Kyle Emanuel to San Diego Chargers: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

With no fourth-round pick in play, the San Diego Chargers had some time on their hands at the start of Day 3. After waiting a little over an hour-and-a-half, they selected North Dakota State product Kyle Emanuel in the fifth round. 

The Skinny

Emanuel comes from humble beginnings, having received no FBS offers out of high school, and he was forced to earn playing time at North Dakota State after redshirting his first year in the program. The 6'3", 255-pounder progressed at a fast clip with the Bisons, earning eight starts his freshman year and 10 as a sophomore.

By his junior season, Emanuel had developed into a full-time starter and a productive one at that. He registered 47 tackles (10 for loss) and 7.5 sacks in 2013, helping the Bisons to an undefeated season and their third straight FCS title.

He came back stronger his senior year and dominated the Missouri Valley Football Conference ranks with 19.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss—he totaled 97 tackles in all. The Bisons went on to win a fourth consecutive title in 2014, and Emanuel was recognized with the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

Physical Ability

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Emanuel was a top performer at the scouting combine with 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press—the same as second-round pick and fellow Chargers teammate Denzel Perryman. He has some pass-rushing ability, as evidenced by the 35.5 sacks he tallied over the course of a four-year career, but take that with a grain of salt considering the level of competition he played against. He has some quickness to him and uses it to his advantage when getting around slower tackles, but he will need to expand his pass-rushing moves to have any chance at the next level. 

Where He Fits

The Chargers have an inexperienced group at outside linebacker, having lost Jarret Johnson (retired) and Dwight Freeney (free agent) in the offseason. In addition, projected starters Melvin Ingram and Jeremiah Attaochu dealt with injuries last season.

Emanuel can come into training camp and compete for a spot on special team for sure, but he will need to refine his technique to make it as a linebacker. He got comfortable with his hand in the dirt at North Dakota State, but there will be times when he's asked to drop back into space. 

Bottom Line

The fifth round is an acceptable place to take a flier on Emmanuel, as late-round picks don't typically come with high expectations. He has the skill set to be an edge-rusher, but it's how he competes against elite-caliber competition that will make or break him in the NFL.