2022 Official Bolts Draft Superthread

[SK21209]

If we do take Zion Johnson at 17, do we think that automatically means Feiler is moving to RT? I'm very hesitant to break up the left sign of the line knowing how great they played last season. Part of me would want Feiler to stay at LG, have Zion play RG and have Pipkins/a tackle taken at 79 play RT. If Zion looks good right away, that might be the better move IMO.

[SYB]

First, I seriously doubt that Staley wants 6 WRs on the roster given that he stuck with 5 WRs last year even though one was a return man only. He does not seem to be inclined to carry 6 WRs, so this entire discussion of Jameson Williams seems pointless unless Staley departs from his previous course of action.

I have faith in Telesco and Staley that they will not do the single stupidest thing they could do today in terms of positional choice selected. This is especially after re-signing Mike Williams, having just drafted Palmer last year, tendering Guyton and signing Carter. I think there is a very good chance we are done at WR right now, barring perhaps a late round flier on a speed guy.

Further, last year, with a few minor exceptions that had mostly to do with injury and illness, we only had 4 WRs that had any kind of offensive impact in terms of number of targets and receptions. They were Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton and Joshua Palmer. This year, we did not bring back a return only player in Roberts, deliberately choosing to sign someone that could also serve as a WR in addition to return duties. Carter had over 40 targets last year for WAS. Allen and Williams are going to get their nearly 300 targets, so now we would be looking at sharing just under 100 targets among 4 WRs if we were to draft Jameson Williams based upon last year's pass distribution.

And you are kidding yourself if you think Jameson Williams will have the recovery and reps in to be ready to go by the time the season begins. He will be behind. His impact will also be limited because we have depth at WR. You are delusional if you think Palmer and Guyton, much less Palmer, Guyton and Carter, would simply be frozen out of the offense because Williams joined the team.

Ekeler and Everett are going to get a bunch of targets as well. Parham and McKitty will likely see their number of targets go up as well as they are ascending players. There is only one ball.

All of this will tend to minimize Jameson Williams' impact, especially as a rookie, if we select him. Then, there is the injury risk issue given his recent injury history plus his slight build. There is the depth at WR in this draft as well, so there no need to select an injured WR in the first round. Good WR draft candidates have been plentiful in recent drafts and that trend is likely to continue when it comes time to move on from Allen in a few years.

Finally, I am not sure how you can dispute that a lesser record of college success is a less favorable trait than a lengthier, multiple season record of success. That point seems obvious and incapable of being reasonably disputed, but you go right ahead if it makes you feel better.

I think this is enough time wasted discussing arguably the stupidest selection we could possibly make and that we will not be making today in the likely event that Telesco and Staley are not clueless.

1st bolded: You're practicing some serious willful ignorance if you think that Williams wouldn't make Guyton completely obsolete and a definite cut candidate. Guyton's singualr skill is running fast in a straight line. That is it. Shit, there's a good chance that even if the team didn't draft a WR, he could be gone. He's the epitome of a bubble player.

2nd bolded: The time to move on from Keenan could very well be after 2022, with how his contract is set up they could save almost $15mil. After investing $20+ mil per year in Williams, I can't imagine they want to pay 2 guys that much, especially when Allen is in decline. So why would you not take the best WR talent in the draft, if he were available? Seems like really poor roster management to me. Especially when you consider that WR's have become 2nd behind only QB's in avg salary of the top players.

[Leslie Grossman]

If Staley only uses one LB would make sense. Nice pairing (dual) with Derwin James.

Love Lloyd but just can't pick him unless I have a deal in place for Murray or Tranquill. Would be too much capital invested at LB, especially with zero depth anywhere on D
Now watch him replace Hightower in NE and thrive....sigh
Still thinking trade down pick up a 3rd and still get one of the OL or DBs in our cluster (McDuffie/Elam/Hill/Gordon/Zion/Green/Pennington)
Make the Steelers cough up a 3rd or the team willing to jump in front of them for a QB brings a 3rd +4th or 5th
Packers might do it for Olave or London.
Jerry Jones might want to trade up? I wouldn't with all their new holes.

[La Costa Boy]

So I don't know if it's good karma or not. I just went to a new oil change place here in the outer burbs of Atlanta and one of the guys was wearing a San Diego Chargers hoodie. Siting one in these parts are rare indeed, so it was a complete surprise. He wasn't too much of a fan, but it was cool to see an old school San Diego logo.

Off for my pre-draft nap as the first round will run into the 1am time frame here.

Let's go TOM!!!!

I don't recollect Guyton taking a short pass and beating defenders with the angle around corners: a thing Jameson Williams does often.
In fact, i don't recollect Guyton taking a short pass and going anywhere with it.

Since the 3rd receiver is basically a starter on the Chargers,
what you are effectively saying is that if the Chargers select Wiliams at #17, and Williams is healthy, the Chargers are going to continue to trot Guyton out there
because he had more than 40 targets.

You must have been laughing hysterically when typing that one out.

Would anyone not expect Williams to have a spectacular season again if he returned to Alabama?.....certainly not you, since he's 'proven it' already with that qb & system.
As for his failure to catch on with Ohio State, i'm glad that remark has lost steam with you, since moving on and 'proving it' is suddenly a useful notion again.

So, the only valid argument you have left against him is the injury and there existing other priorities for the Chargers that are more pressing....fair enough!

First, I seriously doubt that Staley wants 6 WRs on the roster given that he stuck with 5 WRs last year even though one was a return man only. He does not seem to be inclined to carry 6 WRs, so this entire discussion of Jameson Williams seems pointless unless Staley departs from his previous course of action.

I have faith in Telesco and Staley that they will not do the single stupidest thing they could do today in terms of positional choice selected. This is especially after re-signing Mike Williams, having just drafted Palmer last year, tendering Guyton and signing Carter. I think there is a very good chance we are done at WR right now, barring perhaps a late round flier on a speed guy.

Further, last year, with a few minor exceptions that had mostly to do with injury and illness, we only had 4 WRs that had any kind of offensive impact in terms of number of targets and receptions. They were Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton and Joshua Palmer. This year, we did not bring back a return only player in Roberts, deliberately choosing to sign someone that could also serve as a WR in addition to return duties. Carter had over 40 targets last year for WAS. Allen and Williams are going to get their nearly 300 targets, so now we would be looking at sharing just under 100 targets among 4 WRs if we were to draft Jameson Williams based upon last year's pass distribution.

And you are kidding yourself if you think Jameson Williams will have the recovery and reps in to be ready to go by the time the season begins. He will be behind. His impact will also be limited because we have depth at WR. You are delusional if you think Palmer and Guyton, much less Palmer, Guyton and Carter, would simply be frozen out of the offense because Williams joined the team.

Ekeler and Everett are going to get a bunch of targets as well. Parham and McKitty will likely see their number of targets go up as well as they are ascending players. There is only one ball.

All of this will tend to minimize Jameson Williams' impact, especially as a rookie, if we select him. Then, there is the injury risk issue given his recent injury history plus his slight build. There is the depth at WR in this draft as well, so there no need to select an injured WR in the first round. Good WR draft candidates have been plentiful in recent drafts and that trend is likely to continue when it comes time to move on from Allen in a few years.

Finally, I am not sure how you can dispute that a lesser record of college success is a less favorable trait than a lengthier, multiple season record of success. That point seems obvious and incapable of being reasonably disputed, but you go right ahead if it makes you feel better.

I think this is enough time wasted discussing arguably the stupidest selection we could possibly make and that we will not be making today in the likely event that Telesco and Staley are not clueless.

[Xenos]

Brugler’s final mock.

https://theathletic.com/3277596/2022/04/28/final-nfl-mock-draft-dane-brugler/

Of course I want to get every pick correct in this final mock draft, especially because I currently have a pretty decent three-year rungoing. However, I’d also be okay going 0-for-32 in my final mock because that means it was a wild and unpredictable first round.

And there is a strong chance that is what we get Thursday night with the 2022 NFL Draft.

This mock draft isn’t based on my opinion of players from The Beast or what I think teams should do. This projection is based solely on what I hear and what other teams think might happen.

Let the chaos commence.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College


Wide receiver, right tackle and cornerback are the most mocked positions to the Chargers, but don’t count out Johnson, who is a plug-and-play interior blocker.

[TexanBeerlover]

Surprise pick for the Bolts. Better probability than I thought.

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If Staley only uses one LB would make sense. Nice pairing (dual) with Derwin James.

[Formula 21]

Surprise pick for the Bolts. Better probability than I thought.

B25F5FB1-2519-476E-A039-306A8DF4FF1C.png

[powderblueboy]

I think Penning and Davis will be gone between 12 and 16th.

Yeah, pick #12 sounds about right for Davis, based on previous drafts.

Penning is a bit of a wild card.....could go in the top 15, could drop to the bottom of the first.

Mannyweather is being paid to talk Penning up...so doubt it influences any GMs action.

[electricgold]

If Davis is the pick then Bosa and Mack’s defensive MVP odds go up. Imagine Davis driving the center and guard 3-4 yards into the backfield, creating wider angles off the edge.

Not to mention clogging running lanes and creating space (vision) for LBs to read and react. Average depth of tackle #s will improve drastically.

I’m okay with so many players in this draft:
Davis, McDuffie, Dax, Jamo, Zion, Olave.

Just gotta a weird, sickly feeling about Penning.
I don’t like it, but I’ll swallow it if he’s our guy.

Looking forward to the chaos and/or jubilation.

IF the Chargers draft Jordan Davis I think it could be a great pick and good fit for what we need and for sure needed last year. Stop the run! Davis in Los Angeles makes sense.

[Xenos]

Popper’s final mock!

Say it with me. Last one for the year …

TO THE MOCK!

Round 1, Pick 17: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
I overthought my Mock 4.0 last year. I felt like an offensive tackle was going to be the pick — the need was just so glaring on Justin Herbert’s blindside — but I leaned into my pessimistic tendencies. I did not think Rashawn Slater was going to fall, so I mocked Christian Darrisaw. And I have been living with regret for the past 12 months.

No overthinking this time. The theme of the day is optimism. A player is going to fall to the Chargers at 17. And I am going with McDuffie.

The Chargers’ need at cornerback is more significant than most are anticipating. Their depth was an absolute mess last season, and it led to atrocious defense on third-and-longs in the second half of the season. Despite the J.C. Jackson signing, they still are not deep. Michael Davis is the third corner and in line for a large share of snaps in nickel packages. He struggled with the scheme change last season. Tevaughn Campbell is the fourth corner. He struggled even more than Davis.

Upgrading the defense has been the priority all offseason long, and I think that continues Thursday night. McDuffie could fall because he is undersized, but he has everything Brandon Staley is looking for in a corner — high football IQ, competitive, tough, excellent technique and fundamentals, sharp instincts, inside-outside flexibility, scheme versatility and is a willing tackler in run defense. With McDuffie on the roster, he can compete with Davis for that CB3 spot, and the Chargers would have enough depth to weather injuries.

I still think the top four tackles will be gone, but McDuffie might fall through the cracks. I love his fit. Now you can scroll to the comment section and yell at me for not taking a receiver.


Round 3, Pick 79: Cole Strange, IOL, Chattanooga
If the Chargers do not address their offensive line need in the first round, they pretty much have to do it at this spot. Strange was a standout at the Senior Bowl, where he lined up at both center and guard. I think he would be a Day 1 starter for the Chargers at left guard, where he started 42 games in college. Strange has size and athleticism. His testing numbers and measurables aligned closely with those of elite guards Joe Thuney and Ali Marpet, according to MockDraftable. And as The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in his draft guide, Strange has “outstanding football character.”


Round 4, Pick 123: Danny Gray, WR, SMU
If you yelled at me for not taking a receiver in Round 1, now you can apologize. I mocked Gray at this spot in my Mock 3.0, and I am sticking with it. The fit just makes too much sense if the Chargers do pass on a speed receiver in the first round. Gray has the deep-field speed the Chargers are looking for. He ran a 4.33 40 at the combine and posted the fastest GPS speed of any player at the Senior Bowl. But, as Brugler wrote in his draft guide, Gray produced in all three levels of the field in his time at SMU and is “not a one-trick pony.”


Round 5, Pick 160: Tyreke Smith, edge rusher, Ohio State
I wanted to take an edge rusher earlier in this draft, but I just could not find the right value considering the Chargers’ other needs. Smith has tremendous athleticism and showed great bend off the edge at times, like on the strip-sack he had against Penn State last season. He does have some injury concerns, and that means he could be available in the fifth round. Smith would be a great fit as a stand-up edge rusher in Staley’s defensive scheme.


Round 6, Pick 195: Thomas Booker, DL, Stanford
Booker is highly intelligent and graduated from Stanford with a 3.88 GPA, double majoring in economics and communications. According to Brugler, he has “a dense, athletic frame” and “flashes an explosive, upward punch to jolt blockers off balance and reset the line of scrimmage.” Booker also “flashes a closing burst down the line in the run game.” He fills a need as a rotational defensive lineman. And general manager Tom Telesco generally likes to target high-character players at this point in the draft. Booker, a two-time team captain for the Cardinal, fits that mold.


Round 6, Pick 214: Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
I mocked Ford to the Chargers at No. 195 in my Mock 3.0, and I still like this pick. Ford had a hugely productive 2021 season at Cincinnati. He has strength, size, speed and receiving ability. If the Chargers add him, I think he would take over the RB2 role behind Austin Ekeler.


Round 7, Pick 236: Zakoby McClain, LB, Auburn
McClain is undersized at 5-foot-11, 227 pounds, but he played 480 special teams snaps in his time at Auburn and racked up 209 tackles over his final two college seasons. That is impressive production in the SEC. And he was reliable in coverage. McClain “competes with the old-school mentality that coaches will embrace,” according to Brugler, and former Auburn LB coach Travis Williams said McClain will “fight a chainsaw.” He would compete with Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga for a spot on the linebacker depth chart.


Round 7, Pick 254: Quentin Lake, S, UCLA
Lake appeared in my Mock 2.0 (at No. 214) and I like his combination of length, speed and intelligence. He last played special teams as a freshman, but he played well on those units. The Chargers need depth at deep-field safety behind Nasir Adderley, as Alohi Gilman and Mark Webb are better when positioned closer to the line of scrimmage.


Round 7, Pick 255: Obinna Eze, OT, TCU
The seventh round is often about betting on traits. Eze is over 6-foot-6, 321 pounds and has 36-inch arms. Worth a flyer.


Round 7, Pick 260: Darrell Baker, CB, Georgia Southern
Another traits flyer for the Chargers. Baker is over 6-foot and ran a 4.41 at his pro day. Brugler writes that Baker projects best as a “press-man corner and special teamer.” I mocked him to the Chargers in my Mock 3.0.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

I think so too, we might be looking at a trade up
not ideal but if the guy works out, it's worth it

I know it's not realistic, but I wish Jerry Tillery could be the price paid for moving up, rather than giving up draft capitol.