Tag: Rashawn Slater

6 options to replace Colts LT Anthony Castonzo

How the Colts can replace Anthony Castonzo.

Indianapolis Colts left tackle Anthony Castonzo announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, just a few days after the 2020 season officially came to a close for his team.

Though it doesn’t seem like a big surprise given he had season-ending ankle surgery and was on a deal that didn’t include any guaranteed money for the final year of his latest extension.

Now, the Colts have to find his replacement for the 2021 season and beyond. Here are six options early in the process to replace Castonzo at left tackle:

Chargers 2021 NFL Draft Target: Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez puts Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, 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 Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater.

Vitals

Height | 6-3

Weight | 305

College Bio Page

One-Liner

Slater doesn’t possess ideal height or length and could be moved inside, but his athletic skill set and overall technique project well as a blind-side protector.

Highlights

Strengths

Has made 37 starts across both tackle positions, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2019.

Agile feet, smooth shuffle and natural knee bend in his kick slide to gain proper depth. Solid anchor strength to recover. Good mirror skills to counter.

Very technically sound with his upper body, hands are patient. Great, savvy hand techniques to win early.

Good reactive athleticism and lateral agility to change direction quickly and nullify stunts.

Generates torque from his hips. Quick first step, initiates contact, and regularly keeps his feet moving to push the defender several yards back.

Very good pull quickness and is skilled at progressing to the second level and supplying impactful blocks in space.

Very alert player to quickly react and reset. Eager blocker through the whistle. Natural-born competitor. Praised for his work ethic and smarts.

Weaknesses

Very good upper- and lower-body strength, but his ability to sustain could be limited due to his arm length.

Caught leaning into blocks and sometimes ends up on the ground.

Can occasionally get sloppy with his footwork and establish a narrow base, attributing to instances where balance becomes an issue.

Chargers Fit

Slater has the experience and athleticism to start early as a left tackle for Los Angeles. However, his body type and skill set translate very well to guard or center, and L.A. could certainly believe his more promising future is inside.

Projected Round: 1st

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler breaks down Chargers’ draft targets, sleepers

Find out some potential targets for the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL draft.

With the 2020 regular season behind us, figuring out how the Chargers can build their roster this offseason to get back to their winning ways is the main priority.

A big part of the roster-building process is the NFL draft. I’ve been hard at work watching film and doing scouting reports on these prospects, which will eventually start rolling out soon.

To get ahead, I reached out to draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic to get his thoughts on what Los Angeles might do come April.

What’s the best-case scenario for the Chargers if they stay at No. 13?

Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater.

I’m focusing on four positions for the Chargers in this draft: offensive tackle, guard, defensive end and cornerback. Of those four, which is the deepest in this draft class and which is the weakest?

Tackle and edge defender look like the deepest of those four positions. Both positions extend into Day 2 and even Day 3. Cornerback is close, as well, making guard the weakest of those four, especially with Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard returning to school.

If the Chargers don’t select a pass rusher in the first two rounds, they could be looking for one in the middle of the draft. What are some possible options that could end up being double-digit sack guys down the road?

I don’t know about double-digit sacks guys, but Pitt’s Rashad Weaver is really intriguing, especially if he’s still around in the third round. Houston’s Payton Turner has a relentless motor. Notre Dame’s Daelin Hayes has yet to play his best football.

The same thing but for offensive tackles?

Northern Iowa’s Spencer Brown is very raw and I worry about the power, but he is still developing and could end up being a steal. Cincinnati’s James Hudson is a former defensive lineman with minimal experience, but he plays with outstanding balance, light feet and strong hands. And then Marshall’s Josh Ball, who is a Florida State transfer, is another interesting value. Wish he were better in the run game, but he has pass pro skills.

Who are some late-round cornerbacks that could contribute right away?

Arizona State’s Jack Jones comes with character flags, which is why he will still be available in the late rounds, but his toughness and athleticism are NFL-ready. California’s Cam Bynum doesn’t have NFL speed or twitch, but he is smart, tough, and doesn’t make mental mistakes, which could get him on the field early.

With the Senior Bowl coming up, who are some players to watch for Los Angeles?

Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins, Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg, Michigan CB Ambry Thomas and Oregon State EDGE Hamilcar Rashed. Four talented players in the top-3 round mix who could be fits for the Chargers.

Offensive prospects Chargers could target with No. 13 pick in 2021 NFL draft

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down six offensive targets for Los Angeles in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

The next head coach of the Chargers is going to want to build around rookie sensation quarterback Justin Herbert, which is why the offensive side of the ball could be heavily addressed both in free agency and the NFL draft.

With that being said, let’s dive into some potential offensive targets for Los Angeles with pick No. 13.

OL Rashawn Slater, Northwestern

Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

When L.A. was projected to have a top-5 selection just a couple of months ago, former Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell was commonly being mocked to them. Even though Sewell is likely out of the Bolts’ range, there are still a few tackles worth considering when the Chargers are on the clock, starting with Slater.

Slater, the 6-foot-3 and 305 pounder, started his collegiate career as the Wildcats’ right tackle before making the transition to the left side, where he had an impressive outing against former Ohio State and current Redskins edge defender Chase Young in 2019.

Slater is a good athlete and light on his feet. In the pass game, he is very technically sound with his upper body. In the run game, he moves upfield quickly, squares up defenders in space. He has very good competitive toughness and works hard in through all four quarters.

His knock is that he lacks the height and arms necessary to remain at tackle, but his agility and athleticism will allow him to kick inside and be an effective player at either guard or center, where Los Angeles could use help, given the future uncertainty of Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney.

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Updated 2021 NFL Draft order after the Eagles 37-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles were officially eliminated from playoff contention after the team’s 37-17 road loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

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The Philadelphia Eagles were officially eliminated from playoff contention after the team’s 37-17 road loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

While other franchises can start preparing for the playoffs, the Eagles can start to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

With their loss to the Cowboys, the Eagles would hold the No. 6 pick in the draft if the season ended today per Tankathon.

2021 Mock Draft Roundup 1.0: Who experts are projecting Chargers to select

The Los Angeles Chargers have to upgrade both sides of the football.

The Chargers are currently projected to hold the No. 5 overall selection in the 2021 NFL draft after dropping to the Bills on Sunday.

Sitting at 3-8, all attention has been shifted to the upcoming offseason and what Los Angeles could do to bolster an already talented roster.

With that being said, let’s take a look at who draft experts are pairing with L.A. in the first-round along with the reasoning for it.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler — CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

“The Chargers would be wise to invest in the offensive line to protect their quarterback, but it might not be an option this early in the draft if Sewell is off the board. Instead, their focus moves to defense, where cornerback has been a consistent issue for them this season. Surtain isn’t going to run a blazing 40-yard dash time, but he can pattern match from press and find the football downfield.”

Pro Football Network’s Matt Valdovino — CB Patrick Surtain, Alabama

“Surtain lacks an elite physical profile, but he plays with patience and understands the game that allows him to cover the best. He is aggressive when the ball’s in the air and plays calm and collected, which keeps him from getting burnt. He’s big and long enough to handle even the most physical of receivers, and he provides some youth to the cornerback room.”

The Draft Network’s Brent Weissman — CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech

“While the Chargers desperately need help along their offensive line, no offensive line prospect is worth a top-five selection outside of Sewell. I considered going Ja’Marr Chase here and giving Justin Herbert another weapon on the outside, but I instead went with Virginia Tech’s cover man Caleb Farley. Farley has the length and athletic ability that teams covet in their corners and can step in right away and improve a defense that has struggled in 2020.”

NJ Advance Media’s Mike Kaye — CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech

“A cornerback run! Gus Bradley loves defensive backs with size, and Farley fits the bill at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds.”

CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso — OT Rashawn Slater, Northwestern

“Some are going to view Slater as a guard in the NFL. The Chargers need those. But most important is the left tackle, protecting Justin Herbert on throws down the middle and to his right. Slater can be a fine tackle in the NFL. His 2019 film was more than enough evidence, and technique and balance is more important than sheer size at that position.”

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards — EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Miami

“Melvin Ingram is scheduled to be a free agent after the season. In a year where the salary cap is expected to plummet, Los Angeles has the chance to add a young talent while creating some breathing room.”

Updated draft targets for Minnesota now that the team keeps winning

Here are some realistic NFL draft targets now that the Minnesota Vikings keep winning games.

Last time Vikings Wire attempted to compile a list of draft targets for the Vikings, we looked at players who could theoretically go in the top 10.

That’s because, well, Minnesota was pretty bad at that point in the season. Sure, maybe the team would trade back, but it seemed like a top 10 pick would be on the horizon unless the team got way better.

Then, the Vikings complicated things by winning three consecutive games. So this is a list of targets that Minnesota could still potentially get.

Just a note: Some of these NFL draft prospects were on the previous list, which means there is some variance on their stock among different outlets.

Here are some possible draft options for the Vikings, now that the team finds itself in 15th in the draft order if the season ended today:

Jags land QB Trevor Lawrence, OG Rashawn Slater 2021 mock draft

As we await the beginning of the 2020 NFL season, many mock drafts for next year’s draft has surfaced on the web with the Jacksonville Jaguars making some interesting selections. As they did last year, they will once again have two first-round picks …

As we await the beginning of the 2020 NFL season, many mock drafts for next year’s draft has surfaced on the web with the Jacksonville Jaguars making some interesting selections. As they did last year, they will once again have two first-round picks thanks to the Los Angeles Rams and could make significant progress on becoming a contender again next offseason.

Most 2021 mocks have slotted the Jags to the No. 1 overall pick (using win projections by Vegas) with Trevor Lawrence as their selection, and the most recent by 247 Sports is no different. Simply put, they deemed Lawrence as a prospect that can do anything, which would be great for the Jags who have a rough history with quarterbacks.

After a terrible season and/or awesome tank job, the Jags score their biggest win of the year: the No. 1 overall draft pick, with which they’ll select the Clemson star. Will he be worth it? As the 247Sports early 2021 NFL Draft board says, “There’s nothing Lawrence can’t do at quarterback.”

We’ve been on record for saying that we don’t believe the Jags are “first overall pick bad” with rosters that appear better than teams like the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals to name a few. One reason they could end up better than those teams may be due to Gardner Minshew II taking another step after showing promise in 2019, though nothing is guaranteed.

As for landing the No. 1 overall pick, it’s hard to envision them in the three-win area, but if they are, it’s certainly not a loss in the case of landing Lawrence, who many pundits have praised highly.

The Jags ended up making their second selection (from the Rams) at the No. 16 spot. There, they bolstered the interior of their offensive line with guard Rashawn Slater from Northwestern.

With Trevor Lawrence in their arsenal, the Jags further bolster the NFL’s second-worst offense in 2019 — and protect their new QB — with the towering Northwestern guard, Rashawn Slater. Per CBS Sports, the 6-foot-4 Slater has now filled out to 305 pounds.

This is a pick many fans can get on board with because the offensive line has long been a concern. Many haven’t been happy with what they’ve gotten out of Andrew Norwell, who was once the highest-paid guard in football. Slater could then join the Jags’ fourth-round pick Ben Bartch, who should be ready to take over for right guard A.J. Cann in 2021.

With the Jags selecting mostly defensive players in 2020, they very well could be in position to bolster the offense in 2021’s draft. If the Jags register approximately three wins, selecting two prospects like Lawrence and Slater would make a ton of sense because a low win total would almost certainly fall on Minshew and the o-line coming up short.