2024 Chargers Draft Superthread - Prospect Discussion - Draft Has Started

[Fouts2herbert]

And the fact the Vikings have no 2nd round draft pick next year along with the massive cap hit we'd take if we traded him. But they certainly are persistent:

I can't tell if they are a satire site, though it kinda looks like it. Satire sites usually are at least a tiny bit funny.

Darrisaw was my guy that year but only because I never imagined we'd have a shot at Slater, but there is now way in hell I'm trading Herbert, even with Darrisaw included, that's pure stupidity and these folks indulging in this absurd fantasy of having Herbert under center in Minny are beyond hopeless, wow...talk about living in a fantasy world...

[DerwinBosa]

Here's what some scouts and executives said on the defensive tackles in this draft:

1. BYRON MURPHY, Texas (6-0 ½, 306, 4.90, 1): Third-year junior. “He’s built kind of like Grady Jarrett,” said one scout. “He’s got qualities like Christian Wilkins and a little bit like Kenny Clark. He’s smaller than Kenny Clark because he’s short but he’s compact, really explosive and has good hands. He fits the mold of what some some successful defensive tackles look like.” Played in a rotation with NFL draftees Keondre Coburn and Moro Ojomo and alongside starter T’Vondre Sweat in 2021-’22 before starting in ’23. “Justin Madubuike is probably the best comparison,” a second scout said. “He would have been in the first round (in 2020) if he didn’t have all the character stuff. I like Byron’s tape better than Ed Oliver’s. He’s much better than Grady Jarrett. He can play 3-(technique) or nose. He can two-gap if you need him to. As good a motor as you’ll see on an interior player. As a pass rusher, he can go through with power and he has legit edge ability, which you wouldn’t think he has the way he’s built. He’s a hard block for a guard because you can’t just (sit) on his bull because he’ll go right around you. If you protect your edges he’ll get underneath you and leverage you and bull your ass back to the quarterback. A-plus character. Great kid.” Arms measured 32 3/8 inches, hands were 10 ¼. “He’s going to be like Casey Hampton,” a third scout said. “I don’t know if he’s as strong as Casey Hampton but he sure looks like it. Hampton was a (nose tackle) but he had movement skills, too. This kid has unbelievable movement skills.” Finished with 70 tackles (15 for loss) and eight sacks. “I really believe he has to be a penetrator and a one-gapper,” said a fourth scout. “He can get in creases. Not that he’s not strong at the point; he’s more about hitting a gap and disrupting. If a team asked him to two-gap, stay square, hold the point, that’s just not his thing. He’s not very big and he doesn’t play very big. He is athletically driven. Maybe only half the league would want this guy because of scheme. Yeah, he might go top 15 but I had a hard time loving the guy.” Took about 10 snaps as a goal-line fullback and scored two touchdowns. “Don’t laugh,” said one scout. “He was killing dudes. He’s going to be a hammer fullback on goal-line. He’ll do that 100% (in the NFL).” From DeSoto, Texas.

2. JOHNNY NEWTON, Illinois (6-1 ½, 304, no 40, 1-2): Fourth-year senior, three-year starter mainly as a 3-technique. ”High motor,’ said one scout. “Lacks some length but compensates with good quickness, burst and power in both phases (run and pass). Has the physical tools to disrupt and see the field early. Just the size holds you back, but he doesn’t necessarily play to that. He’ll be a solid starter.” Arms were 32 3/8, hands were 9 ½. “He can really use his hands,” a second scout said. “His hands and feet are tied together, particularly as a rusher. He’s a little stiff and not real big, but he has a knack for rushing the passer.” Finished with 187 tackles (28 for loss) and 17 ½ sacks. “If you put him in a penetrating scheme he can change the line of scrimmage,” said a third scout. “He can play square and two-gap equally good. All 32 teams looking for a defensive lineman will find this guy as a fit. He absolutely has quickness and athleticism. He’s very, very strong at the point, and he can find the football where some guys don’t make any plays. Jordan Davis, the Georgia kid, didn’t make any plays.” Played hurt down the stretch in 2023 and underwent surgery on his foot in January. “It’s the infamous Jones fracture,” said a fourth scout. “Fifth metatarsal is one of the worst injuries you can have coming out because it is so highly likely to reoccur. Our doctors would say take those guys off the board … He plays a style that’s a big man’s game. He can use extension, press, shed and get to the ball. He plays high pads. His shin angles and ankle stiffness really show up. He’s an awesome college football player whose game does not translate ideally to the NFL. I don’t think he’ll be a failure because he’s instinctive and knows how to play the game.” From St. Petersburg, Fla.

3. DARIUS ROBINSON, Missouri (6-5, 285, 4.97, 1-2): Half the league probably views him as an edge player, half the league probably views him as a 3-4 defensive end/sub interior pass rusher. “He’s determined to be great,” said one scout. “That’s what I love about him, and it’s all real. He comes from (bleep).” Didn’t play high-school football in Canton, Mich., until his junior year. “This sucker might have the highest ceiling in the whole draft,” said a second scout. “The build, the talent. You watch him in the SEC, they line him up over tight ends in a 6-technique and he beats the shit out of that tight end. Kind of like Wayne Simmons back in the Brent Jones era. You say, ‘Holy smokes, they might throw him in prison for that.’ He is physical and violent.” Led the position in vertical jump (35 inches) and hand size (10 5/8). Arms were 34 ½. “He’s an edge rusher all day,” a third scout said. “He is violent. Plays his ass off. He’s gonna be really productive. He can win outside with a 4.97 40 because he can kick your ass. He’s got enough get-off. He’ll win because he’s got 34-inch arms and (big) hands. He’s as good a grab-and-jerk pass rusher as there in the draft … I can’t see him playing inside at all. He’s too stiff to be an every-down 5-technique.” Starting 30 of 47 games, he finished with 111 tackles (21 for loss) and 13 sacks. “He was real average and not productive at all as a tackle,” a fourth scout said. “As an end, the 290 can come into play as he sets the edge. He was a bit of an underachiever. Kind of body beautiful. The more you did, the less you like. He’s just a straight-line bull rusher.” From Southfield, Mich.



4. KRIS JENKINS, Michigan (6-2 ½, 301, 4.95, 2): Made 33 starts over four seasons. “Like that kid but he don’t make any plays in the pass or the run,” one scout said. “It’s all technique for him. He’s consistent. His weakness is his instincts. He doesn’t have Cullen Jenkins’ instincts. Cullen Jenkins is way better.” Cullen Jenkins (6-3, 305), his uncle, played 13 seasons for four teams and had 49 sacks. His father, Kris (6-4, 360), made four Pro Bowls from 2001-’10. “His old man was a beast,” said a second scout. “Amazing thing is, his old man was a whack job where this kid is a phenomenal kid. He was banged up at the end of the year. He’s too good of an athlete to drop too far.” Meager stat line showed 112 tackles (eight for loss), four sacks, one pass defensed and no forced fumbles. “At the end he was their third best defensive lineman,” a third scout said. “Their other two guys (Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant) were much better. I was kind of disappointed.” Arms were 34, hands were 9 3/8. “His effort and his play is so consistent,” said a third scout. “Not consistently amazing but every snap looks the same. You almost get bored watching this kid because he does the same thing every game. Isn’t that what we all want? He’ll be a functional starter. He’s got to play in one-gap scheme. If you just ask this guy to take on double teams he’ll struggle. I don’t think he’ll be a special rusher but he’ll be a good rusher. He plays hard.” From Olney, Md. “Just a try-hard guy,” a fourth scout said. “Knows how to play. Really not much of a factor. He’s fair. He probably makes it because of his dad but I didn’t see starter talent.”

5. BRADEN FISKE, Florida State (6-3 ½, 293, 4.76, 2): Played the 2023 season in Tallahassee after five years at Western Michigan. “I liked him way more this year than what I saw last year,” one scout said. “He took the money and improved his stock.” After a six-sack season for the Seminoles he was impressive at the Senior Bowl and aced the combine. “It always happens to a couple guys every year,” said a second scout. “He’s the one guy that won the process over in the spring. People fell in love with the workout. I think he’ll get overdrafted in the second (round). He’d be a great pick in the third.” His broad jump of 9-9 led the position. “He’s a determined, relentless athlete,” said a third scout. “His father’s a steelworker, his mom is blue collar. He’s f--king determined to win. Everybody talks about (FSU DE Jared) Verse but this guy has more of a motor than Verse. He challenges (Verse) every day at practice to be great. This kid is a winner.” Finished with 191 tackles (36 ½ for loss) and 19 ½ sacks. “I could watch the film all day long,” a fourth scout said. “You talk about passion. The negative is, hey, where’d he come from? He’s a transfer guy from the MAC so he’s a little bit late to the scene. I think this guy is destined for the first round.” His arms measured 31, the shortest at the position. Hands were 9 3/8. “We sit in meetings and say, ‘Length, length, length,’” said a fifth scout. “The guy’s got 31-inch arms. You know what you’re getting. Meat and potatoes guy. He ran fast. I’m not as high on him as maybe the league.” From Michigan City, Ind. “Now he’s a little older (will be 25 in January) and has an injury history so you’ve got to take that into account,” said a sixth scout. “But he fits bottom of the first. You could compare him to Kyle Williams because of his size and movement and angles and twisting the body and hand use. But this guy was more explosive than Kyle Williams. His weren’t manufactured workout numbers. You see the explosiveness on film.”

6. MICHAEL HALL, Ohio State (6-2 ½, 299, 4.75, 2): Third-year sophomore played 28 games, starting 12. “He didn’t even start at Ohio State,” one scout said. “I think he came out because he realized he wouldn’t play much next year. He’s strong but he plays high and doesn’t make plays.” His pro day workout included a 4.75 40, the fastest at the position. “He’s the most gifted,” a second scout said. “As good as he is, he has the highest ceiling. He played the least amount of college football. When you watch him it’s kind of easy for him at times. The length shows up and he uses it in the run game at the point. Gets good separation. As the season went he got better and better. Now the Michigan game, he struggled. You can’t ignore that one because those were the best linemen he played against. But I see him as a high-impact starter.” Finished with 45 tackles (10 for loss) and six sacks. “Watch that sack in the Michigan game — he is a dude,” said a third scout. “Now I don’t think you can take him too high because I don’t think he’s going to be an every-down player. If he gets into the right scheme where it’s all penetration upfield – and it’s not stacking and shedding blocks — you’re going to feel him and hear a lot about him as a rookie. He’s a lot stronger than you think. When he showed up at 299 on pro day (290 at the combine) that will sell a lot of people.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10. “He’s a problem child,” a fourth scout said. “Not real coachable. Underachiever as a worker. Didn’t have a great year production-wise.” From Streetsboro, Ohio.

7. T’VONDRE SWEAT, Texas (6-4 ½, 367, 5.27, 2-5): Played in a rotation from 2019-’21 before starting in 2022-’23. “He’s incredibly talented,” said one scout. Actually played 3-technique rather than nose tackle last season. “Sweat is a dominant player,” said a second scout. “I don’t care what he runs. They just don’t block him. He’s going to totally control the gaps. Only negative is he plays high. He just picks people up and tosses guys. He’s an athlete. He’s mobile.” One scout guessed he might have been pushing 400 in late January at the Senior Bowl when he refused to be weighed. “He’s always going to have a weight problem — you can take that to the bank,” a third scout said. “He’s big, lazy and overweight but he is very talented. He’s got some turd in him but he’s hard to move.” Was arrested for drunk driving April 7 in Austin. “Unbelievable,” said a fourth scout. “Way to live up to your (reputation). He has a real issue to do that. He could get one of the 60,000 students at Texas to drive him around for free and he decides to (drive).” Finished with 128 tackles (17 ½ for loss), five sacks and 14 passes defensed. “He’s 360 but he can move for a man that size,” a fifth scout said. “Now he’s had this DUI. He has a little bit of a reputation there so this was not really a surprise … the problem is, he’s two decades too late the way the game is played. He’s Gilbert Brown, and Gilbert Brown would be almost non-existent now.” Arms were 33 ¼, hands were 10 1/8. “Full-blown character reject,” a sixth scout said. “Took him off the board. For people that don’t care, he’s got top-two round ability. He does some freaky shit for a guy his size. Problem is, his size. He’s like 380 something in-season, and he’s fat. His football character is terrible. There’s no way you want him in your building.” From Huntsville, Texas. Added a seventh scout: “They (Texas staff) made the comment at pro day that he’s the one guy who can connect with every single person in the building. He’s got a big personality. The big defensive lineman that you want, in a good way.”

8. MAASON SMITH, Louisiana State (6-5, 308, 5.03, 3): Third-year junior. “He’s just got traits you can’t teach,” one scout said. “Has the same body type and is the type of athlete that Chris Jones is. He’s just not that level player. Plays like a freshman, honestly. I don’t think he knows how good he can be. Has a ton of upside and he’s a big man. Those guys are hard to find.” Started four of nine games as a freshman in 2021 before suffering a torn ACL in the ’22 opener. Came back to start 12 games at 3-technique in ’23 before declaring. “Should have probably stayed in school,” a second scout said. “Wasn’t great coming off the injury but most guys get better (later). I think he’ll be a better pro than college player.” His mother is a doctor and his father owns a company in the petroleum industry. “Parents are professional people,” a third scout said. “He might not be mean enough, to be quite honest. Got a lot of God-given talent. I’m gonna roll the dice with him. He was the No. 1 schoolboy defensive tackle in the country. He missed all of ’22, comes back for ’23 and there’s been a coaching change in the meantime. The D-line coach (Jimmy Lindsey) gets a brain tumor and they cycle through about five different line coaches. They didn’t know if they were a two-gap team, a one-gap team, a twist team. Truthfully, he’s a five-star who was going to play three years and head to the league no matter what. I think this year was all sort of geared to, ‘Hey, I’m just going to survive and get through the season.’ He doesn’t play hard all the time. He can play 3- or 5-technique. Very smart. He has real, real talent.” Finished with 47 tackles (9 ½ for loss) and 6 ½ sacks. Longest arms (35) at the position but also the smallest hands (8 ½). “He doesn’t play with passion,” a fourth scout said. “He’s big. He’s got range. But I can’t wait to see the team that takes him. I think he stinks.” From Houma, La.

9. RUKE ORHORHORO, Clemson (6-4, 293, 4.89, 3): Born in Nigeria, came to the Detroit area at 9 and played his first football in 11th grade after helping River Rouge (Mich.) to the Division I state basketball semifinals as a sophomore. “He looks like a million dollars,” one scout said. “He’s probably too stiff and not a dynamic enough mover to play 3-technique. He’s probably a 5-technique.” Ended up starting 30 of 53 games over five seasons. “Just jacked up, thick, ripped,” a second scout said. “Extremely violent at the point. Like he can knock you back. There’s times when he puts his hands on people he looks like he’s playing against kids because he’s so damn strong. He won’t beat you with speed but it’s still hard because he’s so damn strong and all of a sudden he jerks you. He’s got a plan and he knows what he’s good at. You don’t see this guy trying to rush the edge of a guard because he’s not fluid and fast enough to do that.” Finished with 85 tackles (25 ½ for loss), 12 sacks and nine passes defensed. Arms were 34, hands were 9 3/8. “He’s a height-weight-speed guy,” said a third scout. “I thought the action inside was too much for him to see blockers coming at him from both angles. He might be better as a big end where you’re isolated on one side. Doesn’t make a lot of plays but he’s big and can run fast in a straight line. You want to work with him but he’s far from being some productive, finished product.” From Lagos, Nigeria.

10. BRANDON DORLUS, Oregon (6-3, 286, 4.90, 3-4): Played up and down the line during a five-year career in which he started 40 of 57 games. “He looks like Big Bird of Sesame Street,” one scout said. “His body is not going to win any contests. Sort of the opposite of Darius Robinson. He doesn’t look the part. He’s got really athletic hands and feet. He’s got some natural pass rush because of the hand and foot activity. His weight has been a little all over the map. One time he’ll be 270 and playing outside, the next year he’ll be up to the 290s and play inside. He’s not really a glass-eater inside but he’s not super fast on the outside. He’s sort of a ‘tweener. He’s got long arms so even when he doesn’t get there for the sack he can affect the quarterback with his length by batting the ball or disrupting the pocket.” Batted 13 balls (eight in 2023) to go with 106 tackles (27 for loss) and 12 sacks. “He’s a big D-end or a smaller D-tackle,” said a second scout. “He’s really competitive. Not really a quick-twitch guy. When he’s on the edge he’s real strong and stout. He can do all that, but the pass rush is not there (outside). You put him inside and he’s better as a pass rusher, but he’s not as stout. He might be a 3-4 guy somebody like Pittsburgh or the Ravens will just play in there messing things up.” Arms were 33 ¼, hands were 9 3/8. From Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

I sincerely hope that Byron Murphy, Jr. is "all that", and that the Chargers select him after trading down in the first round.


Why? Because if Murphy *is* 'all that", he would singularly help the Bolts more than any other player in this draft. IMO, of course.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

So viking's fans trolling other viking's fans? That just seems hella cruel to me...

LOL. Viking fans are just putting the idea out there in the 1 in 5 billion hopes that Justin Herbert sees the idea, likes it, and lobbies for it.

[Xenos]

Interesting list by ESPN. Apparently it’s quite predicative even though it differs from the general consensus board.

[DerwinBosa]

Mayes arm isnt near Herberts. Herbert and Josh Allen have similar arms and in this draft the only one that compares is Milton, but Milton is inaccurate and probably is a career backup.
Agree many of them are over rated but it happens every year and im all for it. Doubt we have a group of stars from it but its cool to fleece a team to get one.

I disagree with you on that one.

[wu-dai clan]

I would 100%. I just think the kid is special.

Yes. Yes. Shudda known. LOL. Saw your post at the other thread.

[JOJAX85]

Yes. Yes. Shudda known. LOL. Saw your post at the other thread.

The trade down scenario scares me, because I think the Jets would take him at 10.

[wu-dai clan]

The trade down scenario scares me, because I think the Jets would take him at 10.

For all the arm wrestling we have done around here, who would not be happy with Brock Bowers @#5 ?

[JOJAX85]

For all the arm wrestling we have done around here, who would not be happy with Brock Bowers @#5 ?

Analyticals who use values and point systems over watching football. It doesn't even matter to me if we take him at 5 and he some how doesn't work out, because I think that the chances of him being great are better than he won't.

[DerwinBosa]

For all the arm wrestling we have done around here, who would not be happy with Brock Bowers @#5 ?

We already made our best selection in years: HARBAUGH.

I'll support whatever he chooses to do.

[Chargers8491]

For all the arm wrestling we have done around here, who would not be happy with Brock Bowers @#5 ?

I would be happy with the pick for sure but I will leave it to Hortiz/Harbaugh. Most of us asked for these 2 so it's really not fair to get down with the picks. We need to give them the chance we asked for.