The Los Angeles Chargers are an uber-talented team that has really been hampered by horrendous coaching. There’s no doubt that Anthony Lynn single-handily cost the team 3-4 wins that forced them to miss the postseason. It’s hard to know how long Lynn will be running the ship but as long as he is in charge, the Chargers will find a way to underachieve. With quarterback Philip Rivers on his last legs, what can we expect from the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2018 NFL Draft?
Holding the 17th pick in the draft, the Chargers are sort of caught in no man’s land. This is the worst spot to pick in the draft. LA isn’t picking high enough to land a successor for Rivers. LA just has to pick the best available player. Maurice Hurst just may be their guy. Brandon Mebane isn’t really cutting it. LA has really solid pieces including arguably the best pass rushing duo with Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. If the Chargers can get a man-eater in the middle, this defense could really become elite. Hurst has been a really tremendous player for Michigan the past three years and forces a ton of pressure.
In the second round, I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull the trigger on Justin Reid, the safety from Stanford. LA really hasn’t found a replacement for Eric Weddle who has been great for the Ravens the past two years. Jason Verrett, Casey Hayward, and Desmond King already give LA a solid cornerback group. Jahleel Addae and Adrian Phillips are the current starters at safety. That’s not good enough. Reid is a rangy safety who could fill either role. Like his brother Eric, Justin also tackles really well.
Finally, let’s get the Chargers another linebacker. Hayes Pullard and Denzel Perryman are solid but there’s a need to add to this group. Shaun Dion Hamilton is a player who is really getting overlooked. Do you trust anything more than projecting an Alabama linebacker? This is a guy who is sliding down the draft board because of injuries. His teammate Rashaan Evans is going to get drafted very high but it’s possible that Shaun Dion Hamilton is actually the better player. For a team like the Chargers, grabbing this guy in the later rounds makes a lot of sense.
