Chargers' 2015 Draft: Aggregating Report Card Grades from Around the Web

The draft pundits wasted little time in laying out their report card grades for the 2015 draft, and it might surprise you how they felt about the class put together by the San Diego Chargers.

As it was, the Chargers were already at a disadvantage with only six picks to spend on collegiate talent. To say they had to make every one count was an understatement. But as San Diego helped prove last week, a good draft could still be had under the circumstances.

Here's what the experts had to say about the Bolts and the job done by third-year general manager Tom Telesco.

ESPN

Associated Press

First-round pick Melvin Gordon at Auditorium Theatre

Mel Kiper: B-

ESPN's draft guru gave the Chargers a respectable grade, passing fair value on each draft pick, but he is not a fan of taking running backs in the first round. Kiper also touched on some of the positions he thought should have been addressed but weren't:

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I would have really liked to see the Chargers add some fresh legs at either wide receiver or tight end, given some of the age on the roster at those positions, and nose tackle was a need that wasn't addressed. They did get some really good players, though. The pressure is on Gordon to prove he was worth the lofty slot for a RB. 

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Kiper makes some good points with regard to depth at receiver and tight end. Veterans Malcom Floyd (33) and Antonio Gates (34) have just one year remaining on their respective contracts, and the depth behind them is minimal at best. 

As far as nose tackle is concerned, the Chargers don't appear interested in adding more wide bodies to contend with last year's fifth-round pick Ryan Carrethers. Telesco said last week that he is pleased with the progress shown from Carrethers, which is to say the team is expecting him to step up next season. 

The reluctance to endorse Gordon as a first-round pick is understandable, but based on his ability and production in college, he is clearly a first-round talent.

CBS Sports

Associated Press/Associated Press

Sixth-rounder Darius Philon has an affinity for getting after the QB.

Dane Brugler Grade: B+

Brugler appreciates quality above quantity in San Diego's case, as the Chargers were limited in the number of picks made during the week:

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The trade up for Gordon left the Chargers with only five picks, but few clubs made more improvements with a limited number of selections. Inside linebacker Denzel Perryman is the best traditional run-stuffing thumper in this class and defensive tackle Darius Philon flashes. Small-schoolers Craig Mager and Kyle Emanuel dominated their level of competition, with the Texas State cornerback ranking as one of my favorite Diamond in the Rough prospects.

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We can all agree Gordon and Perryman will turn out better than fine, but there are some question marks surrounding the rest of the bunch. Mager and Emanuel come from smaller programs in the FCS, where there is hardly the level of competition found in the FBS. Philon, on the other hand, competed in one of the toughest divisions in college football, but he lacks the experience preferred, having played just two seasons at Arkansas. 

Rotoworld

Associated Press/Associated Press

Johnnie Troutman was not at his best protecting Philip Rivers in 2014.

Evan Silva Grade: B-

Silva offered up some of the same remarks as his draft cohorts with only a slight difference: "Telesco did well with all of his picks. I still wanted to see him grab at least one quality offensive lineman and an upgrade at nose tackle."

Pro Football Focus ranked the San Diego offensive line 29th in 2014, and the Chargers parted ways with three veterans in the offseason: Nick Hardwick (retired), Jeromey Clary (retired) and Chad Rinehart (released).

According to U-T San Diego's Tom Krasovic in January, the team was considering playing right tackle D.J. Fluker, who has struggled in pass protection, at guard next season, but Telesco informed reporters he would be staying at tackle in 2015.

Johnnie Troutman, a 15-game starter in 2014, was Pro Football Focus' lowest-graded right guard. With all that said, no upgrades were sought out through the draft, even though San Diego was in a position to grab a quality starter in Round 2.

Sports Illustrated

Associated Press

Denzel Perryman is a good player, but was he a need for the Chargers?

Chris Burke Grade: B-

Burke's take on the Chargers' haul is relatable to fans, who had reservations about San Diego's second- and third-round selections:

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The Chargers found talent with each of their remaining four picks (fifth-round outside linebacker Kyle Emanuel's a pass-rushing sleeper). However, one could argue they did not need Denzel Perryman at No. 45. Manti Te'o and Donald Butler are still in tow, though Butler did struggle through an injury-hampered 2014. And a comparable talent to cornerback Craig Mager probably would have been there later. He's a physical specimen but needs to be coached up.

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Perryman and Mager were surprise choices on Day 2, but they follow with the "hammer" theme San Diego tried to stick with throughout the draft. Both are physical, hard-nosed players who will add toughness on defense, which was lacking in 2014. 

NFL.com

Associated Press/Associated Press

Third-round pick Craig Mager is raw and a reach in some eyes

Bryan Fischer Grade: B-

Trading away multiple draft picks for a modest bump up in the first round didn't sit well with Fischer, who argues that San Diego could have found a feature back in the middle rounds. He was also turned off by Mager's value in Round 3:

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Gordon is a top-tier running back and fills a huge void for the Chargers. That part of the equation made sense. Trading a fourth- and fifth-round pick to move up two spots was questionable, even with talk of the Houston Texans having interest in Gordon at pick No. 16. Plus, there were a number of good options they could have grabbed on Day 2. It's tough to argue against Gordon in powder blue, but the price was a little steep.

Mager can develop into a quality corner, but he's very raw, and it might be a while before he pans out -- a big reach in the third.

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Gordon will be worth his weight in gold come the 2015 season. As for Mager, it's too difficult to tell if he can contribute right away. Cornerback is a deep position on the Chargers roster. He'll have his work cut out for him.

Bleacher Report

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Ty Schalter Grade: C

San Diego's draft received its lowest grade from Schalter, who also has a problem with the expense of the Gordon trade: "If Gordon is a stud, this draft class could look great. If not, giving up the value to move up for Gordon turned it into an unremarkable five-pick need draft."

The Chargers entered the draft already down a seventh-round pick, and the trade to go up and get Gordon only robbed them of more: a fourth-round pick this year and a fifth-round pick in 2016. Telesco is putting his neck out there for Gordon, but he wouldn't have done it if he didn't think Gordon was worth it. 

Final Grades

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Outlet	Grade
ESPN	B-
CBS Sports	B+
Rotoworld	B-
Sports Illustrated	B-
NFL.com	B-
Bleacher Report	C

The grades were pretty consistent for the most part, with many of the experts agreeing on a B-minus as the consensus for the Chargers' draft. Gordon and Mager were common talking points in the grading process for a variety of reasons. Many felt Gordon's price in Round 1 was a little steep, while Mager was seen as a reach at the end of Day 2. But if the Chargers had a full draft to evaluate, I wonder if the critics would have seen it differently.

My grade for San Diego fell along the lines of a B-minus as well. I thought the Gordon trade was a small price to pay for a player who will be a strong candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Mager is my only concern, but his being relatively unknown makes it difficult for me to hand out a fair judgement.