2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Charge!]

ED Laiatu Latu * growing up, most every SB team had a fearsome/ferocious front four.... Khalil is 2024 and that may be it.... priority one here
DT Jer'Zhan Newton * Latu is my wish for us round one, and.... this guy would be (very) helpful up front
OC Sedrick Van Pran * close to a must get, given the seemingly imminent loss of Linsley
NT T'Vondre Sweat * my annual wish list guy @NT, which prolly requires trading Joey for the highest return possible
LB Cedric Gray * don't know 'bout you, and.... don't want to put all my eggs in the Daiyan Henley basket
OG Donovan Jackson * not against Cooper Beebe, just like this guy's intangibles a bit better
RB Raheim Sanders * this guy was a top two back before injury, and not sure he can't return to form and then some
RB Audric Estime * givin' the Golden Domers a bone, as this guy sure looks formidable when it comes to breaking tackles and wearing down a D
WR J Michael Sturdivant * am replacing the MW size here, but not w/an early pick
RB Daijun Edwards * not sure 'bout this guy, and.... something I (really) like 'bout him
LB Eric Gentry * this is my Brandon Siler round seven suggestion and think he fits well w/our LB corps
QB Joe Milton * a maligned prospect who am not taking off my board quite yet

personal opinion is if we continue to go CB/WR, we're gonna keep Chargering.... instead would volunteer we take our possible JB/MW added draft capital and reinforce the Lines @NT & the OG

nice list addressing a number of our needs.... but no CB's or safeties?...are there shut down CB's in this draft?....... and a real FT starting TE would also be a big need...

[Lone Bolt]

On getting a vet OC...Im not holding my breath until I see viable options hit the market...and I mean actually hit the market, looking for a new team.

Also am onto the unpopular idea of looking within...Zion has the smarts...Jordan has good physical traits, dont know what he has going for him upstairs, but he did some work at center during the draft process...they must like him, having designed some gimmick plays to get him on the field...I know...some will say we didnt draft either to play center...but who cares? Anyway, lol, not MY call to make...but a cunning fix if its viable.

[beachcomber]

Terrion is up/down. Sometimes I really like what I see... other times, there are some issues that make me put him in the 3rd.

if he lasts 'til the second, think that might be a really good get.... dude is a redshirt soph and who some think would be 2025 CB1 if he returned to Tuscaloosa for another year ??

and as a safety first and basketballer second, he gets off blocks and despite being a little green has a high ceiling, and as.... some peoples think he's the better get rather than Ga'Quincy ??

personally think length is a tad overrated for CBs, and given that he's a tad under 6' and pretty good as a press man cover corner, not to mention he comes w/production numbers, and....

dude comes from a Catholic HS.... just sayin',

[beachcomber]

Van Pran is another guy that I just can't get a feel for. I don't see him get down field enough. In a telephone booth, he looks real good.
This center group looks a lot like last year's. Nobody special. No Creed Humphrey. No Frank Ragnow. Just guys that probably take a couple years to develop. I want a proven center that can command an OL. That's why I prefer getting a free agent center.

Van Pran is a need pick far as I can tell.... worked w/Tuli last year, but no guarantee it will work back 2 back/two years running ??

the other side of the coin is that most FAs are a fifty fifty proposition, and a coupla few years down the line, 'tis not uncommon to be wishing you had drafted the unproven rook instead of the overpriced FA ??

my main concern w/Van Pran is his mindset.... can he coordinate the Oline from the pivot, and will he continue to improve ??

he is another redshirt soph, which is a plus far as I'm concerned.... he still has room to be coached up and can improve on his technique, as he's not the technician that Slater/Zion were coming out.

prolly not a Pro Bowler, but rather a solid starter.... question for me is: is he the missing synergistic link/element to our Oline ??

for myself, have no interest in moving Zion inside, and don't have any reason to pencil McFadden in as a starter anytime soon, and so....

consensus on him is as a second rounder, albeit for myself, might wait him out 'til the third, which is unlikely considering that other teams will have a need @the OC as well, and....

still like T'Vondre Sweat day two, and obviously some folks here want us to go corner earlier than later.... ?? as a general rule, don't like need picks, and Hardwick was a third rounder.... ??

[beachcomber]

Getting quality guys in the 3rd-6th round is hard to do. I look for positions that tend to go later... so I can still get a quality player or quality backup. RB, TE, and LB definitely qualify for those parameters... especially when those positions are deep.

not seeing the TE in this group.... are you zeroed in on anyone in particular ??

and @LB, pretty much got my sights set on the one guy.... Cedric Gray, and.... looks like it might cost us our third to nab him ??

the plethora of talent is w/the RBs far as I can see.... see no reason not to go back 2 back for a coupla of 'em ??

hesitant to go WR either too early, as would be nice if someone like Bru McCoy lasted for a bit, or if Sturdivant fell some.... ??

[beachcomber]

Beach...as I still think we pick mid to late when the dust settles, Turner and Latu long gone...and Verse absolutely worth the capitol...though I think Newton is a wildcard, and could go anywhere from 8 to the twenties...I would take him over Verse...

Also...why no OTs? JC Latham is NOT the next Fluker...he is perfect for us...Pipkens may be relegated to expensive backup...but our starting RT would be dirt cheap rookie, so we could afford it!

I do like Van Pran...we can work on his next level blocking, but most critical is his ability to occupy that middle in pass pro, for starters, and help give this group some more ooomph on short yardage plays...he has those qualities out the box.

not sure we don't pick top ten still.... ?? and hope Turner is off the board, as Latu is still my preferred No. 1

like Verse too, and agree.... would prolly take Newton over him, albeit still Laiatu over the any of 'em.

and yes again, not sold on Pips, and.... not sold on Latham either.... don't see the intangibles there, as not convinced of a disciplined mindset, and always the possibility that his weight might balloon ??

also don't like to see the word "adequate" when reading reports on said player, and.... can get RTs later on in the draft and in FA, as don't think he's good first round value, 'specially given his penalties/pressures, and even hits/sacks.... his hand use/footwork also comes under question sometimes, and seems he has some lumberjack to him, not to mention he never elevated to LT, only playing on the right side.

not lookin' for an avg starter round one, as don't see any sure thing/solid starter there, let alone a Pro Bowler.... ??

would rather take my chances w/Pipkins and/or Salyer on the right side for now, and hope for better pickin's come 2025 ??

ps. re: Van Pran.... dude def looks like best o' the bunch, and.... we could do worse.

[beachcomber]

nice list addressing a number of our needs.... but no CB's or safeties?...are there shut down CB's in this draft?....... and a real FT starting TE would also be a big need...

Nutty might tell you that there are, albeit for myself.... no Stingley's that I can tell, and as Kool Aid has his dissenters, and of whom some don't think he's worthy of a top half of the first slotting ??

as mentioned earlier, do like Terrion Arnold some, and not married to Sedrick Van Pran, and despite however much sense it might make to make the need pick round two there ??

am very keen on a NT tho, along w/an OC, and no way do I pass on one of those for a maybe CB or safety.... there is some talent @CB in the back half of the first and earlier than later in the second, albeit not overly excited 'bout any of the safeties so much, and.... we do have Derwin and Alohi back there already + our third rounder + some UDFAs/backups that showed pretty darn well back there so far this season.

and yes on the TE.... woulda, shoulda, coulda been a great pick.... last go 'round !! Kincaid is averaging 5 receptions/game, and 6/game over the last five games.... someone here (cough) suggested he could go for 100 receptions on the year as a rookie, and.... he's on pace for 85, and.... if he woulda got the ball thrown more to him early, he might wellah had a shot @100, and.... he's outpacing every receiver not named Puka Nacua, which includes Addison, Flowers and LaPorta (none of which I was on board with, and.... prolly went over the top when suggesting as well that Kincaid could well double any other pass catcher's totals, albeit as it stands he could be the leading pass catcher from his class ?)

as mentioned before, am resigned to re signing Everett, as would prefer to spend my draft capital @RB, LB and on the lines instead of a maybe TE that am not in love w/their intangibles....

[beachcomber]

thinkin' out loud, think I'm leaning NT ahead of the OC & CB round two.... they are just too darn valuable, and too rare to wait on 'em 'til round three, as most decent ones are snatched up by earlier than later round two, albeit T'Vondre Sweat does have troubles getting off blocks, and.... still the guy I want (for now) over the OC, and....

will take the OC ahead of the LB, and.... the LB over the OG.... prolly gonna hold off on a CB in lieu of the aforementioned, and.... as still not convinced it's a bad idea to re sign Mike D.

[dmac_bolt]

On getting a vet OC...Im not holding my breath until I see viable options hit the market...and I mean actually hit the market, looking for a new team.

Also am onto the unpopular idea of looking within...Zion has the smarts...Jordan has good physical traits, dont know what he has going for him upstairs, but he did some work at center during the draft process...they must like him, having designed some gimmick plays to get him on the field...I know...some will say we didnt draft either to play center...but who cares? Anyway, lol, not MY call to make...but a cunning fix if its viable.

I don't know why but when I watch Zion play, i think to myself "huh, he kinda looks like a center". He's not a pro bowl OG, now on either side, I'd like to see the experiment next camp maybe. Gotta replace an OG next though.

[Steve]

I don't know why but when I watch Zion play, i think to myself "huh, he kinda looks like a center". He's not a pro bowl OG, now on either side, I'd like to see the experiment next camp maybe. Gotta replace an OG next though.

I think the same thing, but that would be 3 positions in 3 years. It's hard for young players to develop consistency at any position, let alone being forced to keep changing.

[beachcomber]

This front is so ridiculous. You can’t be that good at stopping the run and have no players. A lot of good players but I just love T’Vondre Sweat. Shades of DJ Reader but has freakish athletic traits. Guys who are 360 shouldn’t be able to move like this. Caught a touchdown in this one and just eats the entire middle of the front. I need a nose, I’m taking him.

Kool-Aid man made an incredible play in this one in zone coverage. His makeup speed is just hard to overlook. I don’t know how he fails because of it.

Terrion Arnold is a junkyard dog. Got hit with a flag but not afraid to be physical. Guy was all over guys and battled his face off. How much of it is coaching and how much of it is talent? Nick Saban is a secondary guy at heart. Want to see him move around in space before making a definitive call.

[Boltnut]

not seeing the TE in this group.... are you zeroed in on anyone in particular ??

and @LB, pretty much got my sights set on the one guy.... Cedric Gray, and.... looks like it might cost us our third to nab him ??

the plethora of talent is w/the RBs far as I can see.... see no reason not to go back 2 back for a coupla of 'em ??

hesitant to go WR either too early, as would be nice if someone like Bru McCoy lasted for a bit, or if Sturdivant fell some.... ??

Jaheim Bell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=CbYATg_6nk4

Cade Stover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD8d9k2cZjo

Brevyn Spann-Ford: People went gaga over Washington last year. Here's a guy who's actually athletic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R07eUhr6tc4

And there are some later round guys I like too: Erik All, Theo Johnson

LB's: Junior Colson, Tommy Eichenberg, Payton Wilson, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Jestin Jacobs, Tatum Bethune