San Diego Chargers Draft Needs: Where Does San Diego Need Help Most?

Finishing 9-7 had its perks in 2013, as the San Diego Chargers gained a postseason bid, but the same cannot be said for this past season. Instead of preparing for an upcoming playoff game, the Chargers have gotten an early start on planning for the draft.

San Diego has a number of key free agents to consider during the offseason, including whatever the outside market may hold, but until then, the focus will be on gathering info on this year's crop of collegiate standouts.

Here's a quick breakdown of San Diego's five biggest needs and how the team should go about filling them through the draft.

Offensive Tackle

Only two players managed to start all 16 games on the offensive line, as injuries forced San Diego to mix and match its personnel. 

There are rumblings that former first-round pick D.J. Fluker will move from right tackle to guard in 2015, and general manager Tom Telesco didn't rule out the possibility in his end of the year presser. Fluker has struggled in pass protection, but his strengths as a run-blocker makes a compelling argument for the move inside.

San Diego could also be burdened with a need at left tackle as King Dunlap is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Dunlap allowed just three sacks on 625 passing plays in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (h/t Eric Williams of ESPN), and after seven seasons in the pros, he has grown into a franchise left tackle. 

Retaining Dunlap will be a top priority this March, but if he skips town and plays elsewhere in 2015, the Chargers will need to be ready with a replacement.

The top five offensive tackle prospects according to CBSSports.com include:

1. Brandon Scherff (Iowa)
2. Andrus Peat (Stanford)
3. La'el Collins (LSU)
4. T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh)
5. Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M)

While protecting Philip Rivers is a must, candidates will also need to demonstrate a forte in run blocking. San Diego ranked 30th in rushing last season.

Nose Tackle

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An attempt to upgrade the nose tackle position was made by the Chargers last year when they drafted Ryan Carrethers in the fifth round, but the Arkansas State product suited up for only six games in his rookie season.

Sean Lissemore, who was brought in from Dallas via trade before the 2013 season, has not panned out despite receiving the majority of the snaps in his second year in San Diego. Undrafted rookie Tenny Palepoi was also part of the rotation defensive coordinator John Pagano installed on the defensive line.

The jury is still out on Carrethers based on how little he played in his first year, but the Chargers will need to bring in competition either way.

The top five defensive tackle prospects according to CBSSports.com include:

1. Leonard Williams (USC)
2. Danny Shelton (Washington)
3. Eddie Goldman (Florida State)
4. Malcom Brown (Texas)
5. Michael Bennett (Ohio State)

A wide-bodied run-stuffer such as Washington's Danny Shelton would make sense for San Diego, which surrendered the seventh-most rushing yards last season.

Cornerback

San Diego's secondary underwent a massive face-lift with the additions of Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett in the offseason. What was once a weakness has now become a bright spot, as the Chargers managed to rank fourth in defending the pass.

However, both Flowers and fellow starter Shareece Wright are unrestricted free agents and Verrett is coming off a second labrum surgery in as many years. Assuming the Chargers do everything possible to bring back Flowers, there's always a possibility he could go elsewhere. If that happens, San Diego may settle for Wright and look to add another young corner.

The top five cornerback prospects according to CBSSports.com include:

1. Trae Waynes (Michigan State)
2. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (Oregon)
3. Marcus Peters (Washington)
4. P.J. Williams (Florida State)
5. Jalen Collins (LSU)

The Chargers didn't mind drafting a smaller corner last year, but 2015 is as good a time as any to add more size to the position. Four of the top five prospects are 6'0" or taller. One name that could fall is Oregon's Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who injured his knee before the Rose Bowl.

Running Back

Another injury-plagued season for Ryan Mathews has forced the Chargers to seriously consider the future of the former 12th overall pick. In the final year of his rookie contract, Mathews played a career-low six games and finished with 330 yards rushing.

Danny Woodhead was lost to a broken leg early in the year and Donald Brown missed three games with a concussion. By Week 5, the supposed three-headed monster was no more as all three backs battled injuries.

The setbacks in the backfield allowed undrafted rookie Branden Oliver to climb into the spotlight, where he dazzled at times. San Diego has a decent mixture of backs without Mathews, but neither have really taken on the role of a feature back.

This year's class of running backs is fairly deep, but the home run hitters sit atop the draft board.

The top five running back prospects according to CBSSports.com include:

1. Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin)
2. Todd Gurley (Georgia)
3. Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska)
4. Tevin Coleman (Indiana)
5. Duke Johnson (Miami)

Tevin Coleman set numerous records at Indiana while averaging 7.1 yards per carry in his career. Most teams are typically hesitant to draft running backs early, which should buy the Chargers time while addressing other pressing needs.

Center

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A voodoo witch doctor must have been to blame for San Diego employing five different starting centers due to injury. Nick Hardwick was the first domino to fall with a neck injury in the preseason that was bad enough to end his year early. His replacement, Rich Ohrnberger, battled ongoing back problems before going on injured reserve, and free-agent pickup Doug Legursky was also placed on IR with a knee injury.

Third-round rookie Chris Watt had to step up and play center after a long career at guard for Notre Dame, and when he went down with a calf injury, the Chargers looked to late addition Trevor Robinson.

Hardwick has made no plans for retirement as of yet, but it's a definite possibility with the recent neck injuries he has sustained the past two seasons. Ohrnberger, Legursky and Robinson are all free agents, leaving Watt as the only guaranteed center returning to the roster. 

It's a very real possibility that Watt builds a future at center, where Telesco praised the rookie's effort during a press conference, but he may be needed to play guard if San Diego grows tired of Chad Rinehart in the offseason.

The top five center prospects according to CBSSports.com include:

1. Cameron Erving (Florida State)
2. Reese Dismukes (Auburn)
3. Hroniss Grasu (Oregon)
4. Andy Gallik (Boston College)
5. B.J. Finney (Kansas State)

It's not often you get a center threatening to go in the first round, but Cameron Erving may be that player to break the mold. What's so unique about him is the versatility.

Erving started out at defensive tackle his freshman year before shifting to offense, where he made 37 consecutive starts at left tackle. He made the move inside during this past season and became a two-time winner of the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the most outstanding blocker in the conference.