Chargers News: Grading The Chargers 2016 NFL Draft
It is always a tough task to grade a draft right after the picks have been made. We still have not seen what these players can do at the professional level. As difficult as it might seem, and as wrong as I might be, let’s have some fun and grade the Chargers 2016 draft class.
Many people (myself included) were expecting that GM Tom Telesco would choose between FSU defensive back Jalen Ramsey, who many felt was the best player on the board, or one of the two OT’s. Instead the Chargers GM ended up selecting DE Joey Bosa from Ohio State.
Bosa is a very good prospect, he has the size at 6′ 5″ and 270 lbs to be a top-notch defensive end in the NFL. What bothers me with this pick is the fact that I just don’t see the scheme fit. The Chargers play defense in the 3-4 scheme and you would think that the Bolts envision Bosa as a pass rushing OLB. Bosa has a great work ethic and a terrific motor so it’s a safe assumption that he’s gonna work hard at becoming an OLB. The problem is that he’s not the most athletic player, he “only” ran a 4.7 40-yard dash at the combine.
In round two the chargers selected their TE of the future in Arkansas’ Hunter Henry. In the eyes of many scouts, Henry was the best TE in the entire draft and I happen to agree. When you look at the tape it’s obvious that he is a very good red zone threat. After last seasons struggles inside the opponents 20, it’s safe to say that the Chargers needed a big target for Philip Rivers.
With their 3rd round pick Telesco decided to address what many consider the teams biggest need… THE OFFENSIVE LINE!!!! Help arrives at the center position and the player that Telesco selected is USC lineman Max Tuerk. The big center was the best pulling center in the draft and he’s a very smart player, which is a very good thing for a center. The only issue that Tuerk has is that he played at 280-290 lbs so he will need to put on some weight.
In round four San Diego got a great value pick in Ohio State´ILB Josh Perry. The smart LB got lost in Ohio State’s all-star defense, but he has the speed to eventually challenge for a starting spot. In rounds five through seven, Telesco added Akron LB Jatavis Brown, P Drew Kaser, FB Derek Watt and OG Donavon Clark. These players will have to earn their spot on special teams. Obviously Kaser is the odds on favorite to be the starting punter this season. The other players will need to have a productive training camp and pre season.
Overall the chargers had a good draft, but the real grade of this draft rides on if Bosa becomes a Superstar.
Grade: B
I am a lawyer that loves everything San Diego!