NFL draft: Three picks Chargers will consider, if still available at 17

He arrived because the projected beginning left sort out, a refined technician who nonetheless needed to reply questions on his measurement and the very fact he hadn’t performed the earlier season.

Rashawn Slater then spent his rookie 12 months by no means coming near not being the Chargers’ beginning left sort out, taking part in each offensive snap in his 16 video games (he missed one week on the COVID record) and incomes Professional Bowl recognition.

Nonetheless, trying again, common supervisor Tom Telesco mentioned drafting Slater a 12 months in the past assured nothing, regardless of the glowing outcomes that adopted.

“Even with Rashawn, it wasn’t like he was a slam-dunk man,” mentioned Telesco, who took Slater at No. 13. “There aren’t any slam-dunk gamers within the draft.”

Perhaps not, however Telesco has scored consecutive spotlight jams with Slater and quarterback Justin Herbert as his prime picks the final two Aprils.

On Thursday, he and the Chargers will go for 3 in a row when they’re scheduled to pick out seventeenth total.

The franchise’s most up-to-date No. 17 decide got here in 2018, when security Derwin James Jr. slid to the Chargers and since has sandwiched two Professional Bowl seasons round two years marred by damage.

Telesco enters the 2022 draft with 10 picks, however solely 4 come within the first 5 rounds. After deciding on seventeenth, the Chargers aren’t scheduled to be up once more till No. 79, in Spherical 3.

That hole could possibly be tightened by buying and selling again within the first spherical, one thing Telesco acknowledged as a risk. This 12 months, nevertheless, the sense is that buying and selling again is one thing quite a lot of groups are open to discussing.

The Chargers have six commonplace picks and 4 compensatory picks. In March, they included their 2022 second-rounder in a package deal to accumulate edge rusher Khalil Mack from Chicago.

Nevertheless Thursday unfolds, Telesco promised he and his workers might be prepared.

“You accomplish that a lot preparation that, as soon as draft day comes, actually nothing ought to shock you,” he mentioned. “Now, one thing might shock us if a participant goes earlier than us that we didn’t anticipate. However, so far as the way it ought to have an effect on us, it actually shouldn’t as a result of we’ve already talked [it] out.”

In the event that they don’t commerce again, the route the Chargers decide might be decided by what occurs over the primary 16 picks. When their selection does arrive, their finest decide is perhaps apparent primarily based solely on who stays accessible.

The Chargers’ clearest positional choices appear to be offensive sort out, large receiver and cornerback. Then once more, they may use a defensive lineman, an edge rusher and a guard.

Their state of affairs will fluctuate with each decide that comes earlier than No. 17, the Chargers’ decision-makers having to stay versatile whereas counting on the considerable eventualities they’ve envisioned.

“The final two, three weeks of it’s simply preparation of what might occur and the way you might assault it,” Telesco mentioned. “…We actually aren’t going to power something.”

Whereas recognizing the uncertainty nonetheless concerned within the course of, right here’s a fast take a look at three gamers who for weeks have been linked to the Chargers at No. 17:

Trevor Penning, offensive sort out, Northern Iowa: Giant (he’s over 6 ft 7 and 330 kilos) and athletic, Penning typically is ranked because the fourth-best sort out prospect on this class, the three forward of him presumably top-10 picks.

He isn’t almost as refined as Slater was final 12 months, however Penning produces an eye-popping scouting report given his room to enhance coming from a smaller faculty. His points are mentioned to be fixable with correct NFL teaching.

Penning additionally possesses an perspective that has been described as “nasty” too many occasions to rely.

“That’s how soccer must be performed,” he mentioned on the scouting mix. “You possibly can’t go on the market and be Mr. Good Man.”

Chris Olave, large receiver, Ohio State: The Chargers have already got two $20-million-per-season receivers in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However Olave — as with Alabama’s Jameson Williams — is in play as a result of he’s a deep menace.

Jalen Guyton gives the Chargers velocity on the surface however hasn’t produced with sufficient consistency. Olave, a former observe star, could possibly be the one to additional exploit Herbert’s long-ball expertise.

A clean route runner and ball tracker, Olave is acknowledged for his potential to create separation, Professional Soccer Community reporting that he “demonstrates a stellar potential to blast previous defensive backs on the line of scrimmage.”

The knocks on Olave are a scarcity of physicality and an incapability to interrupt tackles.

Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Washington: Praised for each his bodily and psychological traits, McDuffie additionally possesses the form of versatility Chargers coach Brandon Staley cherishes.

A product of St. John Bosco Excessive, at 5-11, 193 kilos he isn’t the most important cornerback accessible. However McDuffie distinguished himself in school as a more-than-willing tackler.

Most evaluators have him behind Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner and Louisiana State’s Derek Stingley Jr. on the place. Nonetheless, all three undertaking as NFL starters at a time when locking up the league’s prime receivers by no means has been extra of an emphasis.

Penning, Olave or McDuffie could possibly be a Charger by the tip of the primary spherical. Or every could possibly be gone by the point the Chargers have an opportunity to make their selection.

The whole lot relies on how the primary spherical develops.

“It’s similar to a recreation day,” Telesco mentioned. “In case you’ve practiced and ready nicely sufficient, you shouldn’t have any stress … simply exit and execute.”