2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[wu-dai clan]

Alt is also #3 overall at TDN big board. I'd prefer a trade down, but can't go wrong with Alt:

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So the idea that the talent level is not there is a false premise.
A point I have tried to get across is that scouts have seen Alt make a quantum leap in 2023.
He is using the natural power in his long arms better.
Just look at the holes Estime got to take advantage of.
ATM it looks like Nabers or Alt or trade down.
Fuaga, Latham or Fautanu look nice to me @ #11 or ?
Dallas Turner, Terrion Arnold, Jer'zahn.
We cannot possibly screw it up.
Even with a blind man throwing darts.

[wu-dai clan]

That very well might be .... but they need to assemble a team right now,
and they don't have one.

If you were their GM, would you gamble everything on Murray turning around his career?
I wouldn't; I'd start considering life after Kyler Murray.

Arizona's former GM drafted him, and signed him to the back breaking contract. He's responsible, not you.

The GM in Miami who drafted Tua is still around; he assembled all that talent around Tua to safe face, as much as anything else.

There is no denying that your NFL knowledge is top tier.
I just happen to be on ths other side of the coin on this.
One needs only to consider how Kyler played when he had the DHop security blanket.
AZ is bluffing for a ridiculous trade offer.
They are committed to Kyler and he is nothing without MHJ.
I rest my case.

WE get to trade down.
I will be happy with a mauler on a trade down.
Of course I will still root for the Chargers if we stay and get any of the big four.

[DerwinBosa]

^ This...at this point, the Cards need to consider Option 2 and they're in a great position to grab a top QB...remember when the Bolts drafted Brees, who kind of struggled on and off his first two years? That's why they drafted Rivers. Then, Brees started playing better but got hurt...Cards would be fools to not grab a QB @#4...

Depends on which quarterback it is. I'm not wasting my time spending the fourth overall pick on Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy. If Drake Maye makes it to #4 the Cardinals would have to take him, as far as I'm concerned. If Maye is gone by then, I think they're drafting Marvin Harrison, Jr.

[Topcat]

So the idea that the talent level is not there is a false premise.
A point I have tried to get across is that scouts have seen Alt make a quantum leap in 2023.
He is using the natural power in his long arms better.
Just look at the holes Estime got to take advantage of.
ATM it looks like Nabers or Alt or trade down.
Fuaga, Latham or Fautanu look nice to me @ #11 or ?
Dallas Turner, Terrion Arnold, Jer'zahn.
We cannot possibly screw it up.
Even with a blind man throwing darts.

Yep...all those negative comments about him u can just ahem, CONTROL ALT DELETE...

[Topcat]

Depends on which quarterback it is. I'm not wasting my time spending the fourth overall pick on Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy. If Drake Maye makes it to #4 the Cardinals would have to take him, as far as I'm concerned. If Maye is gone by then, I think they're drafting Marvin Harrison, Jr.

Speaking of Maye, latest report is that some teams have McCarthy rated higher:

image.png

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-draft-rumors-multiple-teams-prefer-j-j-mccarthy-over-drake-maye/ar-BB1kSW6T

[Velo]

Breaking news.
We are not drafting for Don Coryell.
We are drafting for Jim Harbaugh.
As I type this, Mr. Joe Alt stands like a mighty Sequoia at #4 overall.
Ahead of Brock Bowers, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze.
This is per industry bible Drafttek.

Harbaugh values the OL. But Alt is not described as a generational talent like MHJ, Bowers or Nabers. If they don’t trade down, they will draft the best available player at #5, and I don’t think that is Alt.

[Fleet 1]

I have steadily said I am open to a trade down for a tackle if that is the inevitability with Harbaugh and Hortiz....Fuaga, Latham, Fashanu, Fautanu etc but remain adamant i do not want to draft Joe Alt at #5 over the likes of Harrison, Nabers, Odunze.

This article out today on ESPN of the players they have first round grades on and their NFL comparables illustrates why I feel the way I do. Basiclaly I do not want to pass on elite pass catching talents with the hole at that position on our roster for a tackle that is a good, soild tackle prospect but not elite tackle prospect. A top 5 pick ina loaded draft is too rich for a right tackle and to rich for Joe Alt. As I have said this player is not an Ogden, not a Joe Thomas, or a Sewell in recent drafts. The comparable here is the Giants Andrew Thomas...a solid NFL tackle. I think Alt will be a good NFL tackle but these 3 WRS all could be elite.

This article sums it up for me. I dont want to pass on the next J'marr Chase, AJ Green for an Andrew Thomas. Not at #5. If it has to be a tackle I sincerely hope it is a trade down.
The number beside the player is the overall rank in the draft.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (No. 2)

Comp: A.J. Green

Harrison -- the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr. -- has rare traits, including great size (6-foot-4, 209 pounds), body control, agility and flexibility, along with the fastest hands this side of Tyreek Hill. You don't often see big wide receivers show the flexibility and body control that Harrison does in order to get low to snag ground balls. And he's consistently making plays that show off an elite catch radius. He accumulated 2,474 receiving yards and 28 TDs over the past two seasons, despite defenses knowing the ball is going his way.

Rome Odunze, Washington (No. 3)

Comp: Ja'Marr Chase

Odunze is a physical, aggressive player when the ball is in his hands, and he sheds defenders with his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame. Odunze combined for 167 catches, 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons while making a name for himself as a back shoulder fade specialist. His toughness pre- and post-catch is fantastic, and his ability to consistently beat man coverage and dominate on 50-50 balls is why he gets the Chase comp.

Malik Nabers, LSU (No. 4)

Comp: Stefon Diggs

He's the best after-the-catch receiver in the draft class. The 6-foot, 199-pound Nabers averaged 18 yards per catch on 86 grabs last season, with 6.8 coming after the catch. He also turned in 14 touchdowns and 1,546 yards in a breakout season. Nabers' start-stop quicks are high-end, and his field vision to find running lanes with the ball in his hands is special. I also love that over the past two seasons he had a drop rate of just 3.1%. Nabers is sure-handed, fast, explosive and ready to be an NFL WR1.

Joe Alt, Notre Dame (No. 6)

Comp: Andrew Thomas

The son of Chiefs' Hall of Famer John Alt, the younger Alt is a masterful technician with just two sacks allowed in the past two seasons. At 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds, he dominates defenders with his length and grip strength. Once he's locked on, defenders are best to just wait for the whistle. Alt doesn't have the flashy agility of other tackle prospects, but his power and technique are NFL-ready.

2024 NFL draft: Prospects with first-round grades, plus comps

• 
  Matt Miller, NFL draft analystApr 1, 2024, 06:00 AM ET

How many first-round prospects are there in the 2024 NFL draft class?
You might be thinking the answer is 32, because there will be 32 selections in Round 1 come April 25 in Detroit. But we aren't talking about how many players will be drafted in Round 1; we're talking about how many carry a true Round 1 grade.
NFL teams don't typically deem many prospects in a given class as Round 1-caliber talents and never 32 of them. More realistically, around 15 per class earn a real first-round grade, though the number varies by team and scouting department. These sacred evaluations are reserved for prospects who would be Day 1 selections regardless of year, and my own rule of thumb is whether the player would have been one in each of the past five classes.
Confusing? Welcome to the world of scouting.
I tackled my list for the 2024 class with a strict grading scale after handing out 20 first-round scores in 2023, and I ended up with 18 names -- up from 16 in late February. Here are the players who deserve a first-round grade on my board. (Players' overall rankings are in parentheses after their names.)

Jump to position:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL
EDGE | DT | LB | CB | S
Quarterback (3)

Caleb Williams, USC (No. 1)

Comp: Aaron Rodgers
The top overall player in the 2024 draft class, Williams combines excellent arm strength, mobility and field vision with a knack for making creative plays when defenses close in on the pocket. At 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, he is responsible for 93 touchdowns over the past two seasons at USC (72 passing, 21 rushing).
Sure, he will need to clean up the fumbles (eight in 2023) and get the ball out faster (3.14 seconds to throw on average), but the NFL-style playmaking and jaw-dropping passing ability has scouts calling him a rare prospect. What he's able to do on second-effort plays is impressive, and Williams would have been my top-rated quarterback in each of the past five draft classes. He looks like a lock to go No. 1 right now.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

• Miller's new seven-round NFL mock draft: Two trades, 11 QBs and 257 total pick predictions
  
  5d•Matt Miller
• Rankings for the 2024 NFL draft: Top prospects at every position from Kiper, Miller, Reid and Yates
  
  2d•Mel Kiper Jr., +3 More
• Reid's QB Hot Board for this year's NFL draft: Ranking top 13 passers, plus strengths and weaknesses
  
  1d•Jordan Reid

Jayden Daniels, LSU (No. 5)

Comp: Lamar Jackson
The Heisman Trophy winner was the most improved player in college football in 2023. He entered the season with a Day 3 grade from NFL scouts but put together a 50-touchdown campaign (40 passing, 10 rushing) with just four interceptions. Daniels is not only the draft's best deep-ball thrower -- he had a 99.6 QBR targeting vertical routes -- he's also the most dangerous runner among the quarterbacks. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder had 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards last season.

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Drake Maye, North Carolina (No. 9)

Comp: Justin Herbert
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms used to tell me "size is a trait," and if you subscribe to that philosophy, you'll love the 6-foot-4, 223-pound redshirt sophomore from North Carolina. Maye is poised in the pocket but also mobile when necessary, and he has proven the past two seasons that he's capable of putting a team on his back with awesome arm talent and the toughness to pick up difficult yards as a runner. He has to work on footwork mechanics and cut down on interceptions -- he threw 16 in the past two years combined -- but there is a lot to like in his game. Maye threw for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdown passes last season.

Running back (0)

After seeing Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs picked in the top 12 in 2023, it was fair to wonder if the running back position was seeing a comeback in draft priority. But we aren't quite there, at least not yet. The 2024 class doesn't feature a player ranked inside my top 40. There are solid backs capable of helping NFL teams immediately -- Jonathon Brooks (Texas, No. 45 overall) leads a list of seven RBs with Day 2 grades -- but none has the right mix of traits to qualify here.

Wide receiver (5)

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (No. 2)

Comp: A.J. Green
Harrison -- the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr. -- has rare traits, including great size (6-foot-4, 209 pounds), body control, agility and flexibility, along with the fastest hands this side of Tyreek Hill. You don't often see big wide receivers show the flexibility and body control that Harrison does in order to get low to snag ground balls. And he's consistently making plays that show off an elite catch radius. He accumulated 2,474 receiving yards and 28 TDs over the past two seasons, despite defenses knowing the ball is going his way.

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Rome Odunze, Washington (No. 3)

Comp: Ja'Marr Chase
Odunze is a physical, aggressive player when the ball is in his hands, and he sheds defenders with his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame. Odunze combined for 167 catches, 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons while making a name for himself as a back shoulder fade specialist. His toughness pre- and post-catch is fantastic, and his ability to consistently beat man coverage and dominate on 50-50 balls is why he gets the Chase comp. play 1:48 See why Washington WR Rome Odunze has NFL scouts excited
Check out the top moments from Rome Odunze during his dominant career at Washington.

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Malik Nabers, LSU (No. 4)

Comp: Stefon Diggs
He's the best after-the-catch receiver in the draft class. The 6-foot, 199-pound Nabers averaged 18 yards per catch on 86 grabs last season, with 6.8 coming after the catch. He also turned in 14 touchdowns and 1,546 yards in a breakout season. Nabers' start-stop quicks are high-end, and his field vision to find running lanes with the ball in his hands is special. I also love that over the past two seasons he had a drop rate of just 3.1%. Nabers is sure-handed, fast, explosive and ready to be an NFL WR1.

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Brian Thomas Jr., LSU (No. 17)

Comp: Tee Higgins
Thomas burst onto the scene in 2023, leading the nation with 17 receiving touchdowns and showcasing a vertical ability at 6-foot-3 that will get him a true Round 1 grade from many teams. Thomas excels at stretching the field and uses his great agility and body control to attack passes. The way he adjusts to the ball in the air and speeds up to get into position is a WR1 quality. While raw as a route runner, Thomas' potential is sky high.

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Adonai Mitchell, Texas (No. 18)

Comp: George Pickens
Mitchell had a dominant 2023 season after transferring to Texas from Georgia, with 11 touchdown receptions and just one dropped pass. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder ran a 4.34-second time in the 40-yard dash at the combine, highlighting his burst and ability to run past defenders vertically. In five career College Football Playoff games, Mitchell had five touchdowns. He's a gamer and a first-round pick.

Tight end (1)

Brock Bowers, Georgia (No. 10)

Comp: George Kittle
Bowers is not just a tight end; he's an offensive playmaker. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder is rough and ready, and unlike so many smooth-moving tight ends of this day and age, he'll simply run over you. Bowers is physical but fast; he's as elusive as he is powerful. And it's why he scored 31 touchdowns over three seasons while being used as a tight end, H-back, slot receiver and sometimes tailback. Some may say he's undersized, but Bowers' effort and strength as a blocker are underrated. He can be a focal point for an NFL passing game from Day 1.

Offensive tackle (4)

Joe Alt, Notre Dame (No. 6)

Comp: Andrew Thomas
The son of Chiefs' Hall of Famer John Alt, the younger Alt is a masterful technician with just two sacks allowed in the past two seasons. At 6-foot-9 and 321 pounds, he dominates defenders with his length and grip strength. Once he's locked on, defenders are best to just wait for the whistle. Alt doesn't have the flashy agility of other tackle prospects, but his power and technique are NFL-ready.

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What to know for the 2024 NFL draft


• Mock drafts | DraftCast's top prospects
• Rankings: Kiper | Miller | Reid | Yates
• QB Hot Board | First-rounders
• Position ranks | Full order | Read more Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State (No. 11)

Comp: Terron Armstead
A long-armed, easy-moving left tackle, Fashanu is a massive man at 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds. The 20-year-old started 20 games over the past two seasons, allowing one sack while being flagged only four times. He's powerful and agile, and he is still getting better with more reps. Fashanu has the tools to become a top-five NFL left tackle.

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Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State (No. 12)

Comp: Darnell Wright
His tape shows awesome power as a pure people-mover, but he's also agile and nimble in space at 6-foot-6 and 324 pounds. A college right tackle, Fuaga has the movement ability and poise to play either side in the pros. He's a plug-and-play right tackle with the ceiling of a top-five player at the position very early in his career.

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Troy Fautanu, Washington (No. 16)

Comp: Peter Skoronski
Fautanu has been discussed as a potential pivot player who could move inside to guard, but after watching his combine workout and reviewing more tape, I have him sticking with his college position and playing left tackle in the NFL. His quickness and excellent arm length are adequate to cover his modest height (6-foot-4, 317 pounds). And his ability to dump defenders and finish in the run game is a thing of beauty.

Interior offensive line (0)

The 2023 draft saw one interior offensive lineman -- Skoronski, who played tackle at Northwestern -- drafted in the first round, and the 2024 draft could be similar. Center Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) is No. 29 on my board, while center Zach Frazier (West Virginia) and guard Cooper Beebe (Kansas State) are solid Round 2 prospects.

Edge rusher (2)

Dallas Turner, Alabama (No. 7)

Comp: Josh Allen
Turner broke out in 2023 after replacing Will Anderson Jr. as the primary pass-rusher at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide in sacks (10) and emerged as an elite force coming off the edge, adding two forced fumbles along the way. Turner has a slim build at 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, which is where the comparison to Allen (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) comes from. Both are smooth, fast, long-armed pass-rushers. And like Allen, Turner has the upside and traits to develop into a special edge defender.

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Jared Verse, Florida State (No. 14)

Comp: Trey Hendrickson
Verse dominated over two seasons at Florida State, collecting 18 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss during that time. He's strong at the point of attack at 6-foot-4 and 254 pounds and has the power to go toe-to-toe with NFL offensive tackles. A true 4-3 defensive end prospect with this type of power and pass-rush production is rare, which is why Verse slides in with a Round 1 grade. play 1:33 The highlights that make Jared Verse a top NFL prospect
Check out the tape on Florida State DL Jared Verse to see why he's a player to watch in the NFL draft.

Defensive tackle (1)

Byron Murphy II, Texas (No. 13)

Comp: Justin Madubuike
Murphy was asked to play out of position at Texas as a 5-technique in the team's three-man front, but he still managed to find pass-rush production there with five sacks and 33 pressures. Murphy is stout at 6-foot-1 and 297 pounds, and his tape shows stunning first-step quickness and absolute power at the point of attack. Once he's able to shoot gaps in the NFL, he can be a game-changer.

Linebacker (0)

Texas A&M's Edgerrin Cooper is my top-ranked 'backer at No. 33 overall, while Michigan's Junior Colson also makes the top 50 at No. 46. But there's a good chance we don't see anyone at the position go on Day 1 in April.

Cornerback (2)

Terrion Arnold, Alabama (No. 8)

Comp: Devon Witherspoon
Arnold was lights out in coverage last season, grabbing five interceptions and breaking up 12 passes. He's big at 6-foot and 189 pounds, and he plays with fire and tenacity at the line of scrimmage. While he's definitely physical, Arnold also has the quickness and speed to fly downfield with receivers. He's a tough, instinctive and all-around great cornerback prospect.

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Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo (No. 15)

Comp: Jaylon Johnson
Mitchell has had the best pre-draft process of any defensive player in the class. He followed a remarkable Senior Bowl week with a combine performance that included a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 6 feet, 195 pounds. Mitchell is tough and physical, and he had six interceptions over the past two seasons.

Safety (0)

The safety position might be the weakest of the 2024 draft. Tyler Nubin (Minnesota) has a top-50 ranking at No. 49 overall, but the group lacks top-end talent. However, there is good late-Day 2 and early-Day 3 value to be found here.

[Fleet 1]

Sorry i dont have the time to edit that post of mine above. lol Its the entire list of first round graded players according to Miller.

[Chargers8491]

Sorry i dont have the time to edit that post of mine above. lol Its the entire list of first round graded players according to Miller.

Dude you're fired...lol. Good find though!

[Fouts2herbert]

Mack is gone anyways. Joey still signed so we'll see about him.
I assume he will be back unless he plays half a season again but they restructured his deal so don't know his numbers for 2025.
You never know but I just don't feel Edge rusher in the cards as an early pick in this draft.
Besides QB, Edge is the strongest possition right now.

Not sure how Joey comes back in 2025, first off he would have to play up to his ability and stay healthy which he hasn't been able to do, second he would have to sign some kind of an extension, his last year hits the cap at like 36 mil or something ridiculous like that, plus he is due a 15 million dollar roster bonus on the first day of business that is almost as big as his 17 mil base pay...I don't think that's going to happen...not only are both Joey and Mack leaving after 2024 but Joey just can't be counted on to stay healthy, so I think Edge is a bigger need than people tend to think...The one non QB position that is even more primo than WR in the draft is Edge due to those guys being the highest paid non QB group...Edge is a better value in the long run and over the course of the rookie deal...

[Fouts2herbert]

Who are the best players in the Chargers? For me it is Herbert, Slater, Mack, Bosa, and James. After them probably comes Tuli or Gilman. 3 of the Chargers top 6 or 7 current players are ends. End is probably last on Harbaugh's list. If Harbaugh believes Verse is the BPA at #5 or #11 I guess it is possible, but i doubt it.

Mack and Joey are one year rentals and the chargers are drafting in the top 5, when will they get a shot at one of the top Edge players in the draft again? we see guys like pika nacua come out of the 5th round and tear shit up in the NFL, when was the last time you saw a 5th round Edge player take the league by storm defensively? the only one I can think about was Max Crosby and even he didn't become himself until about year 2 or 3...

[Boltjolt]

Not sure how Joey comes back in 2025, first off he would have to play up to his ability and stay healthy which he hasn't been able to do, second he would have to sign some kind of an extension, his last year hits the cap at like 36 mil or something ridiculous like that, plus he is due a 15 million dollar roster bonus on the first day of business that is almost as big as his 17 mil base pay...I don't think that's going to happen...not only are both Joey and Mack leaving after 2024 but Joey just can't be counted on to stay healthy, so I think Edge is a bigger need than people tend to think...The one non QB position that is even more primo than WR in the draft is Edge due to those guys being the highest paid non QB group...Edge is a better value in the long run and over the course of the rookie deal...

Let's see how Joey does this year with a new regime and trainer. Regardless, it isn't a big need this year and we can draft Edge next year and get one later in this draft.

Maybe if the Raiders want to trade up with us we can get 13, their 2nd, 3rd and Koonce. I liked Koonce and he played real well last year for them and he is very affordable.