2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Formula 21]

On Wednesday at Hancock Whitney Stadium, players practiced for the second day in preparation for Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl.

Here are the main takeaways from practice for the game, which features many players who will be selected in the NFL Draft: Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson looked like the best player on the field


From the moment practice began, it was evident Wilson was an above-average player. His day started off with several solid reps against quality cornerbacks in one-on-one drills. He continued to shine during more sophisticated drills as practice carried on, displaying explosiveness and break from his routes that were no match for defenders.

Wilson finished his day with a phenomenal one-handed catch on the sideline against Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who is considered to be one of the best corners available.

[Formula 21]

5) Oregon's massive center makes strong early impression.

Of the offensive linemen I watched in the National Team's first session, two stood out: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson and Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga. First of all, they're impossible to miss for sheer size reasons alone -- Fuaga is nearly 6-6 and 332 pounds, with an 81-inch wingspan, and Powers-Johnson is massive for a center at 6-3 and 334 pounds.

But Powers-Johnson was terrific in the early going, stonewalling Clemson's Tyler Davis on a bull rush in one-on-ones, handling Oregon's Brandon Dorlus, his college teammate, easily in full-team work and looking surprisingly fluid for a player whose superpower is bullying D-linemen.


Amazingly, Powers-Johnson only has one full season at center, but he handled those duties well Tuesday, just as he did all season for the Ducks. Some NFL teams could consider him at guard, too. That flexibility could help make him a top-25 pick.

Interestingly, after practice, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke with Powers-Johnson. And yes, center is a need for Pittsburgh. Tomlin famously chatted with Malik Willis a bunch at Senior Bowl practices a couple years ago, only to draft another Senior Bowl QB, Kenny Pickett. But it's not hard to picture Tomlin loving the hulking Ducks center.

[beachcomber]

Tomlin picks @20.... Jackson Powers Johnson ??

would almost leave a mandate to draft Sedrick Van Pran Granger @37, no.... ??

[Boltnut]

A bit dramatic...who is to say we cant jumpstart this offense with an O heavy draft this year, get Herbert back on track, then invest heavily in the defense next 2 drafts? Hardly a decade, smh...

There isnt a top ten defender in this draft...if we do trade back, maybe...I do like your draft haul, fantasy that it is...

But I got no problem letting Minter coach up this D, figure out the weak links, and then go about with the repairs.

But...what we do with the current roster could change my focus...if we get rid of Bosa, Kendricks, Davis, Johnson...but bring back our TE room and Mdub? Things shift. Gotta see what roster moves we make to get a better idea of how the draft shakes out...

But if we need D, we HAVE to trade back...no defender in this draft worth #5

LOL! We never invest heavily in the defense "the next draft".
Over the last 4 drafts, we've invested exactly 2 picks (both 2nd rounders) on defensive players that belong in the NFL... Tuli and ASJ. That's it! Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that we won't try the easy way out again... blowing millions on over-hyped defensive free agents. Or maybe the defense will get better when HC waves his magic wand over poorly fortified defensive roster. Next year... LOL! I'm not surprised at all we have a bottom dwelling defense year after year.

There is never a top-10 defender... not with all that offensive player eye-candy being paraded around every draft. I say use that mentality against other teams. Trade back... build the "boring" defense. Maybe we'll sniff the playoffs... where all the good defenses hang out.

We don't have to get rid of Davis or Johnson... they're free agents. Same with Murray and Gilman. And with your best defensive player counting 38.5m against your 2024 cap... he might as well be a free agent. It sucks being old and over-paid. But that's what you get if you draft one side of the ball every year for the last 4 years... and ignore the other side.

It's time to trade back... we're years behind the good organizations.

[blueman]

Only guy I would want from that vid is McConkey. Bad.

[beachcomber]

peoples didn't think Aaron Donald was a top ten pick neither.... ?? !!

and despite what he said 'bout Trey (good on him).... still leaning (heavily) toward Fuaga.

OL-DL-LB !! 1-2-3 (OC in FA)

[gzubeck]

Only guy I would want from that vid is McConkey. Bad.

Kind of reminds me of past Patriots receivers. Constantly faking out defenders and then running open. The rest of them (receivers) were ho-hum players...

[gzubeck]

LOL! We never invest heavily in the defense "the next draft".
Over the last 4 drafts, we've invested exactly 2 picks (both 2nd rounders) on defensive players that belong in the NFL... Tuli and ASJ. That's it! Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that we won't try the easy way out again... blowing millions on over-hyped defensive free agents. Or maybe the defense will get better when HC waves his magic wand over poorly fortified defensive roster. Next year... LOL! I'm not surprised at all we have a bottom dwelling defense year after year.

There is never a top-10 defender... not with all that offensive player eye-candy being paraded around every draft. I say use that mentality against other teams. Trade back... build the "boring" defense. Maybe we'll sniff the playoffs... where all the good defenses hang out.

We don't have to get rid of Davis or Johnson... they're free agents. Same with Murray and Gilman. And with your best defensive player counting 38.5m against your 2024 cap... he might as well be a free agent. It sucks being old and over-paid. But that's what you get if you draft one side of the ball every year for the last 4 years... and ignore the other side.

It's time to trade back... we're years behind the good organizations.

You can't just will your team good defenders in a draft. I still see quality talent on the offensive side of the ball in the first two rounds and lots of good oline into the second round. Better to keep Mack for one more year if possible.

[Boltjolt]

LOL! We never invest heavily in the defense "the next draft".
Over the last 4 drafts, we've invested exactly 2 picks (both 2nd rounders) on defensive players that belong in the NFL... Tuli and ASJ. That's it! Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that we won't try the easy way out again... blowing millions on over-hyped defensive free agents. Or maybe the defense will get better when HC waves his magic wand over poorly fortified defensive roster. Next year... LOL! I'm not surprised at all we have a bottom dwelling defense year after year.

There is never a top-10 defender... not with all that offensive player eye-candy being paraded around every draft. I say use that mentality against other teams. Trade back... build the "boring" defense. Maybe we'll sniff the playoffs... where all the good defenses hang out.

We don't have to get rid of Davis or Johnson... they're free agents. Same with Murray and Gilman. And with your best defensive player counting 38.5m against your 2024 cap... he might as well be a free agent. It sucks being old and over-paid. But that's what you get if you draft one side of the ball every year for the last 4 years... and ignore the other side.

It's time to trade back... we're years behind the good organizations.

Hold on now, two of those "overhyped" defensive players we spent millions on, were guys you wanted for us. SJD and Austin Johnson.
pretty sure you were on board with JCJ too.

I won't deny that I was good with all three. We WILL draft defense. Need 1 or 2 LBs and a DT at least. 1 or 2 CBs. But we need a TE and OC and RB as well.

A couple of those will come as FAs.

Clever trades need to be made and MAYBE a move down to #8. Harbaugh is going to get his TE.

[Velo]

Hold on now, two of those "overhyped" defensive players we spent millions on, were guys you wanted for us. SJD and Austin Johnson.
pretty sure you were on board with JCJ too.

I won't deny that I was good with all three. We WILL draft defense. Need 1 or 2 LBs and a DT at least. 1 or 2 CBs. But we need a TE and OC and RB as well.

A couple of those will come as FAs.

Clever trades need to be made and MAYBE a move down to #8. Harbaugh is going to get his TE.

Austin Johnson was JAG. SJD had his moments but not very many of them.

If you want 1-2 LBs, a DT, 1-2 CBs, a TE, OC and RB in this draft, get on board with trading down a lot further than #8 to to stockpile picks in the value rounds, 2-4, which is where we will find this bounty. That means no Brock Bowers.

[Boltnut]

Sometimes the machine mocks get a little goofy.
Please don't tell me you think it is real.

Here's what's real... our defense has been horrendous for years now. Outside of pass-rusher last year, every other defensive group we have was severely lacking.

We have 1 over-paid, aging LB that has lost his coverage skills (Kendricks) and a totally unproven off-ball LB (Henly). Neither one looks remotely near the level @LB that Jim was accustomed to @Michigan or @SF. That's real.

We have 1 IDL that hasn't shown anything since coming off of knee surgery, and 1 IDL that is a situational pass-rusher (Fox). Again, this doesn't look like anything close to what Harbaugh had @Michigan or 49ers. That's real.

The NFL base defense is nickel... it's a passing league. We have a #2 CB (ASJ) and 2 guys starting that would barely make the 53-man roster anywhere else on another NFL team. Real real.

The IDL draft group may not be elite at the top... but the 3rd round prospects are solid into the end of the 3rd round.
The LB draft group is exactly as described above ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm sorry, but the Chargers current front 7 looks like it needs a good player at every level... even if Minter has a magic wand (unrealistic).
The Chargers will need to draft a center in the 2nd round if they want to run/pass block better. If you can't run better... don't expect easy sledding for Herbo... with or without a great TE.

Machines are goofy... but depth at certain positions are real.

[Lone Bolt]

LOL! We never invest heavily in the defense "the next draft".
Over the last 4 drafts, we've invested exactly 2 picks (both 2nd rounders) on defensive players that belong in the NFL... Tuli and ASJ. That's it! Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that we won't try the easy way out again... blowing millions on over-hyped defensive free agents. Or maybe the defense will get better when HC waves his magic wand over poorly fortified defensive roster. Next year... LOL! I'm not surprised at all we have a bottom dwelling defense year after year.

There is never a top-10 defender... not with all that offensive player eye-candy being paraded around every draft. I say use that mentality against other teams. Trade back... build the "boring" defense. Maybe we'll sniff the playoffs... where all the good defenses hang out.

We don't have to get rid of Davis or Johnson... they're free agents. Same with Murray and Gilman. And with your best defensive player counting 38.5m against your 2024 cap... he might as well be a free agent. It sucks being old and over-paid. But that's what you get if you draft one side of the ball every year for the last 4 years... and ignore the other side.

It's time to trade back... we're years behind the good organizations.

I have faith in Jim to get it right. I dont forgive you...things WILL BE DIFFERENT.

The past is the past...what needs to happen will happen. If its defense, Im in...just my personal opinion we get Herbert off the ground first.

There are almost always top ten defenders...usually edge...just not this year. You have to see that...really...

You are right...we dont have to give up some of our defenders...we can bring them back, maybe cheap...and get alot more from them with coaching. Mike Davis comes to mind...

But...I said I trust in Jim. Trade back, go defense and RB...try running back the TE group with coaching...maybe.

Honestly, "What Lola wants...Lola gets..." Lola being Jim, and some will get the reference.. be very interesting to see what he does this year. I will be sold on whatever he decides year one...but its no secret Im a Harbaugh fanboy.