2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

**DerwinBosa** · 04-24-2024, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by Ghost of Quacksaw View Post

With all due respect, the new admin hasn't had many opportunities to fuck up yet, so I understand people's reluctance to blindly trust.

IMO, it's unlikely Hortiz will botch this draft and leave us forum members scratching our <body parts of choice>.in disbelief.

We have a head coach who has taken his teams to three NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in the NFL, and won a National Championship in college. He handpicked this general manager.

If people are going to complain about Harbaugh and Hortiz not picking their guy or position, that's their right, but I believe they should seriously consider applying for a general manager position in the NFL if they think they can do better.

**Fleet 1** · 04-24-2024, 11:06 AM

So many of the highest paid WRs in this league were not 1st rounders. Or high 1st rounders. Many in the top 10 were 2s and 3s. And given the premium price we will see a major shift in college and the best athletes playing WR or the other side CB. Amon Ra just reset the WR market. So it does make a lot of sense to grab one of the stud WRs at 5. Getting a $30M player potentially and having him on a rookie deal makes a lot of sense. But this list(below) shows thats its not critical. I keep hearing that Bowers isnt worth the 5th pick because the top TEs in the league were not high first rounders etc. Im just saying the logic being used on TEs can be used on WRs as well. Especially when you look at the list below.

This draft, and i suspect drafts in years to come, will always have great WRs as the best athletes gravitate towards those positions. And in this draft particularly...with so many potential big paydays from players who will likley not go in round 1?...why not take a player who most scouts likely view as a HOF lock type of player? Bowers is that guy. You get the one player many scouts have that "HOF Potential" tag next to his name....and target a WR in the 2nd? This list proves that its done often.

When you make your draft board you dont just give a guy a round grade. You project HOF....Perennial All Pro....routine all star....day 1 elite status...or maybe "solid starter" etc. You project that career. Most teams have maybe 18-20 first round grades on players in a given draft. So even if we trade out of 5 and got the Vikes 11/23...you may not get a player with a 1st round grade in the bottom 3rd of the 1st round. Given the depth at the WR position...i feel like if i were a GM and my goal was to draft 2 potential elite players with my 1st and 2nd round picks? Id assume the WR pool would be a great spot to target in the 2nd...and go with the HOF lock at 5. And that is Bowers. He is low hanging fruit if im looking for that lock stud at pick 5. I just love the idea that WRs in the coming years will be so plentiful that you dont always have to use a 1st on one.

I do have Harrison/Nabers and Rome as potential HOF locks however lol. But im just trying to draft as many guys as i can that have the potential to be max contract guys at their prospective positions when they are due for the 2nd contract. In fantasy...guys are drafting Kelce in round 1 just because he is such a unicorn. And its so much easier to find those WRs in the 2nd/3rd rounds. I know the draft is not fantasy...but the kelce thing in fantasy is in a way how teams may be viewing Bowers. Take the easy perennial best at his position type of guy that is also a massive part of your ability to score and produce....and then pull from the massive player pool at a position of great value in the draft, in the 2nd. And thats the WR group.

Again im not saying i dont want Nabers or Harrison. I love the shit out of them. But if my life depended on drafting 2 perennial studs in round 1 and 2? Id take the low hanging fruit at 5 and thats Bowers. And then in round 2 the WR fruit should also be in abundance.

I hope you guys understand what im traying to say here. Again im not making the case against guys like Harrison or Nabers...im just trying to find a way to get the most elite players and i have always felt that if there is a major gap between the top 1 or 2 players and the rest of the draft class at that position? Makes sense to get that player in round 1. McCaffrey was the last guy i used this logic on. Many here were not feeliing that. But he was a total HOF lock and the rest of the RBs had question marks. But many did go on to have solid careers. Kamara. Cook. Mixon. But they are not CMC. I was in love with that kid. That draft i was also all over Cooper Kupp. So it would have been McCafferey and Kupp for us. This is sort of why i beat the Bowers drum so hard. At least a glimpse into my logic. I think Bowers will be the best TE in the league soon enough. In the right situation. And Herbert and this system is the perfect fit. As much as i want more draft picks...i also just assume take the perennial all pro in round 1...and thats Harrison/Nabers/Bowers/Rome. And if my career was banking on the need for drafting 2 of those types? The 2nd round pick would come from the positional group that is the deepest. And thats WR in this draft.

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Receivers

Rank	Player	Team	Compensation
1	Tyreek Hill	Miami Dolphins	$30 million
2	Davante Adams	Las Vegas Raiders	$28 million
3	Cooper Kupp	Los Angeles Rams	$26.7 million
T-4	A.J. Brown	Philadelphia Eagles	$25 million
T-4	DeVonta Smith	Philadelphia Eagles	$25 million
6	D.K. Metcalf	Seattle Seahawks	$24 million
7	Deebo Samuel	San Francisco 49ers	$23.9 million
8	Michael Pittman Jr.	Indianapolis Colts	$23.3 million
9	Calvin Ridley	Tennessee Titans	$23 million
10	Terry McLaurin	Washington Commanders	$22.8 million
11	Stefon Diggs	Houston Texans	$22.5 million
12	Tee Higgins	Cincinnati Bengals	$21.8 million
13	D.J. Moore	Chicago Bears	$20.6 million
14	Mike Evans	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	$20.5 million
15	Keenan Allen	Chicago Bears	$20.03 million
T-16	Amari Cooper	Cleveland Browns	$20 million
T-16	Chris Godwin	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	$20 million
18	Brandin Cooks	Dallas Cowboys	$19.9 million
19	Diontae Johnson	Carolina Panthers	$18.4 million
20	Christian Kirk	Jacksonville Jaguars	$18 million
21	Jerry Jeudy	Cleveland Browns	$17.5 million
22	Courtland Sutton	Denver Broncos	$15.2 million
23	Tyler Lockett	Seattle Seahawks	$14.8 million
T-24	Darnell Mooney	Atlanta Falcons	$13 million
T-24	Gabriel Davis	Jacksonville Jaguars	$13 million
T-24	DeAndre Hopkins	Tennessee Titans	$13 million

**charger1_sj** · 04-24-2024, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by Jack Burton View Post

Yeah. I hope the Chargers don’t end up with Mitchell or Thomas Jr no matter what happens. Those guy were overhyped this entire time.

If we don't get one of the top 3 WRs or Bowers and we still need a WR then Thomas Jr. is a good bet.

**dmac_bolt** · 04-24-2024, 11:31 AM

Originally posted by CanadianBoltFan View Post

This is interesting from The Athletic

2024 NFL Draft confidential: Coaches pick Nabers over Harrison

I had planned on leading The Athletic’s annual NFL Draft confidential with the quarterback intel I’ve gathered; after all, this is the exact kind of quarterback crop that makes the draft so fascinating: star power, intrigue and a half-dozen potential first-rounders. But after speaking to more than a dozen NFL coaches and scouts over the past month, I needed to audible. That’s what I realized after several interesting conversations about the receivers.

I came away from the NFL Scouting Combine thinking that the two closest players to sure things were Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze. In Harrison, you have the son of an NFL receiving great and the most complete of what has been a remarkable run of Buckeye star wideouts over the past decade — many of whom have shined in the NFL. I’d assumed he would be the No. 1 guy on everyone’s wide receivers board.

But apparently, that is not the case. At all.

Marvin Harrison, Rome Odunze … and Malik Nabers above them both

“(Harrison’s) not No. 1 to me,” said a veteran NFL receivers coach, whose team is in the market for another top receiver, and whom we’ll ID as WR Coach 1. “(LSU’s Malik) Nabers is the No. 1 on my list and I think he is on a lot of people’s lists. He’s just different to me. I don’t think it’s anything toward Marvin, it’s just really that Nabers is that good. His skills with the ball in his hands are really different. His acceleration is just different. His explosive is different. He tracks the ball really well. He’s a smaller guy but he can still play outside. He’s rare in a lot of ways. He’s got some Ja’Marr Chase in him, some DJ Moore skills. I hesitate to say this because Tyreek Hill’s speed is just so different from anybody in the league, but Nabers has some of that kind of burst and just so explosive off the line of scrimmage.

“He’s as fast as the person chasing him. He’s gonna run away from whoever. If Deion was chasing him, he’d go 4.21 or whatever. He’s the best WR prospect since Chase and on tape, I think he’s even more impressive. This dude is different.”

Another long-time NFL assistant, who has coached receivers and been an NFL offensive coordinator, agreed that Nabers was the top receiver prospect.

“It’s Nabers and then there’s a gap,” said Offensive Assistant 1. “He is the best wide receiver in the draft in a couple of years, maybe more. He is Tyreek Hill combined with both of those San Francisco guys (Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk). He is so explosive. He has a second gear. He can stop on a dime. He breaks tackles. You can’t jam him because he’s just too quick and if you miss at all, he’s gonna outrun you. He’s really competitive but he can be a pain in the ass. He’ll be the guy who’ll have something to say to the coordinator coming off the field. He’s got that edge to him where he doesn’t know when to let up. He doesn’t know that those guys are on his side.”

Scout 1: “Nabers is so much more explosive. I think he has more upside. I don’t know if I trust him like I trust Marvin. I trust Marvin to be disciplined.”

WR Coach 2: “We have Nabers as No. 1. He’s got all the ability in the world. He’s got Receiver No. 1 written all over him. He does have some stuff he’s got to clean up. Route running, which will come naturally with the right coach and group of receivers. So much upside. He just brings a different presence. His physicality. You see that on tape. He’s got that dawg in him.”

Harrison, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Biletnikoff Award winner, is bigger than the 6-feet, 199-pound Nabers, who finished second in the FBS with 1,569 receiving yards and third with 14 touchdowns. Harrison ranked No. 2 on the Freaks List in 2023 after putting up impressive numbers in the Buckeyes strength program. He’s bench pressed 380 pounds, broad-jumped 10 feet 8, clocked 3.94 in the shuttle and topped out at 23.5 mph, according to Ohio State sources. But Harrison didn’t do any of the testing in the draft process, which has added to some skepticism about his explosiveness.

“Marvin is great too,” said WR Coach 1. “You question just how fast he is. He can take the top off and he’s got elite ball skills and elite tracking. I don’t see 23 mph — that’s really, really fast. He’s to me more of a glider, build-up speed type of guy. Which you would expect, because he is huge.”

Offensive Assistant 1: “Marvin is really good. Polished. If you’re looking to pick on something, he’s not gonna run by people. They’re gonna squat on him at the top of the break. He’s good. I just wished he did the testing. He comes across as casual a little bit.”

Scout 1: “I think Marvin is pretty damn explosive. Physically, he’s like a 6-3 CeeDee Lamb. He just doesn’t have that innate dog that Malik has.”

WR Coach 2: “Harrison is like a fluid, smooth receiver. He doesn’t have the same elite traits like Nabers. He can separate and catches the ball real well. I don’t think he wows you.”

Odunze is as tall as Harrison and a little thicker at 212 pounds. He did all the testing in Indianapolis, clocking a 4.45 40 with a 1.52 10-yard split, vertical jumping 39 inches and going 4.03 in the 20-yard shuttle. Last season at Washington, Odunze led the nation in receiving yards with 1,640 to go with 82 catches and 13 touchdowns.

Scout 1: “Rome is the safest guy of the receivers. He’s just not as talented as Malik or Harrison as far as getting consistent separation at an NFL level. I trust him a little more than those guys. As far as strength through the catch, he might be the best. He’s built right to last and run routes.”

WR Coach 1: “He’s great at tracking the ball; he’s rugged and has good run after the catch ability. Can play inside and out, and he’s so smart — like different type of smart. He can pick things up so easily and will adapt easily to the pro game because of the system and the concepts they had there, and that really shows up in his game.”

Offensive Assistant 1: “I like the grit and his lower body is really strong. But he’s not running by people or closing cushion like Nabers does.”

WR Coach 2: “I think you have a top two with Malik and Marvin, and then I think there’s Rome, who I don’t think is in that same tier as those two. Rome has the make-up to be really good but in my opinion he doesn’t have the elite traits like the other two. I question his top-end (speed). He doesn’t have that juice like Nabers. He’s more of a possession-type receiver. He’s a more polished route runner, but I don’t think he’s to the level of Marvin.”

Nabers has been my favorite WR for exactly the reasons many scouts describe. The explosion/acceleration and ability change direction faster than DBs can cover it is a difference that pops on tape imo. MH2 is close, Odunze really isnt. Nabers has best cut/change of direction and acceleration of the 3. When he wants it, he slams another gear to create instant 2+ yard separation more frequently than the others. Odunze is king of contested catches because he does not have that hyper-speed burst to separate, he is always covered and while he’ll still win contested catches, the DBs in the NFL are a lot better than the average college player. His top end speed is back-40 speed, not off the line speed. He doesn’t change direction faster than DBs can mirror him - those are huge differences when it comes to are you open or are you not open.

I’d rather Herbie have the guy who is racing open away from defenders than Herbie having to force laser-precise darts where Odunze can use his big body to screen defenders. Its why I wanted Zay last year, its why I wanted Nabers (if we go WR at 5 and not trade out). MH2 is a more pure classic X WR1, but Nabers is more versatile in the slot and I disagree with others that have posted he can’t play the X. just a perspective.

**Formula 21** · 04-24-2024, 11:35 AM

My preferred draft strategy - pick needs before wants. We need a wr, we want an OL. We want a rb, we need an ILB. We need S and CB, we want OL and ED. Of course, this is all on a BPA, take the faller, framework.

**dmac_bolt** · 04-24-2024, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by Ghost of Quacksaw View Post

The meet up was for the Chargers to decide what cluster to put him in.

Whichever pick that turns out to be, when it's on the clock, Hortiz will look at who's left in the cluster and go from there.

To channel my good friend and artist Topcat … they met with him to confirm he’s, ahem, legit?

**wu-dai clan** · 04-24-2024, 11:44 AM

Topcat and dmac.
"Three of a Perfect Pair."

**CanadianBoltFan** · 04-24-2024, 11:46 AM

I hate to say but from the latest I am reading it sounds like the Chargers are taking a tackle, even at 5

**Bolt4Knob** · 04-24-2024, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by Formula 21 View Post

My preferred draft strategy - pick needs before wants. We need a wr, we want an OL. We want a rb, we need an ILB. We need S and CB, we want OL and ED. Of course, this is all on a BPA, take the faller, framework.

My strategy
pick the best damn player every time you are drafting
and if it comes to a point where you have drafted a position - than you go with the next best position to fill out the roster

The Chargers have needs at almost every damn position.

**Formula 21** · 04-24-2024, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by Bolt4Knob View Post

My strategy
pick the best damn player every time you are drafting
and if it comes to a point where you have drafted a position - than you go with the next best position to fill out the roster

The Chargers have needs at almost every damn position.

Except at the top of first, there’s rarely a best player, there are best groups of players. The exception being fallers of course. And then you have to examine why they are a faller and what you missed.

**Bolt4Knob** · 04-24-2024, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by CanadianBoltFan View Post

I hate to say but from the latest I am reading it sounds like the Chargers are taking a tackle, even at 5

And if the talent meets the pick, thats fine. I just don't want them reaching to fill need - meaning a better pure football player is still on the board (non-QBs). And who knows, they might have Latham and Alt ranked ahead of Nabers on their draft board. We will never know

**Bolt4Knob** · 04-24-2024, 12:08 PM

Originally posted by Formula 21 View Post

Except at the top of first, there’s rarely a best player, there are best groups of players. The exception being fallers of course. And then you have to examine why they are a faller and what you missed.

I disagree. My guess, there is clear delineation between players in terms of "grading score." Especially in the top 5-10. You make a point about fallers but at the same time - don't over think those guys if the background has checked out.

2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

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