The pre-draft process leading up to the 2022 NFL draft is headed to Mobile, AL, for the Senior Bowl. This event is one of the biggest college football all-star games that will feature the most prolific prospects in the country.
This week will draw the attention of many Chargers’ scouts, coach Brandon Staley, and general manager Tom Telesco to do their homework on players who could potentially be suitors for Los Angeles come April.
Last year this event brought in Josh Palmer, Tre’ McKitty, Brenden Jaimes, and Mark Webb. The year before that the team found Justin Herbert, Joshua Kelley, Alohi Gilman, and K.J. Hill.
It all starts with three days of practice and finally, the game on Saturday. I’ll be in attendance, constantly giving updates throughout the week.
With that being said, here are 17 players to keep an eye out for.
DT Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
The Chargers finished bottom of the league in run defense, which is why bolstering the interior part of the defensive line will be their top priority this offseason. Arguably one of the most impactful all-around interior defenders in the nation, Mathis amassed 53 total tackles, nine sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two blocked passes in 2021. 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, projecting as a lineman who has the tools to be a three-down starter from the get-go. — Gavino
DT Travis Jones, UConn
Jones was a dominant force dating back to his freshman year in 2018. UConn wasn’t able to play in 2020 due to COVID, but he returned in 2021 with top-tier play, especially against Clemson. At 6-foot-3 and 330 pounds, Jones is a wide-bodied player who is stout at the point of attack to take on double teams and anchor well. But he also possesses the length, acceleration, and twitchiness to rush the passer, as evidenced by 4.5 sacks last season. Nose tackles with the ability to generate pressure are rare, but Jones fits that mold. — Gavino
DT Neil Farrell Jr., LSU
Farrell played 48 games for the Tigers. He had 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks in 2021. His 24 run stops were fourth in the country. At 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, Farrell is a big, powerful and tough nose tackle who has the lower body strength, burst, and violent hands to collapse the pocket and stop ball carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage. — Gavino
EDGE Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
Whether or not the Chargers are planning on re-signing Uchenna Nwosu, they still need additional depth at the position. Sanders registered 119 total tackles (62 solo) and 13.5 sacks in four years as a Bearcat. He is an explosive athlete who possesses length and hand use to a physical set of tools combined with explosiveness and flexibility. — Gavino
EDGE Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
Robinson was a high school quarterback and converted to wide receiver in college. He moved to pass rusher in 2020, finishing his collegiate career with 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. At 6-foot-4 and 256 pounds, Robinson is an explosive, edge rusher with the bend, burst and change of direction to be a disruptive force in opposing backfields, but he needs to be better with his hand usage. — Gavino
LB Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati
Kyzir White’s future with the Chargers is up in the air. Drue Tranquill has struggled to consistently stay on the field. Kenneth Murray is coming off a rough season that was battered by an ankle injury and COVID-19. With that being said, linebacker depth is a must. A former safety, Beavers is a long linebacker who possesses read-and-react instincts, physicality, zone coverage awareness, tenacious tackling between the tackles, and blitzing ability. — Gavino
LB Troy Andersen, Montana State
Andersen played quarterback/fullback/running back before making the switch to linebacker. He finished with 137 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two interceptions, including a pick-6. Andersen is a proven defender who possesses the zone awareness skills and speed to stay with slot receivers and tight ends, as well as the explosiveness to fit rush lanes and make tackles in space. — Gavino
OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
With Bryan Bulaga a potential cut casualty, the Chargers could be in the market for his replacement early on in the draft. After dominating for the Panthers, Penning was the only lineman named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award this past season, awarded to the best offensive player at the FCS level. At 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, Penning has awe-inspiring athleticism, movement skills to match, and a mauler’s mentality in the run game. After strictly facing small-school pass rushers, this will be a big test for the presumed first-rounder. — Gavino
OT Max Mitchell, Louisiana
If the Chargers wait until Day 2 to address the tackle position, Mitchell could be atop their board. Mitchell led all FBS tackles with a 94.8 PFF grade, as he allowed only 13 pressures and three sacks this season while racking up the third-most big-time run blocks. In addition, he never committed a penalty or missed an offensive snap. At 6-foot-5 and 299 pounds, Mitchell is a proficient and athletic tackle, with the positioning and footwork to mirror and match, great hand techniques and length to keep rushers at bay, and run-blocking consistency. — Gavino
RB Brian Robinson, Alabama
After sitting in the shadows of Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris, Brian Robinson finally received his chance to command Alabama’s backfield and did not disappoint the legacy of NFL starting talent. Robinson’s physical nature as a runner makes him a difficult task to tackle and he certainly packs a punch of his own at a prototypical size of 6’1” and 226 pounds. Robinson bulldozed his way to 1,343 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last season, including a 204-yard performance against Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Pairing Robinson’s bruising running style with Austin Ekeler’s receiving talents would bolster the ground game and further balance the Chargers offensively. — Cole
WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
It’s true that big things come in small packages and Calvin Austin is no exception. A former hometown walk-on standing 5’9” and weighing 162 pounds, Austin earned his scholarship on the Memphis football team through a strong work ethic and unwavering determination. A track star in addition to his football talents, Austin is one of the fastest players in the draft and knows how to manipulate his throttle to surge away from defenders. Austin is a precise route runner with an advanced release package that absolutely explodes off the line. He’s a hassle to bring down after the catch, too. — Cole
WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State
A consistent producer at Boise State over the last three seasons, Shakir brought his game to another level in 2021. The twitchy, deceptive route runner totaled 1,117 yards and 7 touchdowns as a first-team All-Mountain West honoree. Shakir dominates the catch point with sure hands and prime body control. Boise State maximized Shakir’s overall presence in the offense too, frequently deploying him on end-arounds and creating mismatches against smaller opponents in the slot. — Cole
WR Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
This is familiar territory for Tolbert, who grew up and spent in college football career entirely in Mobile. Don’t let the small school reputation fool you, because Tolbert recorded the second-most average yards after the catch per reception at 7.1 per clip, only trailing the aforementioned Austin. Back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns with eight touchdowns in each season are more than enough production for Tolbert to draw considerable NFL interest. With a gargantuan catch radius and experience playing all three receiver positions, Tolbert is a tantalizing diamond in the rough. — Cole
TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA
The Chargers, like most of the NFL, are in desperate need of top-tier receiving talent at the tight end position. With Jared Cook on the way out, the position will most certainly be addressed in the offseason. Greg Dulcich flashed at the Rose Bowl only a few miles away as an athletic mismatch for Pac-12 defenses. A converted wide receiver, Dulcich is still relatively new to moving with the offensive line and getting comfortable as a blocker. However, the ideal combination of size, speed, and soft hands make for a convincing addition to Justin Herbert’s arsenal of playmakers. — Cole
CB Roger McCreary, Auburn
With several trait-dominant cornerbacks headlining this year’s class, McCreary has fallen under the radar as a well-rounded prospect at the position. McCreary traverses the field easily, is proficient in both man and zone coverage, and evaporates separation with elite closing burst. He has the quickness to play both inside and outside. McCreary was not flawless, but he made plays on the ball more often than not. He recorded six picks and 30 pass breakups over his career at Auburn. — Cole
CB Mario Goodrich, Clemson
After Clemson lost Derion Kendrick to the transfer portal, Dabo Swinney opted for an in-house promotion to fill the vacant outside cornerback position. Goodrich all but matched his teammate Andrew Booth Jr. in lockdown play, earning first-team All ACC accolades in his first season as a starter. Goodrich displays an appetite to compete in every aspect of the position, channeling the same aggressiveness he displays sticking to receivers in coverage into punishing hits when supporting the run. He should see his stock rise significantly after his time in Mobile is complete. — Cole
S Jalen Pitre, Baylor
Pitre is listed as a safety, but the title is merely a formality. In reality, Pitre’s true role is a hybrid defender with the range to prevent the deep ball, movement toolbox to stick with faster underneath threats, and physicality to break through blocks to lay the boom on ball carriers. Pitre’s effortless change of direction and explosion are desirable attributes for a box defender, even if he could stand to add more bulk. He still has strides to take as a pure man coverage agent, so Pitre will have to be used strategically as his true position at the next level reveals itself. — Cole
