Chargers Roundtable: How should the team use their first round pick?

Samuel:

I recently wrote a piece on how the Chargers can fill in their holes with the draft so I will be deferring a lot to that.

The Chargers starting heating up last season and they have a solid roster in place already. But run defense was one of if not the most challenging thing the Chargers struggled with last season. I mean teams averaged about 5 yards a carry on them for crying out loud.

Two ways to fix this is an improvement at linebacker or defensive tackle, and since the linebacker class has much more depth to it, my recommendation would be to grab a DT.

Introducing Da’Ron Payne — six foot two inches — over 300 pounds — practically a bulldozer in the middle. Payne excelled at shutting down runs up the gut and was able to improve on his pressures over his tenure at Alabama. With Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa lining up on the edges, Payne should get plenty of one-on-ones allowing him to use his size to close running gaps.

Next: Chargers should sign Bennie Logan

If Payne can learn from Ingram and Bosa, along with some of the other veterans on the interior how to improve himself to become not just a run stopper, but get some pressure on QBs at the pro level, there is no doubt in my mind this could be a guy we talk about as amongst the best at the position.