Chargers Draft Recap
By: Michael Sewell
The NFL Draft spanned three days starting on April 29th and finishing on May 1st. Over 250 college players were drafted hoping to be impact players for one of the 32 NFL teams. The draft is a huge event for football fans as these players can become perennial stars and building blocks for good franchises to succeed. Although nobody can truly predict how good the drafted players will turn out, we can still speculate and give our best guesses. The Los Angeles Chargers went into the draft with nine picks over the seven rounds hoping to find new stars for the team. Going into it, some of the biggest holes on the roster were at the positions of offensive line, cornerback, safety, and tight end.
The Chargers first pick was number 13 overall and they selected offensive tackle Rashawn Slater out of Northwestern. Projected to go earlier, most experts did not see Slater falling to pick number 13. He was the consensus number two overall offensive lineman available and a "lock" to be picked in the top 10 selections. The fact that he fell down to number 13 was the best case scenario for the Chargers and general manager Tom Telesco was happy to add him to the roster. Slater brings great size and quickness to the position and should have no trouble adjusting to the NFL game.
The next pick the Chargers had was in round two at pick 47 overall. Telesco was handed another match made in heaven as cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. out of Florida State was available. Not only was Samuel one of the best players available at that spot, but he also fills a massive need for the Chargers giving them a starting caliber cornerback. Samuel's dad was a great player in the league and has taught his son everything he knows. The best part of this pick however, is the scheme fit as Samuel is very familiar with the type of defense the Chargers will be playing next season.
The Chargers held two picks in the third round and they chose to select two playmakers on offense. Receiver Josh Palmer out of Tennessee and tight end Tre McKitty out of Georgia were picked to add weapons to the potent offense. While both of these players may have been picked earlier than their skill suggests, they both have plenty of potential to contribute to the Chargers passing game.
Their draft pick in the fourth round was pass rusher Chris Rumph out of Duke University. This was a solid pick by GM Telesco as Rumph is a big body that can add great power and speed to the defense, and another presence to get after the opposing quarterback.
The fifth and sixth round selections were players that will most likely be backups but may eventually grow into starting level players. Offensive Tackle Brenden Jaimes, linebacker Nick Niemann and running-back Larry Rountree were all selected to provide depth and good potential in case of injury and any other unforeseen circumstances.
The final selection was a safety in Georgia's Mark Webb. Most fans expected the Chargers to select a safety earlier on but Webb has great potential to go along with exceptional size and speed for the position. With the lack of bodies at the position in the current Chargers roster, he has a chance to make an impact early and often.
Overall, Telesco did a great job at finding depth and filling the major needs of the Chargers roster. Nobody knows how these players will turn out, but on paper the Chargers really nailed this draft.