With the NFL draft less than three weeks away, the Last Word on Sports NFL department will be bringing you the top three draft needs for all NFL teams. Next up is the San Diego Chargers, who after sneaking into the playoffs in 2013 with a 9-7 record, failed to do so in 2014 despite finishing 9-7 again. General manager Tom Telesco has attacked the biggest needs for the Chargers in each of his first two offseasons as GM. In 2013, he drafted D.J. Fluker to help the offensive line; in 2014 the team selected cornerback Jason Verrett. San Diego has the 17th pick in the first round and picks in every round but the seventh (traded their selection to the Cowboys for Sean Lissemore).
San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Draft: Top 3 Needs
Interior Defensive Line
Whether it is in the middle at nose tackle or at defensive end, San Diego needs to upgrade. The Chargers got pushed around routinely in 2014, allowing 100 rushing yards in 11 of their 16 games. This includes the Week 16 game against San Francisco where the Bolts’ D allowed a terrible 355 yards on the ground.
San Diego did nothing to help improve their defensive line in free agency with zero notable signings; however, they can address this in the draft with a group of promising defensive linemen in the 2015 class.
Among the defensive tackle prospects, Danny Shelton has shown unrivaled production at the college level. One of the only pure nose tackle prospects, Shelton started his final 40 games at Washington at nose and had 93 total tackles with 16 for a loss as a senior. He possesses the size, strength, and experience to start in the NFL, which is why many draft experts have him being taken ninth overall by the Giants. Jordan Phillips of Oklahoma will remind Chargers fans of former anchor Jamal Williams at 6’4” and 338 pounds. Phillips is a great athlete that can both eat space and split double teams.
Eddie Goldman from Florida State could fit in on the end and in the middle at 6’4” and 336 pounds. Goldman is stout against the run and has time to develop his pass rush throughout his career as San Diego relies heavily on their outside linebackers for pressure.
Outside Linebacker
With Jarret Johnson retiring and the Chargers choosing not to bring back Dwight Freeney, San Diego has holes at outside linebacker. Johnson was one of the league’s best run defenders, even near the end of his career, and Freeney led the team with 40 quarterback hurries last year. Melvin Ingram showed flashes of his first-round potential last year but has had injury problems.
San Diego can really only hope to pick a player with one of those tools, as the premier outside players will be gone by the time they pick at 17.
Randy Gregory has been linked to the Chargers according to WalterFootball.com, and the pick would help the pass rush, but his lighter weight (235 lbs.) will cause problems in run support. If given time to put on weight and get stronger to aid his run defense, Gregory could become a legitimate three-down player. The question with Gregory is his character, as he tested positive for marijuana and admitted having problems with it at Nebraska, which could scare the Chargers off.
Other players that San Diego has shown interest in are Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks and Washington’s Shaq Thompson. Hicks was a solid all-around linebacker at Texas and Thompson was a jack-of-all-trades type player – he played safety, linebacker, and running back at Washington. Both players could be second or third day picks for San Diego.
Offensive Line
The addition of Orlando Franklin this offseason was massive, but Philip Rivers is the lifeblood of the offense and by fortifying the offensive line San Diego can help to keep him upright and give him a running game to work off of. A lot of predictions have been made about San Diego’s first-round pick being either Melvin Gordon or Todd Gurley, but a better solution for the whole offense would be to get a strong fifth offensive lineman to complete the unit and take a running back in the later rounds.
The Chargers believe that Chris Watt will step up and be the franchise center in his sophomore year. That being said, it wouldn’t be surprising if they selected a player that could play in a pinch. Florida State’s Cameron Erving is still a good fit (as mentioned in our original offseason needs list) as he has the size, agility, and versatility to be a good fit anywhere in San Diego’s line.
Cedric Ogbuehi of Texas A&M could also be a pick for the Chargers and would indicate a move to guard for D.J. Fluker, somewhere his enormous frame would flourish. Ogbuehi’s biggest strength is his pass blocking ability, which would be an upgrade for the team at right tackle.
You can find your favorite team’s offseason needs and prospect profiles at The War Room: Last Word’s 2015 NFL Draft Headquarters.
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