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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.
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:
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
“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
“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-
“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-
“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 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-
“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
These potential stars are about to make their teams quite happy.
After a wave of picks, grades, winners (and losers!), the dust has settled: We’ve reached the end of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pro football can finally begin its real offseason.
In the coming weeks, we’ll analyze, break down, and, yes, overthink a lot of the player-team fits from this draft class. But for as much as we can question some team approaches, the top-end of the draft — with various potential stars — makes it seem like greatness is their destiny.
From a Detroit homer to a receiver who shares the same last name as his quarterback, here’s a rundown of some of the new rookies I expect to make an immediate impact during the 2022 season.
Breaking down what Boston College guard Zion Johnson brings to the Los Angeles Chargers as the No. 17 overall pick in he 2022 NFL draft
The Los Angeles Chargers only had a few holes to fill in this draft, and one of them was along the offensive line. They address that with their first pick, and select one of the most impressive and versatile blockers in the draft in Boston College’s Zion Johnson.
Johnson has experience at both tackle, guard, and showed the ability to play center at the Senior Bowl. He has a great lower base, excellent technique, and next level athleticism to start right away for the Chargers. His length and overall build is ideal for him to play guard, but he can also play right tackle at the NFL level.
He should have no problem immediately filling in at right guard or tackle for the Chargers, and they will have a second consecutive first-round pick protecting Justin Herbert for the foreseeable future.
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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.
Laying out the positions that the Los Angeles Chargers still need to address following their selection of Zion Johnson.
After adding Zion Johnson in the first round, the Chargers have filled their hole at guard.
But the show must still go on.
Here’s a look at Los Angeles’ biggest remaining positional needs on the roster entering Friday’s session.
Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley both said on Thursday night that Johnson was drafted to be the team’s starter at right guard. Matt Feiler was also listed as being in the plans at left guard, which leaves the question of right tackle lingering. The Chargers seem to be comfortable with the thought of Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton battling it out for the starting job, but The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has L.A. selecting Washington State’s Abraham Lucas with the 79th selection. Other possible options in the draft include Louisiana’s Max Mitchell, Ohio State’s Nicholas Petit-Frere, or Penn State’s Rasheed Walker.
Staley’s defense places a huge amount of responsibility on the cornerback position, part of the reason why Washington’s Trent McDuffie seemed like a logical fit at 17th overall if Johnson was off the board. With JC Jackson and Asante Samuel Jr., the Chargers have two building blocks at corner, but the team seems to have lost some of the optimism about Michael Davis that resulted in his 3 year, $25.2 million extension prior to the 2021 season. A drafted corner could come in the form of a slot only type, with plans to keep Samuel on the outside, or it could be a lengthy outside corner, with Samuel kicking inside to the slot. Some options to keep an eye on during Day 2 include Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt, Sam Houston State’s Zyon McCollum, Pitt’s Damarri Mathis, and Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant.
This is the direction I had the Chargers going in my final 7 round mock draft on Thursday morning. Depth behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack is questionable right now after LA chose not to retain Kyler Fackrell or Uchenna Nwosu. Chris Rumph II was a fourth round pick a season ago, but he’d need to make a big leap to fill those shoes. Luckily for the Chargers, this draft class is stacked with EDGE talent from top to bottom. Every player I ranked from 6-10 in my EDGE rankings on Wednesday is still on the board, but I wouldn’t be holding my breath for any of them to fall to LA at 79. Focus on names like DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky), Dominique Robinson (Miami (OH)), Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati), and Amare Barno (Virginia Tech).
Josh Palmer made strides as a rookie, and there’s no reason to believe he’s not in LA’s long-term plans. But the Chargers still lack a burner who has the speed to get under Justin Herbert’s moonshots downfield. The most likely options on the roster currently are Jalen Guyton and return specialist DeAndre Carter, neither of whom should prevent Los Angeles from targeting the right receiver on Day 2. I’ll be watching the closest for Calvin Austin III (Memphis) or Danny Gray (SMU), but if neither of them makes it to 79, I like Tyquan Thornton (Baylor) or Isaiah Weston (Northern Iowa) a bit later in the draft.
Perhaps Chargers fans can be saved from the curse of yet another Day 3 RB draft pick if LA opts to turn to the position on Friday night instead. Austin Ekeler is a showstopper in the backfield, of course, but young guys like Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III have struggled to gain their footing behind him. With every running back still on the board entering Day 2, the Chargers could find themselves in a valuable position to take their pick of some of the best available. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper listed Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller and BYU’s Tyler Allgeier as prime targets at 79. I’d add Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III, on the off chance that he slips down the board, as well as players worth later looks like Georgia’s Zamir White or Michigan’s Hassan Haskins.
Find out how national experts and analysts felt about the Los Angeles Chargers’ first night of the draft.
The Chargers bolstered their offensive line with the pick of former Boston College guard Zion Johnson with the No. 17 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
I gave Tom Telesco and company an ‘A’ for the pick because he made it a priority to maximize the offense, which will keep Justin Herbert upright and create consistent holes for Austin Ekeler in the running game.
How did the national experts and analysts feel about Los Angeles’ first night of the draft? Here is a look at their grades for the selection of Johnson.
“Leading up to the draft, I thought Johnson would be a good fit for the Chargers because he fills a big hole at right guard. I’ve graded him as a first-round pick for quite a while because he’s smart, hard-working, experienced, and does not give ground to any defensive lineman. He’s a 10-year starter with Pro Bowl potential. The Bolts may still look to add a right tackle, but the team can find value at that spot later in the draft.”
Grade: A
“The coaching staff can immediately insert the rookie into the left guard spot and bump Matt Feiler to right tackle, where he’s previously experienced success as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Or, Johnson can play right guard and solidify the interior, though right tackle would remain a problem area. Either way, the Chargers are now much stronger along the interior because Johnson looks like a future 10-year starter.”
Grade: A
“This is a fascinating pairing, one we didn’t see coming. Johnson was a tackle and guard at BC, but most NFL scouts believed his best spot in the pros was inside, at either guard or center. But the Chargers’ biggest OL vacancy is at right tackle. Hmm. We’ll reserve judgment on the positional fit and laud Johnson: a smart, savvy, competitive, and high-character blocker. Justin Herbert’s O-line got better, but now we wait to hear where Johnson lines up.”
Grade: B-
“The Chargers hit with last year’s first-round pick (Rashawn Slater) and continue to boost their protection for Justin Herbert with Johnson. Johnson is smart and polished, plays under control and with good balance. Including his two seasons at Davidson, Johnson has double-digit starts at three different positions—left guard, right tackle and left tackle—and took reps at center during Senior Bowl week. While he can handle a spot start at tackle if necessary, he’s ideally suited to the play guard for the Chargers.”
Grade: B
“This is a quality pick for the Chargers, who will now put Johnson at right guard and move 2021 starter, Matt Feiler, to right tackle (where he ranked fifth in pass-block grade back in 2019). As lead draft analyst Mike Renner highlighted in the 2022 PFF Draft Guide, there are a few cons to his game. He’s a polished and stout performer with standout production. Johnson earned an 80.0-plus grade as both a pass- and run-blocker last season, recording just one penalty en route to an honorable mention PFF All-American honors. He then proceeded to light up the Senior Bowl as he didn’t lose a single pass-blocking rep during Senior Bowl week.”
Grade: Good
“The Chargers’ offseason has been about trying to make a Super Bowl run with Justin Herbert. After they got their left tackle rock in Rashawn Slater in last year’s first-round, they get the ideal player to upgrade the right side, either inside or outside. Johnson does a little bit of everything well with his all-around skill set, featuring his natural agility and power.”
Grade: A
“A year ago, the Chargers hit a home run with Rashawn Slater. L.A. might have duplicated that selection with the burly Johnson, whose girth, power and intangibles made him one of the safer prospects in this draft. Whether at guard or center — Johnson can play both — the Chargers got tougher up front and accomplished their No. 1 goal of protecting the investment in Justin Herbert.”
Grade: A
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted much-needed help for Justin Herbert with offensive guard Zion Johnson out of Boston College.
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Justin Herbert has been sacked 63 times.
That’s all you need to know as to why the Los Angeles Chargers used their first round pick on an offensive lineman for the second-straight season.
With the 17th overall pick of the NFL draft, the Chargers selected 6-foot-3, 314-pounder Zion Johnson out of Boston College. Last year, LA selected LT Rashawn Slater with the No. 13 overall pick. The selections are smart if the Chargers want to make sure their quarterback can walk in the coming years.
Herbert is the face of the Chargers franchise and they value him, as they should, with the pick of Johnson. The big offensive guard was a first-team All-American and played three years with the Eagles after a short time in junior college.
NFL.com describes Johnson like this:
The phrase “phone booth guard” was made for Johnson thanks to his wide, girthy frame and immense playing power. Johnson has experience at tackle, but he’s clearly an interior blocker on the next level. He has knock-back pop at the point of attack with the ability to win the block in a test of strength. In space, his limitations become obvious. He’ll need to fit into the right scheme that takes advantage of what he does well and diminishes the athletic limitations. He has a ceiling of starting guard in the NFL, but his ability to deal with the athleticism of NFL defensive linemen on all three downs is a concern both as a run blocker and in pass protection.
Looking at the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line depth chart following the addition of Zion Johnson.
The Chargers drafted offensive lineman Zion Johnson with the No. 17 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft.
Here is what Los Angeles’ offensive line depth chart will look like following the addition of Johnson.
| Position | Starter | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| LT | Rashawn Slater | |||
| LG | Matt Feiler | Brenden Jaimes | Ryan Hunter | |
| C | Corey Linsley | Will Clapp | ||
| RG | Zion Johnson | |||
| RT | Trey Pipkins | Storm Norton | Foster Sarell |
From Tom Telesco’s presser, the plan is to start Johnson at right guard and keep Matt Feiler at left guard rather than moving him to right tackle.
Brandon Staley said they will still evaluate the offensive line throughout the remainder and after the draft. But Telesco said they’re comfortable with Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton.
Brandon Staley sounds off on the newest member of the Los Angeles Chargers, Zion Johnson.
Head coach Brandon Staley took to the podium to give fans some insight on new Charger Zion Johnson.
“We’re really looking for power players on offense, particularly inside”
Staley emphasized Johnson’s journey from non-scholarship Davidson, where he started as a 255-pound tight end, to Boston College, where he ended his career as a 320-pound guard. With 10 ⅝” hands, 34” arms, and 32 reps of 225 lbs on the bench press, Johnson stood out to the Bolts as a “really strong player”, per Staley. Staley also expressed optimism about the power of the interior offensive line, citing Matt Feiler and Corey Linsley as the other two parts of a “really impressive trio”.
“If we hadn’t taken Zion Johnson, it was gonna happen shortly after us”
Staley let us in on the Chargers’ thought process, which was that they felt as though Johnson was coming off the board sooner rather than later. He called it “rare” that an interior lineman is thought of as highly as Johnson. Staley also said that while the Chargers were obviously focused on acquiring the best player at 17, their focus was on the offensive line. Instead of reaching for a tackle, the Bolts chose to stick to their guns and take Johnson, who Staley described multiple times as a “complete football player”.
“He was the top player on our board at 17”
Staley described the decision to pick Johnson as “unanimous”, as he was the highest-rated player left on the Chargers board as they came on the clock by both the scouting and coaching staffs. He mentioned Johnson’s exploits at the Senior Bowl, where the former Eagle excelled at both guard and center, and in Boston, where the pro-style system exposed the Chargers staff to “things that translate to the NFL level”. Staley also let everyone know that Johnson “aced” the interview process in addition to being an on-field standout.
Takeaways
Chargers fans should be thrilled to have Johnson in the building. The former computer science major has shown the smarts, toughness, and well-rounded game worthy of a first-round pick and day one starter in Los Angeles. It’s interesting that his spot will seemingly be at right guard, which remained open until today since the Chargers hadn’t brought back Oday Aboushi, who missed part of the season with a torn ACL. The fact that Staley emphasized Feiler as a cornerstone of the interior trio means that Trey Pipkins or a later draft pick could be the Week 1 starting right tackle.
It can be hard for fans to get excited about offensive line picks this high in the draft, and understandably so. But with how glowingly Staley talked about Johnson in Thursday’s presser, it’s hard not to be excited about his potential as a Charger. With Rashawn Slater firmly entrenched on the left side and Feiler, Linsley, and Johnson making up the interior, LA has four high-caliber offensive linemen to protect Justin Herbert and open lanes for Austin Ekeler in 2022.
