An in-Depth Look at San Diego Chargers' Most Intriguing Selection, Craig Mager

Craig Mager wasn't a name we heard much of leading up to the draft, but the former Texas State corner had done enough on his own to command the attention of the San Diego Chargers. So much so, that when the time came for the Chargers to make known the 19th pick of the third round, Mager was their guy.

A former running back and wide receiver in high school, Mager turned his focus to the defensive side of the ball during his redshirt season in college before making his way onto the field in 2011. In 12 starts, he tied the freshman record for pass breakups with 12 in his debut season for the Bobcats, adding 51 tackles and a forced fumble along the way. Mager returned in 2012 to notch 49 tackles and eight pass breakups while snagging four interceptions. Against New Mexico State, he returned a punt 79 yards for a score—the longest in school history.

2013 would prove fruitful yet again for Mager, as he tallied 49 tackles for the second straight season while breaking up nine passes. He also managed to return a fumble 44 yards for a touchdown that same year. Mager's final season at Texas State turned out better than the rest, with 63 tackles (six for loss), 10 pass breakups, three interceptions and two sacks.

For his efforts, Mager was invited to St. Petersburg, Fla. to play in the 90th annual East-West Shrine Game, becoming the first Texas State player ever to do so. It was there he began generating buzz, NFL media analyst Lance Zierlein reported back in January. "I saw the Texas State cornerback on tape a little bit before I came, but I like him even more now that I've seen him live," an anonymous NFC West scout told Zierlein.

"At 5-foot-11, Mager isn't considered a tall cornerback, but he is very well put together at 195 pounds and brings a combination of physicality and speed. Mager was solid throughout the week and helped himself," Zierlein added to the scouts' take. 

At the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Mager continued to help himself, running a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, which tied for the third-fastest among cornerbacks. His broad jump also tied for third, as he posted a mark of 10'10"—the same as Houston Texans first-rounder Kevin Johnson. In the position drills, Mager showed off his quickness and fluid hips to those in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Mager's game tape has plenty to love and hate. For starters, he goes against the conventional wisdom that a corner can't tackle. In the clip below, Mager can be seen wrapping up ball-carriers of all sizes, using proper technique and a good amount of pop. He is especially gifted at diagnosing the run and not one to give up in pursuit even when the play goes away from his side of the field.

But in being so aggressive toward shutting down the run, Mager can get fooled by play action or guess wrong altogether. In the clip below, Mager gets burned twice for touchdowns by Navy's quarterback. In the first, seen at 1:29, Mager bites on some late motion out of the backfield, leaving his receiver completely uncovered in the end zone for a score. The second, seen at 3:42, is a lot like the first but on the opposite side of the field. Navy sends a player in motion right before the snap, causing Mager to bite once again, and the quarterback hits the wide open receiver for a long touchdown. 

Ultimately, Mager will require a lot of fine-tuning at the next level, but what he brings as a tackler in the run game will be greatly appreciated on a defense that allowed a little over 124 yards rushing per game last season. The Chargers have invested heavily in the secondary with 2014 first-round pick Jason Verrett and former Pro Bowler Brandon Flowers, so it was a bit of a surprise to see Mager go as early as he did. But in learning more about him, it's easy to see why Mager was so coveted by San Diego and GM Tom Telesco.