Los Angeles Chargers’ draft ‘not the sexiest’ but necessary follow-up – NFL Nation

COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers commanded consideration on the outset of the offseason.

They acquired All-Professional outdoors linebacker Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears in change for a second-round choose this 12 months and a 2023 sixth-round choose. Then the Bolts signed Professional Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson to a whopping five-year, $82.5 million contract in free company.

However a star-studded streak of exercise got here to a halt on the opening evening of the NFL draft when the Chargers used their first-round choose, No. 17 general, to pick out a guard.

“Guards are folks too, proper?” Tom Telesco requested, grinning, in a rhetorical query following the opening spherical of his tenth NFL draft as Chargers basic supervisor.

After making the high-profile preliminary offseason strikes to enhance a protection that ranked No. 29 within the NFL final season and allowed a median of 27 factors per recreation, the Chargers chosen Boston School guard Zion Johnson with their first choose within the draft, prioritizing safety for third-year quarterback Justin Herbert and a must preserve their offense shifting.

“I do know it isn’t the sexiest choose on this planet, however he is powerful, he is sturdy, he is good,” Telesco stated about Johnson, who’s anticipated to step in instantly at proper guard. “We’ve got some glorious ability gamers, each at receiver, tight finish, additionally at operating again and with Justin Herbert.

“Clearly, these guys can not do their jobs and not using a rock-solid offensive line. As a lot as this choose is to guard our quarterback, which is an enormous a part of it, that is additionally to facilitate all people else. It is go safety, it is run recreation.”

It’s not simply that the Chargers’ first choose wasn’t that thrilling, their total draft didn’t warrant headlines. And it additionally did not yield the precise outcomes for which the final supervisor hoped.

“It by no means goes good, as a result of you possibly can’t management every part,” Telesco stated. “But it surely was weekend of labor.”

Nevertheless, in a season with playoff expectations after a near-miss in 2021 prolonged a three-year postseason drought, the Bolts had been capable of quietly tackle a number of areas of want, together with the offensive and defensive traces, operating again and the secondary.

“From the final recreation that we performed ’til now, we’re definitely a a lot different-looking soccer staff,” stated Brandon Staley, whose first season as coach resulted in a 9-8 file and third-place AFC West end. “There’s loads of time between now and once we play, so we’re all the time going to be looking for that successful edge, however I actually just like the staff we’ve got in entrance of us now.”

The Bolts chosen eight gamers after getting into the three-day occasion with 10 whole picks. Two of their picks, each seventh-round alternatives, ended up with the Bears, because the Chargers traded them to re-acquire the 2023 sixth-round pick they despatched to Chicago as a part of the Mack commerce.

The Chargers chosen guard Jamaree Salyer within the sixth spherical to affix Johnson on the offensive line. The Georgia product has expertise enjoying all 5 positions on the road, and though he stated some groups projected him for granted deal with, the Chargers have penciled him in as an inside participant.

“He has an awesome make-up, nice angle to come back in and try to win a job,” Telesco stated concerning the NCAA nationwide champion.

The Bolts used a fourth-round choose on Texas A&M operating again Isaiah Spiller, whose speeding and pass-catching skills are anticipated to enhance Austin Ekeler. Staley stated security Derwin James Jr. vouched for Spiller “in an enormous method” as one other former participant of coach Jimbo Fisher, who coached James at Florida State and Spiller at A&M.

“[James] was saying, ‘You already know that if you happen to can play all three downs for Jimbo that you are a legit man,'” Staley defined. “He has actually good instincts.”

Spiller led the SEC in speeding yards since 2019, which features a conference-best 1,844 speeding yards after contact in that span.

The Chargers additionally added Purdue fullback Zander Horvath within the seventh spherical.

Defensively, the Bolts constructed depth of their secondary by choosing Baylor security JT Woods within the third spherical.

“He is a security with loads of cowl means, together with his size and his velocity,” Telesco stated. “He reveals a little bit little bit of nook motion, so we type of see him as a defensive again.”

In addition they picked Wake Forest cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor and Mississippi cornerback Deane Leonard within the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively.

The Chargers additionally drafted UCLA defensive deal with Otito Ogbonnia within the fifth spherical to affix a defensive entrance that already has undergone a big makeover with the addition of defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in free company. Like Ogbonnia, Joseph-Day does not need to journey far, as he was with the Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams final season.

“We have a look at lot nearer to what I count on to appear to be,” Staley stated concerning the inside of the line of defense. “We’re not there but, however we’re so much nearer.”

Some questions stay because the Chargers proceed the offseason program and sit up for coaching camp.

Regardless of including two offensive linemen, there stays no clear starter at proper deal with. Storm Norton and Trey Pipkins III will once more be amongst candidates to fill the spot.

And depth continues to be a priority on the sting behind Mack, Joey Bosa and second-year man Chris Rumph II.

“To type of fill out the depth of that place, we’ll need to look elsewhere,” Staley stated. “Whether or not it is the undrafted free company proper now or veteran free company or earlier than the primary recreation — someday throughout coaching camp — that’ll in all probability occur at a kind of three junctures.”

As Staley ready to exit his post-draft information convention, he offered a reminder the work is ongoing.

“Right now is an ending, tomorrow is a starting,” he stated.

Generally it is flashy. Generally, as seen throughout a three-day draft stretch, it is lower than glamorous.

But when all goes as deliberate, every section will play its half in making the Chargers related once more come late January.