Welcome Cortez Broughton DT Cincinnati

[Formula 21]

Maybe its just me, but from rounds 4-7, the players all look the same to me, except for the occasional faller.

[like54ninjas]

The 2019 NFL draft is officially behind us.

We have spent the last week evaluating and grading the draft class as a whole, but now the attention is going to be specifically towards the individual players themselves as rookie minicamp is upon us.

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco has had a knack for finding Day 3 gems, whether it's linebackers Kyzir White and Jatavis Brown or cornerback Desmond King.

This year's haul brought some promising players, but the one who has a chance to contribute in a huge way, outplay his draft slot and be the notorious late-round gem is seventh-round pick Cortez Broughton. EmailSign up Like this article?

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Addressing the interior part of the defensive line was one of the main focuses coming into the draft. Los Angeles took DT Jerry Tillery right off the bat with its first-round selection and waited until its last pick to snag Broughton.

Broughton was seen as a fifth- or sixth-round prospect throughout the pre-draft process. It's obvious that the league thought differently on him than many media pundits, given has actual draft spot.

A four-year starter for the Bearcats, Broughton played up and down the defensive line over his college career. The first couple seasons were puzzling because he primarily played off the edge, which for him appeared to be out of position and the statistics showed.

Thanks to a defensive scheme change in his senior year, Broughton broke out as an all-conference defensive tackle in 2018. He topped his personal career-best marks in tackles for loss (18.5) and sacks (7.5). The former Cincinnati product then proceeded to shine at the East-West Shrine Game, which is where he caught the attention of the Chargers' scouts.

A combine snub, Broughton didn't have the opportunity to showcase that in front of the copious amount of scouts. Instead, he waited until his school's Pro Day. He didn't disappoint, amassing a 4.98 40-yard dash, 1.77 10-yard split, 33.5-inch vertical, 113-inch broad jump, 7.65 three-cone drill and 4.57 short shuttle.

That athleticism was evident on film. The name of the game for the 6-foot-2 and 290-pound defensive tackle is his powerful first step. He is quick off the snap to penetrate through gaps and invade the opponent's backfield.



Broughton has a powerful upper body and heavy hands to dispose of blockers at the point of attack. Here, is playing off the edge where he throws a vicious hump move on the right tackle.



Broughton doesn't only possess a strong upper half, his lower body strength is evident to work his way through contact where he lives for bullying blockers into the laps of the quarterback.



If Broughton is unable to work his way into the backfield to cause pressure, he would always make sure that he was trying to contribute in some way. Even if that meant getting his arms up to defend the pass, he would excel at it, finishing with 10 passes defensed.



Not only does he get after the passer efficiently, but he is also stout against the run. Broughton anchors at the point of attack against the double team. He splits it and gets underneath, leaving the running back nowhere to go.



Outside of the positives, there are things are Broughton will need to work on. He needs some polish by using his hands more as a pass rusher and run defender to get together a game plan as opposed to relying purely on initial quickness. It will make it easier by keeping his chest clean at the next level.

Along with that, the former Cincinnati product will need to be more consistent at playing with lower pads. He can play upright and narrow quite often, which will get him washed out of plays.

With Los Angeles being thin at the defensive tackle position, Broughton should have no problem earner playing time early on. It's unlikely that he will be a starter in 2019, but he should be a rotational player and key interior defender in his second season.

If Broughton does indeed unlock his full potential, we will be looking back at this with the words, "Telesco did it again."

[powderblueboy]

I don't get why a player like Broughton almost goes undrafted? Is he actually 5'11" with short arms?

[like54ninjas]

I don't get why a player like Broughton almost goes undrafted? Is he actually 5'11" with short arms?

He was a top 75 prospect on my board.
He played for several DCs and out of position for most his career. His senior season was outstanding and he possesses the explosive traits I covet. I am more excited to see Cortez in our rotation than I am Jerry.

[Topcat]

He was a top 75 prospect on my board.
He played for several DCs and out of position for most his career. His senior season was outstanding and he possesses the explosive traits I covet. I am more excited to see Cortez in our rotation than I am Jerry.

Wow, so you have Cortez rated higher than Tillery?

[like54ninjas]

Wow, so you have Cortez rated higher than Tillery?

I did indeed. He will be very effective in our rotation. He is extremely disruptive, powerful, and quick. Needs hand technique/placement refinement, position consistency/defined role, learn to take advantage of his natural leverage power at POA, & block scheme recognition.

I now hope I was dead wrong on Tillery. He has traits but just disappeared way too often on film for me. If you just watched his 2018 Michigan & Stanford games he will be DROY. I am now watching those 2 weekly to increase my love for Tillery.

[Cdn Bolt]

Nice CBS Article . Kelvin Harmon, Julian Love and other Day 3 picks who can be instant impact rookies

Cortez Broughton, DT, Chargers

First-round pick Jerry Tillery is precisely the type of interior disruptor the Chargers have needed for a long time, particularly since Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa have established themselves as arguably the best outside pass-rushing duo in football.

However, Los Angeles' depth at defensive tackle is still lackluster. Brandon Mebane is into his 30s now and a niche space-eater. Justin Jones, who was picked in the third round of the 2018 Draft out of NC State, barely saw the field as a rookie, and Ty McGill has been deep depth his entire career.

That's it. Those are the defensive tackles currently on the Chargers' roster. Huge opening for Broughton up front. The Cincinnati star had an inauspicious career until he moved inside to what clearly is his natural position close to the football. As a senior he had 18.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks thanks to a ridiculous first step, low center-of-gravity pop, and a non-stop motor. He isn't a hand-use master but regularly wins the leverage battle and is typically the first defensive lineman into the backfield because of his acceleration off the snap. He wasn't invited to the combine yet tested extremely well at his pro day.

Broughton looks like the classic late-round pick who'll surprise in camp and the preseason, make the team, and make an impact in Year 1 as a rotational piece.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/kelvin-harmon-julian-love-and-other-day-3-picks-who-can-be-instant-impact-rookies/

[21&500]

I did indeed. He will be very effective in our rotation. He is extremely disruptive, powerful, and quick. Needs hand technique/placement refinement, position consistency/defined role, learn to take advantage of his natural leverage power at POA, & block scheme recognition.

I now hope I was dead wrong on Tillery. He has traits but just disappeared way too often on film for me. If you just watched his 2018 Michigan & Stanford games he will be DROY. I am now watching those 2 weekly to increase my love for Tillery.

Which games would you say would be the best examples of JT disappearing?
im asking sincerely because I'm skeptical but I also realize how closely you watch film.
The impression I got from watching his less than stellar games thus far has been that it's more about the lack of talent around him, especially on the Dline.
even with a guy like Julian Love, I saw offenses able to pick that secondary apart quickly.
Essentially I saw offenses that were able to work around JT or double team him or stall him by chipping with the first Olineman before being blocked by another (I forgot what you call that)
When I realized he played his last 8 games with a torn labrum I was even more sold.

[Topcat]

I did indeed. He will be very effective in our rotation. He is extremely disruptive, powerful, and quick. Needs hand technique/placement refinement, position consistency/defined role, learn to take advantage of his natural leverage power at POA, & block scheme recognition.

I now hope I was dead wrong on Tillery. He has traits but just disappeared way too often on film for me. If you just watched his 2018 Michigan & Stanford games he will be DROY. I am now watching those 2 weekly to increase my love for Tillery.

Hard to believe the Bolt coaching staff could be so off on Tillery, but always possible. Sure hope he and Cortez both push that pocket right up into Golden Boy Brady's face...

[like54ninjas]

Which games would you say would be the best examples of JT disappearing?
im asking sincerely because I'm skeptical but I also realize how closely you watch film.
The impression I got from watching his less than stellar games thus far has been that it's more about the lack of talent around him, especially on the Dline.
even with a guy like Julian Love, I saw offenses able to pick that secondary apart quickly.
Essentially I saw offenses that were able to work around JT or double team him or stall him by chipping with the first Olineman before being blocked by another (I forgot what you call that)
When I realized he played his last 8 games with a torn labrum I was even more sold.

2017 - MIAMI, MICHIGAN ST
2018 - VANDY, USC, PITT

[Topcat]

Which games would you say would be the best examples of JT disappearing?
im asking sincerely because I'm skeptical but I also realize how closely you watch film.
The impression I got from watching his less than stellar games thus far has been that it's more about the lack of talent around him, especially on the Dline.
even with a guy like Julian Love, I saw offenses able to pick that secondary apart quickly.
Essentially I saw offenses that were able to work around JT or double team him or stall him by chipping with the first Olineman before being blocked by another (I forgot what you call that)
When I realized he played his last 8 games with a torn labrum I was even more sold.

Yep...so that labrum injury cut Tillery's moves down to a half rip and a half swim...

[beachcomber]

would surmise/scry that Broughton has a good chance to eventually win the starting nod @3T.... (tend to agree w/Ninja's evals of the two, as....)

think Tillery is going to end up being a very versatile rotational piece/element to our Dline, being able to play all three positions, including nose and strong side DE.

still see DT/NT as a major need post Mebane and heading into next year's draft.... (Derrick Brown pls)