2014 Official Draft Thread

[Steve]

The thing is to not get to caught up in "starters". That phrase really doesn't mean anything any more. The NT is supposed to be a "starter, but the nickle DB is going to come on and replace him on 50 to 70% of our downs. So, is it more important to have a starting caliber NT or a 3rd CB who can matchup against starting WR?

In our division KC has McCluster and Den has Welker in the slot. At best, a NT would be rotated with Reyes and Liuget with all 3 starting, but then only 2 of the 3 playing in the nickle package. it's not that a NT is not important when they are on the field, just that they won't be on the field that much.

The same with Gilchrist. He doesn't need to be all that great as a "starting" CB, because he will play 50 to 70% of his defensive snaps as our nickle DB, at a position we now know that he is pretty good at. The only question in my mind is whether or not Williams and/or Patrick can handle the outside spot in the nickle package, or do we bring Marshall back? And we may do that anyway, since Marshall was our backup nickle DB (he slide over to play nickle DB when Gilchrist went out on Sunday). Or maybe we let Marshall walk and let Patrick fight it out as both the nickle DB and outside CB, going against both Gilchrist and Williams, and the best two play.

The other option we might try is just sign a lot of late round or UDFA CB/S types, get them the reps in TC, then when the season starts cut them or sign them to the taxi squad, and then activate them/bring them back as the injuries pile up. They may not actually get to play, but they get a year in our system, and can be more serious candidates next year when we might be losing DB to FA.

[Antonio's Gates]

I wonder how much marcus cromartie has developed because physically he has everything you would want in a corner.

[Steve]

Outside of Nix, I am not sure there is a highly regarded run stuffer who can play NT. I think this is a year that our DL coach, along with our scouts need to go out and look at a bunch of guys, see if we can find a guy who we can develop. But if we don't land Nix, I am not sure we are going to be able to play a new player much as a rookie.

Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame 6-3 340 lbs
DeQuan Jones DT, Penn State 6-3, 318 lbs
Daniel McCullers DT, 6-8, 360 lbs
DeAndre Coleman DT, 6-5 320 lbs
Beau Allen, DT, Wisconsin 6-3 325 lbs
Mister Cobble DT, Kentucky 6-0, 340 lbs
Zach Kerr DT, Delaware, 6-2, 330 lbs

[Fleet]

Outside of Nix, I am not sure there is a highly regarded run stuffer who can play NT. I think this is a year that our DL coach, along with our scouts need to go out and look at a bunch of guys, see if we can find a guy who we can develop. But if we don't land Nix, I am not sure we are going to be able to play a new player much as a rookie.

Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame 6-3 340 lbs
DeQuan Jones DT, Penn State 6-3, 318 lbs
Daniel McCullers DT, 6-8, 360 lbs
DeAndre Coleman DT, 6-5 320 lbs
Beau Allen, DT, Wisconsin 6-3 325 lbs
Mister Cobble DT, Kentucky 6-0, 340 lbs
Zach Kerr DT, Delaware, 6-2, 330 lbs

Probably add Ellis to this list. And i agree about Nix. I think we should just put some free agent cash in that position. Someone we know who can pull their own weight. We need to get the middle of the DL set.

[Fleet]

The Cal CB we drafted last year is a smaller CB but he is a good man CB with speed to run with recieves IIRC. Getting him back will be a big help. I think we need 3 to 4 starting caliber CBs as we will have 3 on the field 70% of the time. Marshal, Wright, Williams, and a draft pick could work better than Cox, Martial, Wright, and Williams.

I think Williams could end up being a similar player to Grimes or Munnerlyn.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

I think if Addae can lock down the SS spot by himself we are in a pretty good spot with the CBs we have on the roster. Between Wright, Gilchrist, Williams, and Marshall we have 4 guys that I think would do a pretty good job. I also don't think they are going to blow our minds and there's still room for improvement especially for the CB spot opposite Wright. I wouldn't be upset if we went CB in Rd. 1, unless it was Roby (I hate OSU players in the pro's), but I do think there are bigger holes to fill. But if someone like Dennard slipped to us chances are he's the BPA anyways.

[Beerman]

Secondary wise, we need a playmaker. We haven't had a ball hawking player in the secondary since Cro was traded.

[Bolt-O]

Cro thinks he'll be a cap casualty...

[Steve]

I don't think he would be welcomed back, either by fans or in the locker room. Weddle didn't seem too unhappy when we traded him.

As far as a ball hawking player, I think we have a couple of S who can do some of that. Weddle had a lot of int when we could afford to leave him back in the deep middle, and let him play the ball. But we have to have a pass rush to force some bad passes, and CB help knock the WR off their routes. Otherwise, we just have to sit back in zone, and let our DB just break on the ball. You give up more yards (death by a thousand cuts) but sooner or later someone breaks on a ball, or a tip comes too a DB.

[oneinchpunch]

Kiper Mock 1.0

#25 - Chargers - Bradley Roby CB Ohio State

ESPN:

[Bolt-O]

#25
Rob Rang - Marcus Roberson, CB Florida
Dane Brugler - Zack Martin, OT Notre Dame

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft

[OhioBolt]

ESPN:

Mel Kiper Jr. has the San Diego Chargers selecting Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby with the No. 25 overall pick in the draft.

Cornerback, pass-rusher and interior offensive line help are primary needs for San Diego, so the selection of Roby makes some sense. San Diego’s top free-agent acquisition in terms of financial commitment was cornerback Derek Cox in 2013, who was replaced by Richard Marshall by season’s end because of poor performance.

Shareece Wright developed into a solid cornerback in his first full season as a starter, and the Chargers will get back cornerback Steve Williams, a fifth-round selection in the 2013 draft who landed on injured reserve in August after suffering a torn pectoral muscle during exhibition play.

San Diego’s pass defense improved during the second half of 2013, but the Chargers still finished No. 29 in the NFL in passing yards allowed (258.7 per game).

Cornerback also is a deep position group in this year’s draft. Kiper has three cornerbacks being selected in the first round.

Let the buyer beware when it comes to Bradley Roby, being in Ohio and watching Ohio State Roby will put up all the measurable at the combine excellent speed he has hawked down many reciever coming from the opposite side of the field, but he has a tendecy not to be focused and he let some average recievers look like superstar. He can be boom or bust!