San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Offseason Draft Scouting Guide
For the 20 teams that will not be playing in January, like the San Diego Chargers, draft season is already underway.
From now until April 30, clubs will begin preparing for the upcoming 2015 draft in Chicago.
GM Tom Telesco has been down this road before with San Diego as this will be his third draft since taking over operations in January of 2013. Telesco's first draft produced stud receiver Keenan Allen and a pair of starters in D.J. Fluker and Manti Te'o.
The 2014 class had some trouble with injuries, but the top three picks managed to get on the field quite often when healthy. Jason Verrett played only six games after suffering a torn labrum, but in the few snaps he played, fans should feel good about his future. Jeremiah Attaochu appeared in 11 games while garnering two sacks. The Georgia Tech product showed some burst off the edge and should be a fine partner for emerging pass-rusher Melvin Ingram. Chris Watt made five starts at center, adjusting to a position he didn't play at Notre Dame. With more work in the offseason, he could be the team's answer should Nick Hardwick retire.
The Chargers struck gold with undrafted rookie Branden Oliver, who racked up 582 yards, three rushing touchdowns and a receiving score in 14 games. The 5'8" back from Buffalo was featured prominently in the absence of Ryan Mathews.
There's been good things to pull from each of Telesco's past drafts, but the question is, can he continue to find talent?
Let's take a quick look at what the Chargers should be looking for in this year's draft.
Draft Selections
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San Diego will have the following picks in the 2015 NFL draft:
Round 1: No. 17
Round 2: No. 49
Round 3: No. 80
Round 4: No. 115
Round 5: No. 146
Round 6: No. 177
Round 7: Pick traded away to Dallas in exchange for Sean Lissemore in 2013.
Tidbit: Telesco has traded away the fourth-round pick in each of the past two drafts and selected at least one Notre Dame player: Te'o (2013), Watt (2014).
Top Needs
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NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt lists cornerback, nose tackle and offensive line as San Diego's top three needs. No argument here, I think Brandt is spot on with that assessment.
Starting corners Brandon Flowers and Shareece Wright are free agents next season. Flowers earned his keep on a one-year deal, but his value may have gone up after helping restore one of the worst secondaries in 2013. San Diego has Verrett in place for 2015, but another starter will be needed to pair with him. If Flowers gets away, the team may want to consider drafting a replacement.
Nose tackle was addressed in last year's draft with the selection of Ryan Carrethers in the fifth round, but he suited up for only six games in 2014. The Chargers are still looking for that space-eater along the interior; someone to alleviate the number of double teams Corey Liuget sees on a weekly basis.
The seven sacks surrendered by San Diego in the regular-season finale against Kansas City should be as good a reason as any to draft help on the O-line. Philip Rivers took a beating this past season, and as a result of the punishment, he may be undergoing offseason back surgery. The interior alone saw seven different players start at center and guard.
Top OL Target: Brandon Scherff, Iowa
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Matt Miller is a smart man when it comes to breaking down the draft, if you're not reading his content, you're truly missing out.
In his latest first-round projections, Miller suggests the pick of Iowa's Brandon Scherff to the Chargers in the 17th slot. The 2014 Outland Trophy winner is regarded as one of the most pro-ready offensive linemen in this year's draft, and a possible move inside may be in his future at the next level.
Mike Mayock of NFL.com sees Scherff going down the same path as former tackles Joel Bitonio and Zack Martin, who transitioned to guard for their respective NFL teams.
Personally, when I see that 6'5", 320-pound frame with the No. 68 jersey, I envision former All-Pro guard and Chargers great Kris Dielman. Anything close to that would be just what this offensive line needs.
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Top OL Target: Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
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Staying with the offensive line trend, how about another guy who can play inside and out?
Texas A&M has pumped out first-round tackles in each of the last two years with Luke Joeckel going No. 1 in 2013 and Jake Mathews taken sixth overall in 2014. Cedric Ogbuehi could continue that tradition if he hears his name called on April 30 in Chicago.
According to CBS Sports draft analyst Rob Rang, Ogbuehi "looks the part of a future Pro Bowler" and offers flexibility for interested teams. The 6'5", 300-pound senior played right guard and both tackle spots during his four-year stay.
If King Dunlap opts to leave San Diego, a replacement will be needed to protect Rivers' blind side.
Top OL Target: La'el Collins
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I promise, this is the last slide featuring an OL target, but can you blame me? Rivers just turned 33 in December, you have to preserve your franchise quarterback.
La'el Collins is another one of those 'tweeners playing tackle at 6'5" and 300-plus pounds. Collins played left guard his first two years at LSU before making the switch outside. Rang had this to say about Collins:
"Is often the quickest of LSU's offensive linemen off the snap and he routinely drives his assignment off the line of scrimmage with pure power, creating easy running lanes for LSU's backs.
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Collins must have been part of the reason former LSU back Jeremy Hill averaged a whopping 6.3 yards a carry during his career, right?
Keeping Rivers upright is definitely important, but San Diego needs help in the run game as well. We saw the effort Oliver gave in a crowd, but imagine what he could do with space?
Top NT Target: Danny Shelton, Washington
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Danny Shelton racked up tackles in bunches for the Huskies, tallying 89 for second-most on the team this past season. At 6'2", 332 pounds, Shelton sports the ideal frame for a nose tackle in the 3-4, but that extra girth doesn't take away from his athleticism.
Have you ever seen a guy that size do a barrel roll and sack the quarterback all in one play? It's pretty impressive.
Shelton had nine sacks during his senior campaign but don't expect him to develop into a pass-rushing threat. His bread and butter is wrapping ball-carriers, and that's fine. On top of that, Shelton is relentless in pursuit, so says Rang:
"What makes Shelton unique is his effort in pursuit. It wasn't uncommon for Shelton to sprint to the sideline or 10-plus yards downfield to stop ballcarriers.
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Corey Liuget has been known to give that same effort in run support. Put the two together and that's the making of a nice tandem inside.
Top CB Target: Trae Waynes, Michigan State
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Michigan State produced a first-rounder at corner last year in Darqueze Dennard; the 24th selection overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. If Trae Waynes decides to come out this year, he could follow in his former teammate's foot steps.
The first thing that jumps out about Waynes is his speed. He can stick with receivers stride for stride, and at 6'1", he has the length to get up and fight for balls. The Spartans finished third in passing efficiency defense this past year, per NCAA.com, and Waynes was a big part in accomplishing that feat.
Waynes notched 43 tackles, seven pass break-ups and three interceptions in his junior year. If the Chargers can't retain Flowers in the offseason, they'll need to find a successor. Adding more size at the position wouldn't hurt either.
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