2023 Official Charger Draft - Post Draft Discussion (Daily Links In OP)

[Lone Bolt]

You mention one of the top guys without addressing what he wrote, after the too 4-5 guys there’s not that nice grouping of guys in the 2nd and 3rd rounds like we’ve grown accustomed too in the last 4-5 years…and certainly not speed guys, I’m not impressed with this crop of WRs after the top guys are gone, so maybe if we land one of those guys in round one but then nothing worth drafting until day three, at least that’s my early impression, things will probably change as the process rolls on…

I didn't mention anyone....this is my opinion. Who wrote what? Do you mean who I quoted?

Q Johnston, Addison, Hyatt, Downs, Flowers, Smith Njigba, Rice, Boutte, Mims, Washington, Jarrett, Hutchinson, Dell....all worth day 1-2 pick....just my opinion, but alot more than 4-5 guys...

Honestly, I am just arguing for the sake of integrity...if we don't select a single WR in this draft, fine by me...I just think there is a lot of quality thru round 3 that could really benefit the Bolts...and am a much bigger fan, after watching a bunch of film, of this years WR class, than most....obviously.

[Lone Bolt]

Ah man! That center from minnesota (smitz?) wow that kid is something! Most impressive interior lineman I’ve seen at the senior bowl practices…kids a game changer inside, I don’t think he’s lost a single rep all week, talk about dominant, perfect pick up at 21 if you want to have someone that can fill in for linsley at a high level after linsley moves on and if he gets injured…also, I don’t see any reason he can’t play guard as well…

the only reason I mention shmitz is because you at #21 you are not going to have the opportunity to draft the very best at their respective position, maybe RB and C but getting the best guy at something is always a good idea IMO, the WR group has been underwhelming so far, to get the best interior lineman, with uncertainty of fieler’s return, salyers long term health, and linsey’s advanced age, I think you at least think about it, edge is so deep that the drop off from 21 to 54 in terms of the caliber of player you can get is way smaller than the drop off on Offensive line or wider reciever…

I’m not advocating that we go O-line again i round one but I like the idea of getting guys that are the best at their respective positions that are left on the board, schmitz is a fucking beast!

Schmitz and Avila were both awesome....both have C/G versatility....imagine Slater-Johnson-Linsley-Salyer-Pipkens. Schmitz or Avila would essentially back up every position on the line, while they are Linsleys understudy for a year...If either of the guards or Linsley goes down, they step in...if either OT goes down, Salyer kicks out, and the rook comes in...very effecient.

[Topcat]

It all depends on how the prior picks play out.

I would love to see a draft go something like this.

Rd 1. WR
2. Edge
3. WR
4. DL
5. LB/DL

6-7 Best CB/TE on the their big board.

No O-line? Need depth as injury insurance...

[Fouts2herbert]

Schmitz and Avila were both awesome....both have C/G versatility....imagine Slater-Johnson-Linsley-Salyer-Pipkens. Schmitz or Avila would essentially back up every position on the line, while they are Linsleys understudy for a year...If either of the guards or Linsley goes down, they step in...if either OT goes down, Salyer kicks out, and the rook comes in...very effecient.

That’s what I’m talking about, our OL still needs that quality depth, but it starts with re-signing pipkins, otherwise we are forced to draft a RT in the first two rounds, and the tackles look like they will need seasoning, even hype guy dawan jones has major technique issues despite his tremendous potential…

[Fouts2herbert]

No O-line? Need depth as injury insurance...

Folks like to go for the flashy stuff on draft day but teams that invest in the trenches play and win in the playoffs…

[Maniaque 6]

All depends on how the draft turns
If 7 DLs, 4 QBS, 5DBs and 3 OLs are picked before we draft
The best RB, TE or WR could be there at 21

[SuperCharged]

No O-line? Need depth as injury insurance...

No I think we can get a serviceable player to backfill the O line through free agency. We will have a top 10 O line next year.

[dmac_bolt]

Folks like to go for the flashy stuff on draft day but teams that invest in the trenches play and win in the playoffs…

KC’s last 3 #1 picks were a RB, CB and Edge
Eagles last 3 #1 picks were WR, WR, DT
Bengals last 3 #1 picks were QB, WR, DB
49ers last 3 #1 picks were DT, WR, QB

Each invested in trench 0 or 1 of last 3 times. It’s fallacy to assume the top teams always invest in the trench first. Top teams don’t devote EVERY #1 pick a trencher. Our last 2 #1 picks were trench, 3 of last 4 years (5 picks - the off year had 2 #1s - Herbie and K9, neither trench). TT has been investing in the trench, more than the final 4 teams this year. alas the 3rd (earliest) of those #1 was Tillery, just a bad pick as he didn’t properly understand what elite skills are needed for the next level for an interior DT - hopefully he does now. Tillery lacks the power needed for inside trench warfare, he has been easily removed from plays his entire career. Hence showing that over-obsession with trench to reach for a trencher is a bad approach.

My 64k foot macro view of the the Chargers is they need speed and skill. We have good WRs but not good for rapid slot separation, running away from DBs / LBs on crossing routes or top-tearing speed that keeps the safeties back extra deep - hence more pressure on the OL and more Herbie trying to thread needles into invisible gaps. We have a great 3rd down back but we use him as an every-down power back because we don’t have an elite power back. Our best TE is average in a league where elite offensive TEs display a difference (KC anyone?). Our 3rd TE is little more than an added blocker. Our skill players are good at what they are but there are glaring gaps in creating an explosive offense.

we avgd 23 ppg and gave up 22.6. Thats the 10-7 record. Increase scoring to 27 ppg and we’re 12-5 with the same defense (hopefully the key starters are not injured again and we improve on defense)

A great new C/G is a nice addition and we do need a backup, Clapp is awful. But spending #1 on a bench-sitting backup will not improve the 2023 team much. Are we writing off 2023 as a rebuild year? I think not - I’d draft a C/G high-ceiling development guy later in the draft and load up on elite skill players in early Rds - BPA in the cluster of RB, WR, TE and Edge unless they are glaringly over-draft mistakes. I think there will be elite skill players early to choose from - then build depth thru the rest of the draft.

[richpjr]

[beachcomber]

10. ATONIO MAFI, UCLA (RS SENIOR | 6-4, 339)

• 2022 Grade: 83.2
• Initial Round Projection: Day 3

Mafi is the wild card of this interior offensive line class. Before the pandemic, Mafi was starting games at nose tackle for the Bruins. He flipped sides of the ball in that 2020 season before splitting time at guard in 2021 and finally taking over as a starter this past fall. The UCLA guard finished with an 88.3 run-blocking grade in his lone full season in that starting role. While he’s still a massive work in progress with his hand usage, Mafi has the kind of people-moving skills that can excel on the interior. You won’t find a player on this list more physically equipped to handle the play strength of NFL defensive tackles.

[beachcomber]

if this is the case, going O'Cyrus all day long.... over Luke Van Ness, Jalin Hyatt, Brian Branch, Michael Mayer, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jaxon Smith Njigba, Drew Sanders, Quentin Johnston, Luke Musgrave, Zay Flowers, Bryan Bresee, Cody Mauch, Mazi Smith

off the board >> Bijan, Kincaid, Darnell Washington

my personal suspicion as to who will be on the board @21:

RB Jahmyr Gibbs * tempting, but not bpa, and prolly more of a need pick than not
WR Jaxon Smith Njigba * not better than the either of Garrett Wilson nor Chris Olave, played against CB3s when playing w/aforementioned, and an injury risk
WR Jalin Hyatt * best guy for what many on this board want, and again, not bpa, and undersized, perhaps more susceptible to injury risk
TE Michael Mayer * not bpa, not the receiving TE that we'd prolly be better suited for
OG O'Cyrus Torrence * peoples want to say good bye to Feiler, which leaves a gaping hole, 'specially if we are unable to resign Pipkins, and he's bpa
RT Dawand Jones * need pick that meets the eyeball test, but we have had better luck w/technicians on the line of late

NT Siaki Ika * if Keeanu Benton and Mazi Smith push this guy down to 53, would be very happy if that made him a Charger
DT Bryan Bresee * question mark in that he was prolly rocked/traumatized by his sister's passing, and he's an injury concern.... would do well/better in Seattle w/Pete Carroll
OLB Drew Sanders * forum fave that would fill a hole, but not bpa and not a holy roller first rounder @the position

[beachcomber]

will also add that this whole waterbug wideout/speed merchant receiver is a bit irksome, and not because our O wouldn't be better off w/one of 'em, it's just that wish we woulda made these decisions earlier on.

instead of diversifying our receiver ranks, we rolled a bunch of money into the position, after we already had a $20m man @the position, and knowing that they were both injury concerns, and that Williams had issues re: his separation, efficiency and availability. we also chose to part ways w/Tyron, for whatever reason and for better or worse, and chose not to replace him w/a similar talent/tool set. and when we did have Jalen Guyton @our disposal, he was basically an afterthought to our scheme/offense. we again passed on a talented wideout in Kadarius Toney when he became available, and so obviously a wideout that can take the top off a D/it to the house has not been a priority w/this admin.

so why now is it such a burning/pressing need ??

the NFL has a cap, so you can't just keep spending @one position 'til you get it right. you either get it right or you don't, and if you don't, you have to wait 'til you get monies back under the cap before you can retool.... unless you want to sack the rest of the roster for one position group.

the other thing that's irksome, is that we have just begun to ride this wave of getting better and getting into the playoffs, and now peoples want to jump ship and get back on the skill position pony.

we drafted MW instead of going for LT Ryan Ramczyk, and we signed Travis Benjamin instead of RT Bobby Massie, and.... am sure there have been other instances of similar ilk as well.

you can reach for a Zay Flowers or take your chances on a Jordan Addison, but you are mitigating a ton of risk by going for a rock solid lineman, and god only knows, our Oline is anything but set.

bottom line is that our FO has been off in their talent evals a time or coupla few too many, and we have more holes than we can fill.

do you take the candy and point to teams that have drafted skill position players, or do you build a defense and an offensive line first, and from the inside out ??

and granted if your RB, TE or WR is bpa, then ok, albeit if they're not.... don't see the merit in reaching to fill a need, much less a want.