2021 Draft Grades

Formula 21 · 05-01-2021, 04:57 PM

PFN

NFL Draft Grades 2021: Analysis and grades for all 7 rounds in 2021 NFL Draft

With the 2021 NFL Draft in the books, how did the draft classes for all 32 teams grade? Which teams impressed and who struggled?

Ben Rolfe
Published
12 mins a

Los Angeles Chargers 2021 draft grade

This was a really strong draft for the Los Angeles Chargers. Essentially every single pick hit the mark across the board and has the potential to upgrade this roster. The Chargers are sitting in a great position heading into 2021. If Justin Herbert continues to develop, this roster could quickly challenge the Chiefs.

Grade: A-

Formula 21 · 05-01-2021, 04:53 PM

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

R1 (13): T Rashawn Slater, Northwestern
R2 (47): CB Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
R3 (77): WR Josh Palmer, Tennessee
R3 (97): TE Tre’ McKitty, Georgia
R4 (118): EDGE Chris Rumph II, Duke
R5 (159): T Brenden Jaimes, Nebraska
R6: (185): LB Nick Niemann, Iowa
R6 (198): RB Larry Rountree III, Missouri
R7 (241): CB Mark Webb, Georgia

Day 1: Some draft analysts had Rashawn Slater as the No. 1 offensive tackle on their boards. A player who had outstanding performances against Chase Young in college, Slater allowed only five total pressures on over 350 pass-blocking snaps in 2019 before opting out of the 2020 season. The Chargers have done a fantastic job of rebuilding their offensive line since the end of the season. Slater completes that job for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Day 2: The Chargers stand out as one of the early winners in this draft with the selection of Slater in the first round and Samuel in Round 2. Samuel’s instincts and quicks make him an ideal fit in his projected off-ball zone role in Brandon Staley’s new defense in Los Angeles. He recorded a forced incompletion rate above 20% over the course of his career at Florida State.

Palmer was one of the few wide receivers in this Day 2 range who fit the bill as a seemingly well-rounded player on the outside. Don’t be swayed by his lackluster production over the past few seasons at Tennessee. The quarterback situation there did Palmer no favors. He can create separation underneath and in the intermediate range with sudden routes and was one of the few receivers to beat new Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II deep this past season. He is a legitimate third option at the position beyond Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

This is a big reach for the Chargers. If they had to take a player who struggled to produce in college, you’d at least like to see them take someone who either has size or athleticism. Instead, they take a player who has neither. McKitty’s one trait is his hand size, which is in the 99th percentile, but his 14.3% drop rate tells you that it might not matter much. A head-scratching pick for a player ranked 246th on our board.

Day 3: Rumph is one of the most interesting Day 3 prospects. His pass-rush toolbox is as good as anyone’s in the draft, but he is extremely undersized. It didn’t stop him from being one of the most productive pass-rushers in college football over the past couple of years, with pass-rush grades of 92.7 and 78.1 and 92 total pressures on just over 440 pass-rushes. Play strength is a different story in the NFL, though. He’s a candidate to move to off-ball linebacker.

Draft Grade: A+

2021 Draft Grades

Leave a comment: