6 Combine Studs San Diego Chargers Must Have on Their Short List
Lucas Oil Stadium welcomed specialists, offensive linemen and tight ends for the first day of on-field workouts at the scouting combine. Of those players who participated on Friday, six stood out as potential candidates on San Diego's short list.
Offensive line is a glaring need for the Chargers, so this article will focus on players at that position. Since he took over as GM in 2013, Tom Telesco has drafted two offensive linemen—D.J. Fluker and Chris Watt, both of which played early in their first season. That trend should continue with Telesco's next O-line selection as the state of the offensive line is poor heading into 2015.
Here are six studs that should be on San Diego's short list after Day 1 of drills at the combine.
Ereck Flowers
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Flowers produced 37 reps on the bench press, which was tops among offensive linemen at the combine. He added a 40-yard dash time of 5.31 seconds.
The 6'6", 324-pound junior was a two-year starter at left tackle for Miami and played some right tackle his freshman year. NFL media draft analyst Mike Mayock expressed his sentiments on Flowers during a teleconference earlier this week, calling him a future Pro Bowler on the right side.
For now, Telesco considers D.J. Fluker the future at right tackle for the Chargers, but there were initial thoughts he might move to guard. Taking Flowers with the 17th pick could force the team to re-visit that possibility, but like Fluker, Flowers needs work in pass protection and could be a liability for Philip Rivers. On the other hand, that pairing would dominate in the run game, which was a weakness of San Diego's last season.
Cameron Erving
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Erving tied for the fifth-most reps on the bench press with 30. His 40-yard dash time was 5.15 seconds.
The versatile senior out of Florida State measured in at 6'5", 313 pounds. He played left tackle and center, protecting Heisman-winner Jameis Winston. Erving transitioned to center late last season, which could mean a slightly larger learning curve than most, but he has the right attitude and work ethic to take on such a challenge.
The consensus in San Diego is that Chris Watt will fill the void at center left by the recently retired Nick Hardwick, but like Erving, he lacks experience at the position. Still, the Chargers could take on Erving as a project to develop at guard or somewhere else along the O-line. And in the worst-case scenario that Watt stumbles at center, Erving could be the solution.
Daryl Williams
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Williams banged out 27 reps on the bench press and ran a 5.34 in the 40-yard dash. He tipped the scales at 329 pounds and stands 6'6".
Had it not been for a knee injury his sophomore year, Williams was well on his way to recording 39 consecutive starts for Oklahoma, but instead, he finished with 36. He played mostly right tackle but did start on the left side against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl a few years back. NFL media analyst Lance Zierlein had a lot of good things to say about Williams in his profile, especially regarding his character:
"Physical at the point of attack. Comes off snap with bad intentions and rolls hips under him to drive defender off the ball. Tough guy who leads by example on the field. Works to the whistle and enjoys the one-on-one run-game scraps. Competes as a pass blocker. Sees and reacts well to twists. Has power in his hands. Buries defenders on down blocks. Outstanding football character and overall work ethic.
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At the end of his write-up, Zierlein added that a move to guard might be in store for Williams. The Chargers don't seem overly confident in moving forward with Chad Rinehart and Johnnie Troutman, so interior players will be at the top of their list when completing evaluations in Indy.
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Laken Tomlinson
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The reviews on Tomlinson are mixed, but at the Senior Bowl, Mayock said the Duke product made himself some money. He may have strengthened his stock with 25 reps on the bench press and a 5.33 in the 40-yard dash.
In Mobile, Tomlinson excelled in the one-on-one pass-rush drills, even getting the better of first-round prospect Danny Shelton on more than one occasion. The write-up on NFL.com, however, is pretty negative, with one director of scouting quoted as saying, "Some scouts see upside with him, but I think what you see is what you get. Clunky in a phone-booth type."
Tomlinson shot up draft boards after the Senior Bowl, though, and he should be on the up as the draft gets closer. When San Diego is evaluating guard prospects, Tomlinson should be at the top of the list.
La'el Collins
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Collins has meetings set up with 22 teams at the combine, including the Chargers. The tackle from LSU is in high demand, apparently, and for good reason.
Collins was voted the best offensive lineman in the SEC by the league's coaches, helping LSU garner nearly 225 rushing yards a game. A three-year starter at left tackle and guard, Collins appears primed for a role inside. Combine numbers for Collins included 21 reps on the bench press and a 5.12 40-yard dash.
Next to Iowa's Brandon Scherff, Collins could be the next best interior prospect available. If San Diego is privileged to draft him, Collins could challenge Rinehart for a starting job next season. Right guard could also be in his wheelhouse.
Ali Marpet
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No player capitalized more on his combine invite than D-III prospect Ali Marpet, who was a top performer in three of the six drills he participated in, including the fastest 40-yard dash among offensive linemen at 4.98 seconds.
A three-year starter at left tackle for Hobart and William Smith, Marpet needed a standout performance for teams to look past his small-school upbringing. Playing against inferior competition will undoubtedly hurt his stock, but Marpet has countered that weakness with impressive outings at both the Senior Bowl and the combine.
At 6'4", 307 pounds, Marpet is being projected as an interior player at the next level. With some coaching up, Marpet could develop into quite the find for San Diego in the later rounds.
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