NFLDRAFTCOUNTDOWN 26. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS JEFF SAMARDZIJA WR | Notre Dame | Scouting Report The phrase that would best describe the San Diego Chargers group of wide receivers is solid but unspectacular. Keenan McCardell is very reliable but beyond him the team has very little to get excited about and lacks a true #1 option. Jeff "The Shark" Samardzija is a great athlete with ideal size, good hands and tremendous body control but his situation is very different from that of most prospects. Samardzija also plays minor league baseball for the Chicago Cubs which could affect his draft stock but he is a legitimate first round talent if he opts for a career on the gridiron rather than one on the diamond. That's a big "if" though. www.footballsfuture.com 16. # Chargers - Doug Free, OT, Northern Illinois
That is a huge if. his deal with the Cubs deal is for five years and worth up to $7.25 million. He plans to play both in MLB and NFL. If he wants to concentrate on football, he's a great talent, but I don't see us going for a part time football player.
great hands... too slow... he should be there tho... until VJ or some DB steps up - Calvin or LaRon by trading up... there will be quality O-line in rd 2, just like Big Mac was...
Yeah that If McNiel pans out, then i think our #1 should be on either a G like Justin Blalock (texas) or a defensive linemen We probably have the best set of starting defensive lineman in the NFL, but by far the worst backups. Something like 1 - Justin Blalock (OG Texas) 2 - Adam Carriker (DE Nebraska) 3 - Amobi Okoye (NT Louisville) Should help with that
Let's see how VJ pans out this year. If he stays healthy I think he'll make a WR less of a priority in next year's draft to the point where maybe we look for a pure speed guy in round 2 or 3. And like Rip said, if McNeill pans out, I think we need to start looking interior o-line or d-line. Even if Dielman is all that, we can always improve on Goff, IMO. And it would be nice to get Jamal's eventual successor in the next draft. The only other position that might seriously tempt me away from the LoS would be if there's a terrific strong safety--someone in the Palumalu class--available. But I haven't really been hearing of many early SS candidates, so I doubt there will be anyone all that tempting.
Leonard would be a good target. He will probably be a third or fourth rounder and would be a good heir apparent for Lo Neal.
Dude is ready for the NFL now. Incredible receiver at the FB position, great runner, great blocker. Dude belongs on the Bears. I say he goes early-mid 2nd.
I've been wanting a good receiving fullback for the last couple years now. LoNeal is a great player but he doesn't threaten the defense. Sometimes Cam throws him a bone and he'll make a nice play, but he's definitely below-average when it comes to being a threat with the ball in his hands. If we had a player that could block at a level near LoNeal, and could catch the ball like Earnest Byner... with LT in the same backfield? Hmmmmmmmm... Second-rounder though? Maybe. Fullbacks usually don't go that high, but this one can catch, which is special...
I want the beef on the Defensive Line with some one who can replace in the far future Jamal Williams so He can teach him everything that he knows and have another beast on our front seven. I would not mind what Thumper gave us here in the Draft Section is if we went after Frank Okam, DT, university of Texas, 6' 5"-315 LBS of BEEF as a (Junior) only if he declares that is and I hope that he does. We need a replacement sooner rather than later for #76 Jamal Williams so that we will always be strong at the DL position. Just my opinion.
He's not your typical fullback. I'm saying early 2nd based on my knowledge. I've seen people say he will go mid-late 1st. He can be used as a feature RB in the right system and has much more value at RB even though his natural position is FB. He's the type of guy scouts will drool over and some team with few needs is going to pull the trigger on him early.
I don't think we need a replacement but a backup... definitely. Jamal is still young for a Dtackle and in good shape. We just need insurance if he goes down but again, I don't think AJ will use a first day pick on a nose tackle next year and if he does it will be a third rounder and no earlier.
I am saying we will continue to bolster the secondary and look for Laron Landry. With Jue hurt and Kiel occasionally looking lost out there Landry and McCree could be a ridiculous set of safeties! The Oline is going to get better they are young I believe Goff is the oldest at 30 yrs old. So they will progress I think right now we need to continue to focus on that secondary.
here are some names for ya: Victor Abiamiri - DE - Notre Dame Fred Bennett - CB - South Carolina Patrick Willis - LB - Mississippi Rufus Alexander - LB - Oklahoma LaRon Landry - S - LSU im really leaning towards drafting another edge rusher like victor or spencer from purdue.
And putting him...where exactly? Give me a strong safety (priority #1.) Give me an ILB unless AJ's convinced Copper, Dobbins, and Wilhelm are the answers. Give me another OG for depth and the eventual replacement for Goff. Give me a FB who can catch the ball and be LoNeal's heir apparent. Give me a wide-receiver with speed who can be a good kick returner / punt returner and a deep-threat. An edge-rusher is going to be far down on my list unless we let Phillips go in free agency--which I think would be a huge mistake.
All I know is the chargers defense took a nose dive loosing castillo and merriman. So I'm all for the first pick to be either a very good d-lineman or linebacker. We definelty need an upgrade at inside linebacker. But the problem is where do you find such a stud. Possibly free agency. But it might cost a bunch. On offense I really like the kid o-tackle jake long of michigan. Can't find anything not to like about him yet.
Jake Long is an outstanding player but why would we draft him exactly? O-line is set we just need some depth and as much as I think Goff can be upgraded, if it ain't broke- don't fix it.
Love Abiamiri. Followed him out of high school into Notre Dame. I think the kid is still raw, but he learns and would benefit from learning behind studs like Castillo, Igor and Pooh Bear. On the flipside, we do need Safety help (Tommy Z anyone?) and O-line .....not just depth.
I do like Tommy Z but we need someone with better cover skills not someone who lets a ball be caught just to lay the wood....Tommy Z is version of Rodney Harrison but we cant afford to have him lost next year! My fear is drafting him would be that he is not an upgrade from Kiel. He has decent speed but isnt blazing fast he is just a hard hitter! If we go DB in the first which I predict we will get a DB or ILB I say we go for Landry, Cason, Willis! Although alot of you may think Landry will not fall to us and neither do I drafting at 32 :lol: He really didnt have a great 2006 campaign! So there will be alot of shuffling around come April!
same thing we did when foley was healthy and philips had 7 sacks coming off the bench. in a 3-4, you need rush linebackers and this year was a perfect example of what kind of screwed you can be if you lose guys...foley was lost for the season, phillips missed time, merriman missed time, harris is not a starter. we need to continue to basically stockpile good rush linebackers, much like the ravens do. guys that get to the QB are money in the bank. a rotation of Merriman, Phillips, and possibly (dream) Gaines Adams or (closer to reality) Victor Abiamiri/ Anthony Spencer / LaMarr Woodley would be freakin NASTY! ILB is a maybe and it depends on who else is sitting on the board...but in terms of first 64 players, pass rushers are going to be premium picks. fullbacks are easy to get and plus, how many games straight has lo neal played? a bunch. OG can also be found later...same for fast WRs.
I've fallen off the Leonard bandwagon after watching him block. He needs to really make a showing at the Senior Bowl practices. He body blocks by getting in the way of players, but didn't throw himself into it. ILB, SS, OG ... or draft OT and move Olivea to Goff's spot.
We already have our future RG playing RT right now. And our future RT is currently a backup. His name is Cory Lekkerkerker. Dude is almost the size of McNeill and has long arms to match. I'd like to focus our first round pick on a big, fast, safety to complement McCree. Make Jue, Kiel, and Hart compete for the 2 backup spots and cut the dude that comes in last. I don't think we need to go out and get a backup center, as Cory Withrow did pretty well filling in for Hardwick in the Cincy game. I watched him and he stood his guy up and gave up very little ground. Only once in about a dozen or so plays did he actually back up more than a yard, thereby preventing the pocket from collapsing.
i agree we ned to look for a strong safety and a playmaking hard hitting MLB to compliment Whilhem next year and in the later rounds a couple of fast db's for special teams
