Hey all. Lot going on in the world with the news on Bin Laden, all the crazy killing weather everywhere, and the endless political madness facing our country. Is there a place in all of this twitter, facebook, multi-media buzz for the ANALYSIS? There must be. The diversion the ANALYSIS provides is important. We must always remember that.
Across the world, this last week, there were two other events that captured the imagination of the common folk. One was the glamour, pomp, and circumstance that the Royal Wedding provided….the other was the Male Fashion and Beauty Pageant known as the NFL Draft. Spread over three days…men in suits talking about big massive men in suits was prime time fare. Must see TV indeed. As expected, the ANALYSIS provided a pre-draft breakdown of the areas of need for the Chargers. As you all know, the Chargers had 5 picks in the first 3 rounds. As such, the ANALYSIS provided a BIG-5 of needs, listed below as headings. Let’s see how we did.
Pass Rushing Linebacker/End: A defensive end was taken with the first pick, although not exactly the type of end expected. Corey Liuget is a big 300 pounder with quick feet who will hold up guys inside, develop inside pressure and help out the running defense. A good pick in my opinion…just about all the prognosticators had him as a high value. No real question marks, no character problems, just a tough player. Plus, the dominant pass rushing types were off the board so this was a safe pick and one that should really help our D Line.
Slot Cornerback/Safety: the ANALYSIS strikes it correctly again, with the second and fifth overall picks dedicated to this important position. Marcus Gilchrist (Clemson) and Shareece Wright (USC) join the team. Versatile, athletic, and smart….Gilchrist is a very good pick to help our 3rd down defense and step up on tight ends and 3rd receivers. Should really help out our tackling and versatility. Wright is more of a project, but a kid that offers good value and depth to back up Jammer and Cason on the outside.
Wide Receiver: A nice pick in the 3rd round to fill this need in Vincent Brown out of San Diego State. Kind of a homer pick..but a guy who just flat makes plays. He was slated to go around the 3rd round and he did. Does not have burner speed or crazy moves…but just gets open and catches the ball. Provides depth and maybe more if Floyd turns out to be gone. This guy is my choice to turn heads early.
Inside Linebacker: Maybe the surprise pick was taking Jonas Mouton out of Michigan in the second round to fill this need. My brother’s new favorite player, he was much lower on most of the “experts” draft boards…expected to go in the 5th round or so. Also, he was listed as an outside linebacker and he won’t play that for the Chargers so go figure. This guy is basically a young Stephen Cooper clone. Smart, reliable, good tackler, played at a high level for years in college, a leader. Does not have the speed and highlight reel stuff many fans wanted…but seems very solid. I liked AJ’s line when asked about him: Reporter: Mouton was a 5th or 6th round “grade” and you took him in the 2nd round! Why?”…AJ: “Why didn’t somebody tell me that!?”. Translation: Kiss my ass..we like the kid a lot.
Offensive Tackle: In the 6th round, they addressed this need, taking Steven Schilling. Another Michigan guy, he is versatile and is penciled in to push Jeromey Clary at Right Tackle. But, he can slot in at guard too. Played at a high level for years in a top system, is a leader, and hard worker. Seems like another smart pick.
I followed up my BIG 5 by saying…”The remaining picks should be used for Special Teams depth, backup running back maybe, and at some point gotta start getting a QB ready to step in when Volek enters the Assisted Living Facility”. They did two out of these three, grabbing Connecticut Running Back Jordan Todman (ACC player of the year) in the 6th round and Missouri special teams standout Andrew Gachkar in the 7th round. NO QB…but that is OK…long live Volek!
So, the first thing you notice is that the ANALYSIS nailed it. The second thing you notice, is that the Chargers’ needs were very clear. The needed defensive depth…the needed a Special Teams makeover, and they needed smart guys who are leaders and who played in big games against good competition. Like all drafts, you won’t know the impact for a couple of years, but it sure seems like we got some ballplayers who will fill key needs. If there is one worry on my part it is the fact that we did not add an outside pass rusher at any level. Going into the season, it seems we will rely on Shawn Phillips, Larry English, Antwan Barnes, and Antuan Applewhite. If all are healthy…maybe a good rotation. But, that is a big IF. The other question is who will be our defensive leader with all these new guys coming in…Jammer, Bob Sanders, Garay. Somebody has to step up.
In terms of what the picks mean to our existing team, it would see that the players chosen would spell the end of Cooper’s time in San Diego and Sproles’ time. We chose three players who have returned kicks (Gilchrist, Brown, and Todman) and two inside linebackers (in addition to Donald Butler who was chosen last year but hurt.
For all teams, the labor unrest and strike situation is creating a brave new world. Hopefully, if and when they ever get into camp, we have a few more guys that can get us to that next level.
Hope springs eternal.
