Tag: Otito Ogbonnia

Chargers sign DL Morgan Fox

The Chargers are adding more reinforcements on the defensive front.

The Chargers are adding more reinforcements on the defensive front.

According to agent David Kanter, Los Angeles is signing defensive lineman Morgan Fox.

Fox previously played with the Panthers, where he appeared in all 17 games, starting nine of them. He accounted for 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks.

Before his stint with Carolina, Fox had his best season under Brandon Staley with the Rams in 2020, playing nearly 40 percent of the defensive snaps and finishing with 27 tackles, 25 pressures, and six sacks.

For the Chargers, Fox will serve as an interior pass rusher who’s versatile enough to kick outside and play off the edge in almost any down-and-distance situation.

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.

2022 NFL draft grades: How analysts feel about Chargers’ selections

A look at the experts’ grades and overall review of the Los Angeles Chargers’ eight selections.

The 2022 NFL draft is officially in the books.

The Chargers got better and faster on both sides of the ball, all while bringing in players that upgrade the special teams department.

In the eyes of national writers and analysts, how did they view Los Angeles’ haul?

A look at the experts’ grades and overall review of the Bolt’s selections:

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter

The Chargers sent their second-round pick to Chicago for Khalil Mack (an excellent move in the tough AFC West). With their only Day 2 pick, they selected Woods, who could work in the slot or at safety because of his athleticism and willingness to be physical.

Grade: A

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield

“Thanks to a great pre-draft process, Zion Johnson worked his way into the first round. Johnson saw time at both tackle and guard during his college career, and even kicked inside to center during the Senior Bowl, and that potential versatility made him a first-round pick. He projects best at guard, and the Los Angeles Chargers can slot him in at right guard to start his NFL career. Getting their best five in front of Justin Herbert had to be a goal for Tom Telesco going into the draft, and the selection of Johnson is a huge step in that direction. Then in the third round they added J.T. Woods, the second Baylor safety to come off the board. With both Nasir Adderly and Derwin James in the fold, this is a nice option behind those two players. Woods is a speedy, rangy type of safety and you can see the Chargers perhaps using him as the center fielder in some three-safety packages alongside Adderly and James, who have both spent some time down in the box.

Perhaps their most intriguing selection was Georgia offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, in the sixth round. Salyer was expected to be off the board well before the sixth round, and during his time at Georgia he played across the entire offensive line. Given the pick of Johnson and Salyer, it seems the Chargers are placing an emphasis on versatility along their offensive line.”

Grade: B

Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer

“The Chargers mostly recognized they needed to pick to contend now with Justin Herbert, and getting Johnson to boost the interior offenisve line and Spiller to better complement Ausin Ekeler was huge. Ogbonnia filled a positional need and Salyer might end up solving right tackle, too. They didn’t need to do much to tweak in the draft after keeping Mike Williams and adding both J.C. Jackson and Khalil Mack in free agency.”

Grade: A-

Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr

“Color me a bit surprised the Chargers did not address their run-support issues until later in the draft. Ogbonnia certainly has his moments, even though he sometimes gets vertical in conflict, which works to his disadvantage. Johnson was also interesting given the Chargers’ need at right tackle, however, there are some street free agents who still may be able to fill that spot; the post-draft veteran cutdown may also yield a workable veteran option if the Chargers want to add bodies to their competition. Woods completes an impressive secondary turnaround under Brandon Staley, who eyes a hybrid Belichick/Fangio kind of defense that wins with bodies in the secondary, something you can do when Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack are flying off the edge. Spiller will soon factor into the Chargers’ workload and patched a sneaky need for a team that relies far too much on Austin Ekeler, who factors so heavily into the passing game. Perhaps Spiller is more of a dependable, early down back who can log some miles and keep Ekeler fresh.”

Grade: B-

New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy

“Strategy has been the same in free agency and the draft for two years: protect Justin Herbert. The drop-off was steep after two guards — and the Chargers nabbed the second. Woods was a reach in a deep safety class.”

Grade: C+

The Washington Post’s Mark Maske

“The Chargers were wise to address their offensive line with their first-round pick, given the urgency to properly protect QB Justin Herbert. But while G Zion Johnson was worth the 17th choice, it’s fair to wonder whether the Chargers made the proper move, with T Trevor Penning available at that point and all those imposing edge rushers in the AFC West. The Chargers’ draft was more about quantity than top-end quality, with plenty of Day 3 activity. Getting G Jamaree Salyer in the sixth round was a nice pickup.”

Grade: B-

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco

“Best Pick: First-round offensive lineman Zion Johnson will add a nice inside presence to their offense. He can play up and down the line, which is key. He’s a good player.

Worst Pick: Do they really need third-round safety J.T. Woods? They have Derwin James and Nasir Adderley. It seemed like a luxury pick.

The Skinny: Getting Johnson to help up front was big. He will be a longtime starter. The rest of the draft was just OK for me. I do like sixth-round offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer.”

Grade: C

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 Otito Ogbonnia with No. 160 overall selection

What the selection of Otito Ogbonnia means for the Los Angeles Chargers.

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The Chargers stayed local with their fifth-round selection, opting to draft defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia from UCLA.

Ogbonnia logged 76 total tackles with 8.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks, as well as six pass deflections and two forced fumbles. While he started at times in all four seasons as a Bruin, 2021 was his only year as a full-time starter. Nevertheless, with a full complement of reps under his belt, Ogbonnia performed well enough to be selected for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The 6’3”, 324-pound Ogbonnia has lined up everywhere from shaded nose tackle to 5-technique, versatility that will be welcomed in LA. He’s also primarily a run defender, which will be music to Chargers fans’ ears after watching the defense get shredded on the ground in 2021. Ogbonnia’s plus-sized frame is near impossible to move off the line of scrimmage, which allows him to swallow opposing runners.

As a pass rusher, Ogbonnia doesn’t have a ton of juice. UCLA used him on a lot of loops and stunts, on which he’s able to generate some pressure, but not at a consistent level. He’s also not much of a gap shooter, as his poor 40 time (5.31) and lack of explosiveness in the film suggests.

Brandon Staley has said all offseason that improving the defensive line would be a top priority. He and Tom Telesco backed up those words by signing Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in free agency. They back it up in the draft by adding Ogbonnia, who should see time on early downs as an effective run stopper before rotating out for linemen with better pass-rush tools.

2022 NFL draft: Chargers pick DT Otito Ogbonnia with No. 160 overall selection

The Chargers bolstered the interior part of the defensive line at pick No. 160 overall.

The Chargers have taken former UCLA defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia with their No. 160 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.

Ogbonnia tallied 76 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and six passes defended in his four seasons with the Bruins.

At 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds, Ogbonnia’s time as a former shot putter shows up on the football field as he wins with brute strength and heavy hands to control and move defenders off the line of the scrimmage.

Ogbonnia was primarily a nose tackle in the Bruins’ defense, but he occasionally bounced out to a 3-tech. At the next level, he projects best as a nose tackle, where he would see the field on run downs.

Ten targets for Browns in second round

Friday morning, our @joshkeatley16 brings you ten targets for Browns in the second round of the NFL draft including thinking ahead a year at right tackle:

The first round of the 2022 NFL draft is in the books and, despite the Cleveland Browns not having a selection, it was an exciting night for the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers have grabbed their controversial quarterback of the future, the Cincinnati Bengals selected a versatile stud defensive back from Michigan and the Baltimore Ravens traded away a wide receiver but snagged the best safety and best center in the draft.

With the first round in the books, it is time for the Cleveland Browns and their fans to look towards their second-round selection and who might be available at number 44.

The following are the ten options:

7 run-stuffing 1-techs Cowboys should be eyeing in 2022 NFL draft

A look at a handful of big-boy prospects for the defensive line, for every day of the 2022 draft. @TimLettiero sees what the collection has to offer.

After a season where new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn turned around the direction of the Dallas Cowboys’ defense, there is still potential more improvement. The hybrid defensive front he runs sees a major focus put on interior defensive line play. The three-tech and five tech roles have already been covered, but Quinn also utilizes the zero-tech and one-tech positions. These positions line up right on the nose of the center or on his shoulder and their purpose is to plug gaps, allowing more talented rushers to attack the pocket. They are also tasked with winning at the line of scrimmage in the run game.

On the current roster, second-year DT Quinton Bohanna is Dallas’ only player who truly fits this mold. Veteran DT Brent Urban, who missed a majority of last year with an injury, was not re-signed. Neville Gallimore and Carlos Watkins have played this role some, but are out of position. Will the Cowboys be interested in grabbing help during the draft? Here are some names Dallas might prioritize.

A defensive tackle for Chargers in each round of 2022 NFL draft

Laying out a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers in each round of this year’s draft.

The Chargers have a few positions that need to be addressed in the upcoming draft, and defensive tackle sits near the top.

Luckily, this year’s crop has starting-caliber talent from the first day of the draft until Day 3.

With that being said, here’s a tackle from each round that could fit in Los Angeles:

Round 1, Devonte Wyatt, Georgia

Wyatt’s former teammate, Jordan Davis, is a popular fit for the Chargers. But after the signing of Sebastian Joseph-Day, I believe the team could be looking for a versatile defensive lineman, with the ability to plug in at the three-technique spot because Joseph-Day played just under 50% of his snaps as a nose tackle in Brandon Staley’s 2020 Rams defense.

In two seasons as a starter at Georgia, Wyatt racked up 64 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. At the Combine, Wyatt blew up the event with his immense athleticism, including the fastest 40-yard dash among defensive tackles with a blazing 4.77.

Overall, Wyatt is a high effort player who can contribute against the pass and run due to his snap quickness, lateral agility, and striking ability but will need to enhance his hand usage further and improve his stoutness, projecting as a starting three-technique, while also being able to shift to the 4i and five-technique.

Round 3, Phidarian Mathis, Alabama

Mathis amassed 53 total tackles, nine sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two blocked passes in 2021. He received second-team All-SEC and All-American honors.

Mathis finished fifth in the broad jump (9-foot-11) among defensive tackles at the Combine. He was also a top performer in the 20-yard shuttle (4.91 seconds).

With his length, violent hands, lower-body strength, lateral agility, and ability to anchor, Mathis can create interior pressure just as well as he can defend the run at the next level, drawing parallels to Akiem Hicks.

Round 4, Thomas Booker, Stanford

Booker tallied 159 total tackles (89 solo), 20.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, eight passes defended, a forced fumble, and an interception in four seasons with the Cardinals.

At 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, Booker wins with initial quickness off the snap to penetrate gaps and strength in his upper half, and active hands to control blockers to reset the line of scrimmage.

Booker lined up at various spots on Stanford’s defensive line, from nose tackle to five-technique.

Booker is capable of carving out a productive rotational role at the next level.

Round 5, Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State

Uwazurike finished his final season as a Cyclone with nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss. He had six combined sacks in his previous three seasons.

Boasting rare size at 6-foot-6 and 318 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Uwazurike is a versatile lineman, having lined up at nose tackle, 3- 5-technique on the Cyclones’ multiple front, who wins with a blend of power, quickness, and length.

Uwazurike projects as a versatile rotational lineman, but he will be at his best using his strength and two-gapping ability to line up as a five-tech for the Chargers.

Round 6, Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA

Ogbonnia tallied 76 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and six passes defended in his four seasons with the Bruins.

At 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds, Ogbonnia’s time as a former shot putter shows up on the football field as he wins with brute strength and good hand usage to control and move defenders.

Ogbonnia was primarily a nose tackle in the Bruins’ defense, but he occasionally bounced out to a 3-tech. At the next level, he projects best as a two-gapping nose tackle, where he would see the field on run downs.

Round 7, Eric Johnson, Missouri State

Johnson posted 43 tackles (19 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five quarterback hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, three pass breakups, and three blocked field goal kicks during 12 starts in 2021.

Johnson participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where his dominant performance raised the eyebrows of evaluators to the point where he was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

On film, the 6-foot-4 and 299 pounder with 34 1/4-inch arms stands out, winning with his length, agility, power in his punch, and explosiveness off the snap. At the next level, he will be at his best eating up blocks to free others up to rush.

Chargers had pre-draft meeting with UCLA DT Otito Ogbonnia

The Los Angeles Chargers had a pre-draft meeting with a local product.

The Chargers will be looking to the draft to shore up the interior part of their defensive line.

According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, Los Angeles has had a pre-draft meeting with former UCLA defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia.

Ogbonnia tallied 76 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and six passes defended in his four seasons with the Bruins.

At 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds, Ogbonnia’s time as a former shot putter shows up on the football field as he wins with brute strength and good hand usage to control and move defenders.

Ogbonnia was primarily a nose tackle in the Bruins’ defense, but he occasionally bounced out to a 3-tech. At the next level, he projects best as a two-gapping nose tackle, where he would see the field on run downs.

Ogbonnia currently projects as a fourth or fifth-round pick.