Welcome Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

[Boltnut]

Zinter is solid in run blocking but not too strong in pass pro...remember all that IOL pressure last season? Need a dual purpose G...

True. Layden Robinson in the early 5th...?

[jaguarmanftype]

This guy is probably the best pick in the draft. May develop to be another Ray Lewis or Seau.

[Boltdiehard]

This guy is probably the best pick in the draft. May develop to be another Ray Lewis or Seau.

He probably just made Derwin even better as well at least I hope so. Can’t wait to see Minter go to work our defense blew so many games the last few years.

[Parcells]

Solid pick here. My gut says he’s the starter as a rookie and never gives it up.

[gzubeck]

You want you Puka Nacua? How about Troy Franklin? Weird draft...

[Xenos]

[ThatSinkingFeeling]

Excellent pick. Very happy with this.

[blueman]

Solid pick here. My gut says he’s the starter as a rookie and never gives it up.

Another surgeon for Mad Doctor Harbaugh.

[Kylars]

I fucking love Harbaugh. He is such a authentic person. No act, nothing.

[Kylars]

Beast has Jr #1:

STRENGTHS: Looks the part with a stout, well-proportioned frame … above-average take-on strength to step downhill, fill with pop and maintain his leverage versus climbing blockers … moves well laterally with bounce in his steps … accelerates quickly to mirror and make plays outside the numbers … physical form tackler with immediate stopping power … length is an asset when tackling out in space … athletic mover in coverage with widescreen vision to pick up backside crossers in zone … uses his coverage awareness to sniff out throwing lanes and force quarterbacks to think twice before throwing … understands football concepts, and the coaches trust him to run the defense … his coaches speak highly of his work ethic and the way he has developed his body … zero penalties in 2023 and mental mistakes declined each season … high-level pain tolerance — played through a foot injury in 2022 and broken bones that required casts on both hands over the second half of the 2023 season (Colson: “Unless I can’t physically move, I’m going to be out there playing.”) … played in all 43 games Michi gan played after enrolling in Ann Arbor … awarded the 2023 Lott Impact Trophy (“Impact” stands for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity) … strong tackle production with 257 career stops in his three college seasons.

WEAKNESSES: Needs to improve his patience working downhill and avoid traps set by the blocking scheme … his hand usage needs continued re finement for quicker sheds versus NFL engagement … guilty of wasted movements in his man-coverage drops … below-average ball production and needs to make quarterbacks pay for bad decisions (only five passes defended and zero interceptions on 1,006 career coverage snaps) … didn’t play on kick or punt coverages in 2023 with minimal experience on special teams … missed 2023 spring practices after offseason foot surgery (January 2023); didn’t work out at the combine because of right hamstring strain (February 2024).

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Michigan, Colson played the Mike linebacker role in former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s 4-2-5 scheme. The leader of the No. 1 defense in college football in 2023, he was voted the team’s Defensive MVP and won the Toughest Player Award, posting outstanding production in Ann Arbor with 196 tackles over the last two seasons (59 more than the second-leading tackler for the Wolverines over that span). Colson diagnoses the action well and quickly builds his speed to make stops at the line of scrimmage or out in space. He needs to continue honing his take-on timing and man-coverage anticipation, but he has an outstanding batting average as a tackler— and I only need one hand to count the missed tackles I charted from his 2023 tape. Overall, Colson checks a lot of boxes for the next level with his physicality downhill, athleticism in space and iron-man toughness that he brings to work every day. He projects as an NFL starting MIKE early in his career and a more complete version of Derrick Barnes of the Detroit Lions

[La Costa Boy]

I just watched the call from the Chargers to Junior when they picked him. The fact that not 1 but 5 people got on the phone with him and his family tells me about culture. Even Dean got on. EVRYbody is rowing the same direction.

[Riverwalk]

Three picks so far and each of them will no doubt be starters but also likely the best player on the Chargers at their position.


Contrast that with 2023 draft….QJ, Daiyan Henley, and Derius Davis, It’s laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic.

It didn’t get any better after the first three in that 2023 draft. Jordan McFadden, Scott Matlock, and Max Dugan were next picks.

FU Telesco.

It’s amazing the impact Harbaugh and Hortiz are having on this franchise. I think Edwards and Dobbins are huge upgrades to the RB room too.

Still some gaping holes to fill. DT & CB. And more WR’s.