outside cornerback.

Leonard’s tape demonstrates a dependable coverage piece and asset in the run game. His tackling form and aggressiveness are prominent and does not let ball carriers drag him for extra yards. He wraps up well and rarely whiffs on his approach.

In man coverage, Leonard mirrors routes well and is able to keep pace through breaks and route running nuance. Leonard’s feet are quick and responsive, which allows for an abrupt closing burst to underneath routes. Deeper down the field, Leonard is often able to turn his head to look over his shoulder for the ball to track the trajectory and time his leaps. Leonard’s biggest area of weakness in man is his functional strength in press coverage. His hand strikes barely affect the progress of the route, so receivers can simply power through him to their desired destination.

In zone coverage, Leonard has keen reactions to the developments of the play. He keeps the action in front of him and doesn’t guess about the offense’s plan of attack. Leonard’s eyes can get him in trouble when watching the quarterback, which can lead to some late recoveries. However, Leonard’s athleticism can bail him out of those situations and help reel in the size of throwing windows when they appear.

Ever since Brandon Staley took over, the Chargers have been in the market for athleticism. Leonard, while far from seasoned, has exceptional movement skills and jets to the ball. On top of that, he is a sound tackler and has experience on special teams. However, Leonard can afford to gain a bit of weight and improve his decision-making as well as discipline in coverage.

Ultimately, Staley has found another twitchy defender whose intangible speed and quickness can mask his areas of growth.

Best photos from Day 1 of Chargers rookie minicamp

The Los Angeles Chargers’ 2022 Rookie Minicamp kicked off on Friday at Hoag Performance Center.

The Chargers’ 2022 Rookie Minicamp kicked off on Friday morning at Hoag Performance Center.

Check out the best shots from the rookies’ first practice in Costa Mesa, CA.

Chargers’ 2022 draft class: All 8 players selected by Los Angeles

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.

Analysis of Chargers’ pick of Deane Leonard with No. 236 overall selection

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.

2022 NFL draft: Chargers pick DB Deane Leonard with No. 236 overall selection

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.