2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Boltnut]

If four QBs go in the first four picks, I’ll believe Harbaugh passes on MHJ when I see it.

If three QB's go in the first three picks, I'll believe Cardinals pass on MHJ when I see it.

[dmac_bolt]

Odunze is described as the most complete. Runs every route, does everything well. More importantly, he has that Jerry Rice-level Will to Win. Absolutely no quit in the guy. Part of what I read into all this is: No prima donna in him at all.

I welcome other analysts and perspectives - my 2c:

Odunze is the best blocker, so they will naturally like that in a 55-45 offense. but he’s the least explosive as a route runner of the big 3, thats visible on tape. Our top 2 WRs are basic X types and nether has great short area twitch and burst to separate quickly in tight underneath areas. Slayer excelled at that due to his immaculate route precision and control, even though he wasn’t “fast” in the realm of speedsters.

X is primarily what Odunze is, though Odunze is likely better than both JP and Q. If coaches don’t believe in JP, Q or both, Odunze is an upgrade at X. If they do believe in them, they might want what they don’t have - a Y slot guy, which we have absolutely nobody at unless someone imagines Davis there. That is the position Nabers shredded the NCAA from.

Some have pointed this Y “limitation” out as a knock on Nabers. Depends on how one looks at it. Slayer made a nice career out of going in the slot frequently. The reason I wanted Flowers so much last year was he has the athletic skills to thrive in a Y role.

If you want to protect Herbie, having a receiver that can get open fast. That was TB’s secret for over a decade with Welker and then Edelman, a quick read and release and a couple quick ass receivers who could separate underneath consistently play after play.

[Boltnut]

Absolutely agree with the "wasted pick" comment. It was basically a counter to Critty. You can make that argument for any player in the first round. People fall in love with player and can get emotional. I've learned over the years not to get too emotional over a player when it comes to draft time. I just look at who "EYE" think would be good fit.

I wouldn't be disappointed at all if they stay @ #5 and took a WR. IMHO, Odunze would be the best pick of the 3 for the CHARGERS. I believe he would a very good compliment to QJ. Odunze would be MWs replacement. They way he goes up for contested balls reminds me of MW. Also, he would be a RZ nightmare.

Here is the thing about if they stay @ #5 and pick, they should take whoever they have #1 on their board regardless of who it is minus QB. I wouldn't worry too much about cap because it will work itself out in the end. In other words, if they would take a player at #11 then just take him at #5. The value will work itself out.

As long as you're OK with BPA being Joe Alt. Like you said, people fall in love with players... in this case, this board, has fallen in love with receivers. But Joe and Jim may have an OT as their BPA.

[wu-dai clan]

Does anyone think Hortiz indifferent or even more inclined about trading down with DEN or LVR, being that he is new to the rivalries ?

I personally think Joe would trade with anyone.

These AFCW rivals would be strong potential trade partners, and we could clean them out of top picks for years, in exchange for them getting the 4th QB in this draft.

Hmmm.

[dmac_bolt]

Does anyone think Hortiz indifferent or even more inclined about trading down with DEN or LVR, being that he is new to the rivalries ?

I personally think Joe would trade with anyone.

These AFCW rivals would be strong potential trade partners, and we could clean them out of top picks for years, in exchange for them getting the 4th QB in this draft.

Hmmm.

I’ve never understood this one-way street thought process. If we are getting the better of the deal, you’re sticking it directly to a rival. Why aren’t they both thinking the same thing about trading with Trader Joe, worried about helping the Chargers?

It depends on the traders who negotiate the trade, right? I like Joe’s odds against TT, for ex.

[Chargers8491]

As long as you're OK with BPA being Joe Alt. Like you said, people fall in love with players... in this case, this board, has fallen in love with receivers. But Joe and Jim may have an OT as their BPA.

I would be ok with it because I know they need to improve the o-line. The problem is I don't know what they think of the current o-line and I'm sure they are not sure until they get them in Aug 2. I'm guessing they are pretty happy w/ LT but RT might need improvement then I think they could find true RT later in the draft. I think #23 or #27 would be a good spot to pick up their future RT, IMHO.

[wu-dai clan]

I’ve never understood this one-way street thought process. If we are getting the better of the deal, you’re sticking it directly to a rival. Why aren’t they both thinking the same thing about trading with Trader Joe, worried about helping the Chargers?

It depends on the traders who negotiate the trade, right? I like Joe’s odds against TT, for ex.

If we are highly motivated to trade down, ie we want quantity and depth over quality, then we are half way there.

If Telesco really wants a young QB, then I believe Mark Davis would indeed sign off on this.

If it were the right trade proposal, I don't think Ozzie Newsome would even flinch.

[DerwinBosa]

LSU Pro Day

3) Can Malik Nabers vault Marvin Harrison Jr.? The QB debate has been hot for some time -- and now the battle for WR1 honors is seriously heating up.

For some time, public perception has held that Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top wideout in the 2024 draft class, but there are talent evaluators with NFL teams who believe Nabers deserves to be the first one picked.

Neither receiver worked out at the NFL Scouting Combine. But unlike Harrison, who opted not to work out at the Buckeyes' pro day, Nabers put on a show at his.

Nabers measured in at 6-foot 1/4 and 199 pounds, with 31 3/8-inch arms and 9 7/8- inch hands. Those figures are about what were expected. But his workout numbers jumped off the page. In the vertical jump, he registered 42 inches, which would have tied for fifth-best at the combine among all positions -- and it was just half an inch below the top mark in 2024. His broad jump of 10-foot-9 was less awe-inspiring, yet still would have been good for the sixth-best number when compared to combine jumps made by other receivers.

The 40-yard dash was where Nabers left his mark. He ran unofficial times of 4.35 and 4.40 seconds, which should solidify him as the elite athlete most suspected he was. Even still, Nabers thought he ran much faster on his first attempt than the number that scouts settled on.

4.28 fix it!!!!

— Malik (@whyguard13) March 27, 2024

Nabers had dinner with the Giants on Tuesday night, meeting with the Patriots, Titans, Jets and Jaguars earlier in the day, according to Wolfe. A likely top-10 pick, Nabers was also expected to meet with the Cardinals after his workout.

Could Nabers go before Harrison? It's possible. And if you ask Nabers, he believes that's the way it should be, as the self-proclaimed top receiver in the 2024 class.


"I'm always the one that I'll say I'm the best," Nabers told Wolfe after the workout. "We all got that chip on our shoulder that we're the best. The main thing I came out here [is] to set the record straight, that I'm the best.

"My coaches told me all year it was going to come down to this day to show what I was made of."

Nabers admitted he was antsy to showcase his remarkable skills in front of the NFL. He didn't need to be at LSU's team facility until 8 a.m. but told Wolfe he woke up at 5 and couldn't go back to sleep.

"I was ready to get out here. It was just that feeling that I had that I was going to do something special today," he said. "I let just my energy talk, my heart talk when I was out there on the field."

Everyone has known for months that Nabers is faster than Harrison and Odunze. I don't see how Nabers running a 4.35 changes anything.

[DerwinBosa]

Does anyone think Hortiz indifferent or even more inclined about trading down with DEN or LVR, being that he is new to the rivalries ?

I personally think Joe would trade with anyone.

These AFCW rivals would be strong potential trade partners, and we could clean them out of top picks for years, in exchange for them getting the 4th QB in this draft.

Hmmm.

I personally believe he'll laugh hysterically in triumph if the Broncos or Raiders trade to #5 so they could get J.J. McCarthy.

[Fleet 1]

NEWS AND NEAR NEWS

March 27, 2024 - 9:08 pm

Other pro day updates … While most of the football world was focused on the LSU pro day where top 5 prospects Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers were working out among others there were other pro day today. At Tennessee, QB Joe Milton ran what’s been reported as a sub-4.6 40 and then went out and reportedly threw the ball very well including several 75-80 yard bombs that for the most part were right on the hands in stride. TE McCallan Castles, who was a somewhat surprising combine snub, also had a strong day posting a 4.66 40 time that would have been middle of the pack at the combine, but also had a very athletic 37.5 vertical, a 10-6 LJ and a 4.31 shuttle time, each of which would have been top 5 at the position in Indianapolis. On the other hand, CB Kamal Hadden had to be a little disappointed in his day, other than the fact that he was able to work out as he has been coming back from mid-season shoulder surgery that ended what had been up until that point a very good season. Hadden was only able to run in the 4.55 range at the Vols pro, while posting a pedestrian 34.5-inch vertical. At Mississippi, WR Dayton Wade, another combine bubble player who had 55 receptions this past season for over 800 yards, ran a decent 4.45 50 at 5-9, 175 … At Pittsburgh, OT Matt Gonclaves, who did not run at the combine as he was rehabbing a foot injury, ran a solid 5.06 40 with a 30-plus inch vertical running at 6-6, 317. Meanwhile, a couple of under-the-radar Panthers had solid days that likely will have pro scouts going back to the game film for a further look. CB AJ Woods (510, 187), for one, posted a 4.35 40 clocking along with a 37.5-inch vertical and a 6.56 3-cone time that would have been the best at the position at the combine. Same story for MLB Shane Simon (6-1, 230) whose 7-flat 3-cone time would have been the quickest of the true LBs at the combine, while he also had a 4.63 40 time and a 34-inch vertical. And if TE Phil Jurkovic sounds familiar, he is indeed the old Pitt and Boston College QB who has switched positions, although his 4.95 40 clocking is probably more the stuff of an undrafted free agent. And one reasonably noteworthy pro day from Tuesday at Charlotte, QB Jalon Jones worked out as a WR and impressed running a sub-4.4 40 while posting a 38-inch vertical at 6-3, 205 … Lastly, back at LSU, severalTigers not named Daniels, Nabers or Thomas who had not worked out at the combine did participate today in the field testing. DT Jordan Jefferson, for example, posted a decent 5.10 clocking in the 40, while C/G Charles Turner didn’t running a sluggish 5.55 seconds.

March 27, 2024 - 8:59 pm

Daniels passes pro day test … The preliminary reviews are in on Jayden Daniels pro day workout earlier today and while it didn’t seem to be a ‘wow’ workout with a few too many misses, the consensus also appears to be that Daniels checked off all the boxes. And while we’ll leave it to those with a higher pay grade to make the final grade, we were really impressed with the arm talent on display. Daniels has a really smooth, easy release and the ball just jumps out of his hand with minimal effort. Is it enough to challenge Caleb Williams for the #1 pick overall? Probably not, but we also felt it was a much more impressive throwing display than that of JJ McCarthy who appears to really need to step into just about every throw. And we’ll see more tomorrow when Drake Maye, who arguably has the strongest arm of this year’s top QB prospects, throws at the North Carolina pro day. It also bears repeating that almost never does a team change their grade on a QB based on their pro day workout; their ultimate evaluations are going to be based on their game film and the pro day is really about crossing the i’s and dotting the t’s.

March 27, 2024 - 4:00 pm

To QB or not to QB … There appears to be a growing sense around the NFL that QBs could very well go 1-2-3-4 at next month’s draft for the first time ever. There have also been multiple – and sometimes contradictory – rumors as to which team will actually pick which player at which spot. There have been some whispers in the past few days – actually some rather loud whispers – that no one should be surprised if JJ McCarthy of Michigan ultimately is the second player selected overall by Washington. In particular, while McCarthy likely doesn’t have quite the ceiling of LSU’s Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye of North Carolina, he may in fact be the safest pick of the three. Meanwhile, there have been rumblings that New England which picks third doesn’t like this guy or that guy and could conceivably trade the pick if the guy they really liked wasn’t still on the board. However, team owner Robert Kraft made it pretty clear in his annual meeting presser that he views the QB position as the team’s greatest need and while he’s leaving the decision to head coach Jerod Mayo and chief scout Eliot Wolf it would seem the only thing that might actually get the Patriots to move down would be a king’s ransom of picks that could very likely have to include multiple future first rounders. In fact, both Mayo and Wolf, along with 7 other Patriots people were front and center at today’s LSU pro day watching QB Jayden Daniels and they’re all heading over to North Carolina tomorrow for Drake Maye’s workout. At the same time, it is no secret that Minnesota is angling to get up into the top 4 picks in order to get one of those QBs; however, there are also hints that both Denver and Las Vegas, which pick right after the Vikings at #s 12 and 13, are also exploring avenues to move up and get their franchise QB of the future. And while it doesn’t relate to the QBs, there are also whispers that Chicago, which presumably gets their QB with the first overall pick this year, might very well be interested in moving up from the 9th pick to get Notre Dame OT John Alt, which would probably mean leapfrogging Tennessee at #7.

March 27, 2024 - 12:18 pm

LSU pro day updates; Part Deux … Interesting that neither of LSU top ten prospects Jayden Daniels nor Malik Nabers opted to get measured at the combine. Today, Nabers measured in at 6-3.5, 210, which is a little on the light side, but hardly a deal breaker. Nabers, meanwhile, came in at 6-0, 200. Nabers then went on to put on an athletic show during the physical testing posting a 42-inch vertical and a 10-9 long jump and then punctuated it with what was being reported as a 40 clocking in the 4.35-4.40 range, although the school later credited him with a 4.34 time. Whatever, its plenty fast!

One other quick update: we now have reports of three GMs also being spotted at the LSU pro day including Adam Peters of Washington whose Commanders are the heavy favorite to take Daniels with the 2nd pick, along with Joe Hortiz of the LA Chargers and the Giants Joe Schoen.

March 27, 2024 - 11:59 am

LSU pro day update … Still waiting for some actual results from today’s LSU pro day. Needless to say, all 32 teams are represented at the Tigers’ workout including 6 NFL head coaches. That includes the head coaches of the three teams with the first three picks: Chicago’s Matt Eberflus, Dan Quinn of Washington and New England’s Jerod Mayo, along with Brian Dadoll of the Giants, Antonio Pierce of Las Vegas and New Orleans’ Dennis Allen. Not sure who is there from Minnesota, but word is that the Vikings will also be holding a private workout with Daniels as they did with JJ McCarthy. We also know that QB Jayden Daniels will throw but not run while WR Malik Nabers, who did not run at the combine will participate in the 40. Interestingly, Nabers went to dinner last night with the Giants, who almost assuredly will be looking at him if they fail to get a QB with the 6th pick, while he will meet with a number of teams post workout.


March 27, 2024 - 9:08 am

LSU pro day today with QB Daniels to throw … Over 100 NFL personnel people are expected to be at LSU later today for the Tigers’ pro day which will feature the passing session of star QB Jayden Daniels, this year’s Heisman Trophy winner who is considered to be a likely top 2-3 pick at next month’s draft. And Daniels isn’t LSU’s only top prospect as WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas are also considered to be first-round candidates while DTs Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo are second-day types. LSU’s pro day gets underway at 11 AM ET and the school will be posting testing results here. Daniels is expected to start his scripted throwing session just before 2 PM ET. It will be streamed live on NFL Network+, while the NFL Network will have a wrap-up of the pro day at 8 PM ET. Meanwhile, other pro days today include those at Tennessee, Mississippi, Washington State, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest, while the Big XII conference combine also begins today and runs through Saturday.

March 26, 2024 - 11:04 am

NFL trade deadline pushed back … The NFL has announced that henceforth the league’s trading deadline will be after the 9th week of the schedule. That’s one week later than it had been. That means that this this year’s trade deadline will fall on November 5th.

[Topcat]

Does anyone think Hortiz indifferent or even more inclined about trading down with DEN or LVR, being that he is new to the rivalries ?

I personally think Joe would trade with anyone.

These AFCW rivals would be strong potential trade partners, and we could clean them out of top picks for years, in exchange for them getting the 4th QB in this draft.

Hmmm.

What? U mean TT MIGHT overpay for #5??? Shocking...

image.png

[Topcat]

I personally believe he'll laugh hysterically in triumph if the Broncos or Raiders trade to #5 so they could get J.J. McCarthy.

When yer a GM in the hot seat, or even if yer a newbie like TT, panic or euphoria can easily set in...