Official 2019 Pre Draft Discussion

[wu-dai clan]

Philon reportedly had the worst interview in the history of the combine. Those things don't necessarily bother Telesco

TT found value. Philon was very young, probably coming out a year early.

[Topcat]

Some history... Chargers only appear on this list once, but it's a doozy:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ks/3410644002/

Oh my...did someone say the "L" word again?

[Fleet]

Leaf has more than paid for his failures. That guy really hit rock bottom. And i know the driving force behind his disease was that monster of a failure label. He clearly showed the symptoms early. Selfishness. Laziness.

His story now and his turn around are pretty epic. I used to love hearing him guest host on local radio shows. That guy has learned the hard way how to be a man.

And overcome his shortcomings.

[NoMoreChillies]

I really like Lawrence's run-stuffing ability; it's just that he's not much of a pass rusher. Ideally, we draft a DT who can do both.

Quinnen Williams
Christian Wilkins
Dre'Mont Jones

any of these falling to #28?
or you got someone else in mind?

[Topcat]

Leaf has more than paid for his failures. That guy really hit rock bottom. And i know the driving force behind his disease was that monster of a failure label. He clearly showed the symptoms early. Selfishness. Laziness.

His story now and his turn around are pretty epic. I used to love hearing him guest host on local radio shows. That guy has learned the hard way how to be a man.

And overcome his shortcomings.

True dat...glad he overcame...

[Xenos]

Some behind the scene stuff:

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-chargers/post/_/id/26185/chargers-gm-tom-telesco-on-a-hot-streak-in-the-nfl-drafts-first-round

So what's the secret to Telesco's success? He leans on the work of his scouting department, grabs talented players with good production from big-name conferences and counts on his coaching staff to coach them up.

"We're not going to hit on every draft pick," Telesco said. "You try and hit on every pick, obviously, but you really want to hit on the one [first-round pick]. We put a lot of effort into that. It's not 100 percent, but I would credit that staff for that, and the fact that they work well with our coaches, who get more into the scouting end of it when their season ends.

"And then it's not only drafting the players, but putting them into the scheme in the right places, using their strengths the right way and developing them, and our coaches have done that. You've seen it with Mike Williams. Obviously he's very talented, but you've seen some big strides from Year 1 to Year 2."

The drafting of Bosa three years ago with the No. 3 overall selection is another example of the Chargers quietly going about their business.

Several draft analysts had the Chargers selecting offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley or cornerback Jalen Ramsey with that selection, not believing Bosa was a scheme fit for the Bolts' 3-4 defense at the time.

But Bosa climbed to the top of the Chargers' draft board by January. The Chargers took Bosa out to dinner before his pro day at Ohio State, and defensive line coach Giff Smith was closely involved in his workout the next day.

The Bolts did their homework, had a plan on how they would use Bosa, and now -- 28.5 sacks later -- have one of the more productive defensive ends in the league.

"You just keep your mouth shut and you work -- that's all we did," Telesco said about the Bosa pick. "It was never our intention to deceive anyone. We just did our work throughout that process.

"There were a lot of good players that we could have considered for the No. 3 pick. But in the end, with Joey, he had that combination of pass-rush ability from different alignments, his ability to play the run at the point of attack and in pursuit, and he had that football temperament we were looking for."

[Boltjolt]

Some behind the scene stuff:
http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles...ts-first-round

Good read thanks. It's why I say who they bring in means little because I'm sure they like many players and are sold on some already and don't need a private visit. Guys like Someone need those visits so they can grill Jim more than they can at the combine....or just get to know guys who they aren't sure about.
i haven't done a search to see who they drafted that didn't visit either in private or the combine, etc.

But I do remember Antione Cason said he never talked to the Chargers and was our first round pick. Of course that was with AJ as GM.

[Steve]

IT may be worth noticing that the last moderate bust we had was Verrett. I say moderate because they evaluated him in terms of ability alright, but missed on the durability. But he was a need pick. Fluker was a need pick. Bosa was not a need. Nether was James. Or Williams. Looking at it that way, the path forward seems obvious. Don't draft needs, that is what FA is for, and the FA period is still not over.

[Xenos]

IT may be worth noticing that the last moderate bust we had was Verrett. I say moderate because they evaluated him in terms of ability alright, but missed on the durability. But he was a need pick. Fluker was a need pick. Bosa was not a need. Nether was James. Or Williams. Looking at it that way, the path forward seems obvious. Don't draft needs, that is what FA is for, and the FA period is still not over.

Bosa technically was since we initially drafted him to be a 34 DE in Pagano's system.

[Xenos]

Our top needs according to Benoit:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/04/12/draft-needs-targets-all-32-teams

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle. Nose-shade tackle Brandon Mebane still plays at a high level, but next year he'll be 35 and on a contract that could be nullified for a $4.25 million cap savings. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have depth, especially after losing Damion Square, Corey Liuget and Darius Philon this offseason. Ideally, the Chargers would find a nimble 320-pounder who could replace Mebane on base downs and rush the passer from Liuget's and Philon's old 3-technique spots on passing downs. That type of specimen, however, is rare and would have to be plucked with a first-or maybe--maybe, if the Chargers are lucky--second-round pick.

Hidden Need: Guard. Left guard Dan Feeney and right guard Michael Schofield are both suitable for the man-to-man run-blocking designs that fit Melvin Gordon, but they struggled mightily against quality pass rushers last season.

Also Looking For: Linebacker. This offseason Denzel Perryman was re-signed to a new two-year, $12 million deal and longtime Panther Thomas Davis was signed for two years, $10.5 million. Add in Jatavis Brown and the Chargers have three linebackers who can compete in nickel (Davis and Brown would be the leading contenders to play third downs). And remember, last year this team in passing situations almost always played dime with safety Adrian Phillips in the box. That, however, could have been due to a lack of comfort with their linebacker situation. That lack of comfort should remain, at least in GM Tom Telesco's mind. Good as Perryman and Davis are, neither is the perfect stabilizer. Perryman has missed 16 games over the last two years and, overall, 22 games in his four-year career. Davis is 36. Finding a reliable long-term source for fast, decisive linebacking is crucial in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's pure Cover 3 scheme.

Who They Can Get: There is a nimble 300-pounder who could probably hold his own on base downs and potentially dominate on passing downs, a top-five talent in this draft. And Mississippi State DT Jeffery Simmons could very well be available late in the first--but, of course, the team drafting him won't get a contribution in 2019 after Simmons tore his ACL in February. If they're looking solely for a Mebane heir apparent, that would be Clemson DT Dexter Lawrence, a 340-pound dominating run defender and someone who has flashed potential as a pass-rusher, but not a player you would confidently project into that role. They could solidify the interior of the offensive line with someone like Kansas State's Dalton Risner or, if one of them slips, Alabama's Jonah Williams or Oklahoma's Cody Ford.

[powderblueboy]

IT may be worth noticing that the last moderate bust we had was Verrett. I say moderate because they evaluated him in terms of ability alright, but missed on the durability. But he was a need pick. Fluker was a need pick. Bosa was not a need. Nether was James. Or Williams. Looking at it that way, the path forward seems obvious. Don't draft needs, that is what FA is for, and the FA period is still not over.

I think the choice of Verret over Roby tells you a bit about Telesco's mind set in the first round: he'd rather gamble on top flight talent rather than take a safer, less spectacular player (who might have a 2nd round grade). Fluker also fits in that category... i remember Telesco saying something akin to "it's rare to find a huge player with an aggressive, nasty mind set."

Gordon was seemingly the last player they had a first round grade on: Telesco mentioned there being 15 impact players in that draft. If they have a first round grade on a player & he falls to them at #28, irregardless of most positions, the Chargers will take him.

[powderblueboy]

Our top needs according to Benoit:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/04/12/draft-needs-targets-all-32-teams

Simmons, of course, might be the only guy with a first round grade at #28. Telesco is a long-view type guy. My first guess would be Simmons.