The Los Angeles Chargers 2022 draft class had a few impressive players, but that was not enough to impress Eric Edholm over at NFL.com. During his rookie grades series, Edholm assigned the Chargers a C+ grade, the second-best in the division, but still not a great mark by any means. So, the question is, was this mark justified?
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Mediocre Grade Given to Chargers 2022 Draft Class
The Good
The Chargers didn’t have too many contributors from their 2022 draft class, but the ones that did make an impact played a huge role. Zion Johnson started all 17 games as a rookie, and while he didn’t set the league on fire, he was an adequate starter and probably the best rookie guard in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson’s 62.2 overall grade made him the 39th-best guard out of 77 eligible players. By comparison, Kenyon Green and Cole Strange, the other two guards taken in the first round, finished with a 37.7 and a 54.6 grade, respectively. Needless to say, NFL players are much bigger, faster, and stronger than their collegiate counterparts, and adjusting to the professional game is incredibly difficult for offensive linemen. The fact that Johnson played this well as a rookie bodes well for his future.
The real steal of the Chargers draft class, however, was Jamaree Salyer. Selected in the sixth round, injuries forced the Georgia product to appear in all 17 games while making 14 starts. Astonishingly, the rookie was up for the challenge and then some, as he emerged as a genuine starting-caliber player. Sayler finished the season as PFF’s 36th-best tackle out of 81 eligible players with a 69.8 overall grade. Quite frankly, this is fantastic for a player that, based on his draft capital, had no business handling this large of a role. While both Rashawn Slater and Jamaree Salyer play left tackle, it’s worth noting that Slater played right tackle early in his collegiate career. The Chargers could easily move Slater back in 2023 and keep both players in the lineup.
Jamaree Salyer Left Tackle NFL Debut: Pressures Allowed Breakdown pic.twitter.com/kgykGImBEI
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) October 4, 2022
The Bad
Solidifying the offensive line is obviously important, and the Chargers managed to do that with the two aforementioned selections. However, the rest of the Chargers draft class failed to do much to distinguish themselves. Third-round pick JT Woods failed to live up to his draft billing, as he only played in 10 games all season long. Even when he was active, he hardly saw the field. According to Pro Football Reference, the Baylor product only played 31 snaps of defense all year. It’s too early to give up on a Day 2 pick after just one season, but the early returns are not promising.
Speaking of disappointing rookies, most draft analysts believed the Chargers got a steal when Isaiah Spiller fell all the way into the fourth round. However, after one year of play, it looks like NFL teams were wise to let him fall. The rookie could not climb an incredibly weak depth chart, appearing in only six games while recording 41 yards on 18 carries for a miserable 2.3 yards per attempt. Barring a massive jump in play, there is a very real chance Spiller does not make the team in 2023.
Every other player in the Chargers draft class was selected in the fifth round or later, so you can’t be too surprised that they didn’t provide much value. Otito Ogbonnia is part of the reason the Chargers have such a drastic need at defensive tackle, and Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, and Zander Horvath were nothing more than adequate special teamers and depth options.
Ultimately, when looking at the big picture, the C+ feels right. While it seems strange to assign a grade that low to a class that found two starters on the offensive line, the complete lack of help from the rest of the class limits the collective impact of the youngsters.
Main Photo: Mark Rebilas – USA Today Sports
