2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Leslie Grossman]

IMG_1266.png Vegas knows how to set lines obviously

[Leslie Grossman]

Penix rocketed up the board and Michael Hall Jr apparently better than we thought

[Boltjolt]

Always said position is a huge part of it.
It’s 22 against 22, more than that with special teams.
Not 5 on 5 like basketball.

11 vs 11 but I knew what you meant

Basketball only has 12 or 15 players in the entire team. Hec I'm not sure which. I'm not a basketball fan.

[DerwinBosa]

Theoretically, that's very nice. The Chargers currently are 6th in the NFL in sacks... after spending most of the year @#3. Yet, we've consistently been in the Bottom 3 vs the pass this year. Certainly some of that can be blamed on Staley schemes. But the lack of talent @CB deserves most of the blame... and maybe it led Staley to rely on those schemes in the first place. When he has a lock-down in LAR... the hair-brain schemes didn't seem so hair-brained.

Why were Staley/TT so desperate to sign JCJ...? Next to the Pipkins re-sign, it was the biggest waste of money. Get your pass rushers, pass blockers, and pass defenders early and often. Then you don't have those problems. Personally, I'd like at least one of each on my roster at all times... specifically guys on rookie contracts. Make the cap work every year. Don't waste your 1st round picks on TE's... not 1 of those guys has made it to their 2nd contract with original drafting teams in the last 10 years.

Signing a free agent TE is a hell of a lot easier on your cap than signing a FA pass rusher, offensive tackle, or cornerback... if they're even available in free agency.

Since Mark Andrews, an All-Pro tight end drafted in the fourth round, went down to injury, the Ravens have replaced him with Isaiah Likely, another fourth-round pick. In the last five games Likely has caught 22 passes for 282 yards and five touchdowns.

Maybe Bowers is the "generational talent" so many on here are claiming him to be. I doubt it, though. The last "generational tight end" was Kyle Pitts, who this season has only 21 more receptions and two fewer touchdowns than Likely, who was the #2 tight end in the Ravens' offense before Andrews went down to injury in Week 12.

[Kylars]

Very hard to compare production of Pitts vs other TEs. His targets pale in comparison, likely the scheme (lack thereof).

I truly believe that having a very strong TE room is just as, if not more, important than WRs. I was all for a TE with our pick last year, Mayer/LaPorta.

[Boltnut]

Always said position is a huge part of it.
It’s 22 against 22, more than that with special teams.
Not 5 on 5 like basketball.

Exactly! The best coaches always go after another team's weakness... I used to call it the weak-link philosophy. Our RT spot has been our weak-link for some time now. Now, the secondary is our weak-link. Tranquil used to be our weak-link in the run defense.

Fix your glaring weaknesses or the whole team will suffer. Do it even if some hot-shot "expert" has one guy rated 5 spots higher than your obvious need. If there is a guy that you like that fills your biggest need... just do it.

[Lone Bolt]

So many problems.
I wanna start with basics.
Get Herbert protection.
Get him a running game.
I wanna start with OL.
1-2-3.
i am cool with this thinking.

In response to your response to Beach...

Day 1. Trade back, pick up Fuaga...best true RT in the draft.

Day 2. Trey Benson, Cade Stover, Jackson Powers-Johnson

This offense WILL NOT...CAN NOT...be an issue going forward, with a 250 mil QB at the helm, who came out the gate shattering records, but has lately been mired in mediocrity...

My favorite scenario...that doesnt include Bowers that is... lol

[Boltnut]

Well said, Haven’t watched film yet on Tevondre Sweat.
Where do you slot him and Kris Jenkins?

IMO, Sweat is a force against the run... obvious size. But big boys tire out quickly.
Kris Jenkins does a lot of things well. Solid (not great) in the run game. I noticed that the other teams choose to double him over his IDL teammate (#55... I forget his name). He can also slip gaps and get pressure on the QB. He makes others around him better while still providing play-making ability. Jenkins is often my mocked player in the 3rd round. Watch him during the National Championship game. I think Sweat is a guy that should go in the 4th round.

That whole Michigan defense is so fun to watch. The other guys I really like are LB Junior Colson and S Rod Moore. Those guys make for a strong middle of the defense. Colson and Moore can flow to the outside quickly, too... and are very versatile. Their read/react skills are top-notch.

[wu-dai clan]

In response to your response to Beach...

Day 1. Trade back, pick up Fuaga...best true RT in the draft.

Day 2. Trey Benson, Cade Stover, Jackson Powers-Johnson

This offense WILL NOT...CAN NOT...be an issue going forward, with a 250 mil QB at the helm, who came out the gate shattering records, but has lately been mired in mediocrity...

My favorite scenario...that doesnt include Bowers that is... lol

Fuaga is a good prospect.

[Lone Bolt]

IMO, Sweat is a force against the run... obvious size. But big boys tire out quickly.
Kris Jenkins does a lot of things well. Solid (not great) in the run game. I noticed that the other teams choose to double him over his IDL teammate (#55... I forget his name). He can also slip gaps and get pressure on the QB. He makes others around him better while still providing play-making ability. Jenkins is often my mocked player in the 3rd round. Watch him during the National Championship game. I think Sweat is a guy that should go in the 4th round.

That whole Michigan defense is so fun to watch. The other guys I really like are LB Junior Colson and S Rod Moore. Those guys make for a strong middle of the defense. Colson and Moore can flow to the outside quickly, too... and are very versatile. Their read/react skills are top-notch.

Lockstep on Jenkins...I see the same...Sweat is a finishing piece for a well built defense lacking the one element he provides...Jenkins wont stonewall the IOL on run downs like that guy does, but he is no pushover, and does everything else much better...sorry Beach, lol

[dmac_bolt]

Penix rocketed up the board and Michael Hall Jr apparently better than we thought

Penix should rocket up imo. I like him as much as Caleb or Maye right now, time can prove me wrong. Not just his excellent athletic skills, but intangibles of playing QB. Honestly not sold on Caleb but I’m happy to watch an early team jump for him.

[Boltnut]

Good point. I agree.
lazy cliche on my part. I just don't want to predetermine the pick based on position. In your case, you think Kool Aid is worth our 1st outright, right?
I can get with that, I'll be sure to do my homework.

Round 1 has to be the guy that helps our whole team more than anyone. On defense, my focus is on defending the redzone. That's goaline run stuffers on DL and regarding CBs, I'm okay sacrificing man coverage ability for bigger CBs that play with leverage forcing QBs to make perfect throws. I can live with that. Those CBs can be found in rounds 3 and later.
with Herbert, the game plan will always be to exchange TDs for field goals.
I don't care what we give up between the 20s, so long as we focus on redzone defense. To me that's scheme and coaching.
eventually we can draft or sign a top tier CB but I say we focus on redzone defense and outscoring everyone.

When you watch Kool-Aid game tape (forget highlight reels)... you'll notice that opposing coaches mostly stay away from him. That's big! The coaches know more about players than any "expert". When he does get opportunities, he plays his techniques extremely well... especially against those quick-hitting slants towards the middle. Those routes will kill a defense... death by a thousand cuts. Receivers like Keenan and Davante will eat those schemes alive. Once those options are shut down, notice what Saban is able to do with the rest of his coverages. So many more options once you eliminate a portion of another team's arsenal. Saban uses Kool-Aid to shut down 1 side of the field. Then he is always able to roll extra protection to the other side. A big problem with zone schemes is they provide open spaces that can be attacked. Saban is allowed to condense those spaces when he only has to defend half of the field.

Along those lines (and to your next point)... redzone defenses become more effective against the pass because of the condensed field of play (the back line). That's where the DL and LB crew must be better. Able to read/react. Thump in the middle... and able to get out in the flats to cover RB's. Able to stay with crossing TE's and read/react to those damn illegal picks. On offense, you have to be able to run the football... and that means an effective offensive line. An offensive line that can power block and move bodies. It was one of my biggest critiques of Joe Lombardi... did not run the ball enough/effectively in the redzone.

Signing a top-tier CB is risky and expensive (see JCJ mistake). Drafting a top-tier CB means spending the draft capital. Sometimes you're lucky enough to find a top-tier CB in the mid/late 1st round... but the class has to be deep in elite CB's (like the last 2 or 3 years). Could have had Joey Porter Jr, Brian Branch, Trent McDuffie, or Tyson Campbell later in the 1st round. This year is not that year IMO. I wouldn't ignore the glaring problem any longer. I get the eye candy allure of Brock Bowers. But IMO, the offensive line is a much bigger concern for me. I think we have the talent (minus Pipkins)... I think we need a better OL coach and blocking scheme. Everyone talks about the complexity of the pass defense schemes... what about the blocking schemes...? What about the blitz protections..? What about route adjustments to account for disguised blitzes...? Work out that stuff... and I believe you help out Herbie exponentially. Shane Steichen figured it out in 2020 and Frank Smith had it figured out in 2021. Since then, it's been downhill for Herbie's development.