It’s draft season, and with the Scouting Combine out of the way and the majority of Pro Day workouts completed, most teams will have a pretty good idea of who’s on their draft board. After a disappointing 4-12 2015 season, it is now necessary to analyze the best way to utilize the San Diego Chargers’ number three pick of the draft. Following a relatively low key free agency, this is an assessment of what the Chargers should do with such a lucrative position when it comes to the first night of the NFL Draft on April 24th.
The Best Way To Use the San Diego Chargers Third Overall Pick
Give Philip Rivers a Protégé
Philip Rivers is still playing incredible football. The game against the Green Bay Packers springs to mind. He put the Chargers on his back and carried them to within an inch of a famous victory, having thrown for three franchise records in one game. That came as no surprise to Chargers’ fans who have seen Rivers finish in the top five for passing yards amongst NFL Quarterbacks twice in the last three seasons.
Nevertheless, with Rivers turning 35 in December, it seems as though it might be the best time to invest in a future face of the Chargers’ franchise. Rivers still has at least two good seasons left, which would give either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz ample time to get used to running San Diego’s offense. The Chargers front office may view this as an opportunity too good to pass up, as both Goff (Cal) and Wentz (NDSU) have similar grades to Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, both of whom have shown themselves to be quality starters in their first year at the next level.
The Chargers will hope that they are not in a position to pick this early in the draft again for quite some time, and therefore they are in a prime position to build for the next generation.
Although it seems likely that one of these two signal callers will be gone after Cleveland picks second, there is no reason why the Chargers should be uncomfortable with either of these passers moving forward. Both can be moulded into an elite talent with the right tutelage. It’s something that should be guaranteed with a future Hall of Fame candidate on their current roster.
Protect Philip Rivers
Without looking at Pro Football Focus, you could tell the Chargers’ offensive line was ugly in 2015. With uncertainty surrounding the draft stock of Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) and whether or not he will be passed up by the Tennessee Titans, he is somebody certainly worth looking at with the number 3 pick. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller described him as ‘every bit the prospect Tyron Smith was’, which should eradicate any concern about Tunsil panning out in similar ways to Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel.
Laremy Tunsil is every bit the prospect Tyron Smith was. Does everything well from Day 1
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 28, 2016
Besides Tunsil, there is only one offensive lineman who looks worthy of top five consideration, Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley would not be a reach if taken by the Chargers with the number three pick of the Draft. At 6’5″ and around 315 pounds, Stanley is the prototypical lineman. And with the ability to start at either side of the line from early on, Stanley could get his first experience of NFL football in scenario if Tunsil gets drafted by the Titans.
This could also be a move which shows commitment to Rivers. Not only would they be passing up on a starting level quarterback, but by drafting either Tunsil or Stanley the Chargers’ front office is putting faith in this offense to go and win them football games, and perhaps Rivers’ first Super Bowl title.
Add a Defensive Star
There are three phenomenal talents who look as though they could be Pro Bowl players in their first season in the NFL. Jalen Ramsey (FSU), Myles Jack (UCLA) and Joey Bosa (Ohio State) are all players who should be off the board in the top five. All three would be exciting for Chargers’ fans, but my favorite player of the entire draft class is Jalen Ramsey.
Capable of playing either corner or safety at a ridiculously high level, Ramsey should be the first player on the Chargers’ board if they decide against picking a passer for the future. He was the top performer in both the vertical and broad jumps at the combine and he also ran a 4.41 40-yard dash, which saw him ranked amongst the top ten defensive backs.
Likened to Antonio Cromartie and future Hall of Fame legend Charles Woodson, players like Ramsey come along once in a generation. While there may be options to fulfill bigger needs with their third overall pick it would be incredible to see Jalen Ramsey fall further than the San Diego Chargers. That said, it would make a lot of Cowboys’ and Jaguars’ fans happy if that happened.
Potential Trade
The one option which hasn’t been explored is a potential trade. It would not be surprising if a quarterback needy team sought after either Wentz or Goff. With Dallas in a similar position to the Chargers, those teams might try and go before the fourth slot in order to get their man of choice.
So long as the Chargers don’t fall too far back in the order and are given a fair price, it wouldn’t be surprised to see San Diego give up the number three pick. Either way, I, along with the rest of the NFL community, cannot wait to see how the NFL Draft plays out on April 24th. There are many prospects that look as though they are primed to make a real impact in the league.
