Los Angeles Chargers should have the same draft strategy as 2018
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Chargers have been one of the best drafting teams in the NFL over the last few years and shouldn’t change the team’s way of doing things.
The Los Angeles Chargers have been really good at selecting prospects in the first round of the NFL Draft. Whereas some teams hope to have a great Pro Bowl first-round pick, it is almost a guarantee for the Chargers.
Seven of the team’s last 10 first-round picks have at least one Pro Bowl under their belt. The last four years have been particularly good for the Chargers.
Melvin Gordon, Joey Bosa, Mike Williams and Derwin James are the last four first-round picks for the Chargers. James was an All-Pro in his first year, Bosa and Gordon are Pro Bowlers that could be All-Pros and Williams showed this year that he could be a Pro Bowler as early as 2019.
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Last year it was unclear what the Chargers were going to do in the draft but it ended up being a very easy decision. James fell all the way to the Chargers with the 17th overall pick, about 10 picks lower than he should have been picked.
While it might have seen like a happy accident, the Chargers appeared to at least be ready for this to happen. The team never re-signed safety Tre Boston, despite Boston having a fantastic season with the Chargers the year prior.
At the time it was strange but after the Chargers drafted James it became apparent that the team was holding off on re-signing Boston in case James did fall to LA.
The Chargers should enter this draft with the same mindset and make their offseason moves accordingly. The team can single out two-three prospects and hold off on those positions until after the draft with the hopes they can get a great selection.
Ironically, one of those positions for the Chargers could very well be safety, as the team has a hole to fill alongside James. Also ironically, Boston could be the fallback plan for the Chargers if they do not land, say, Nasir Adderley in the draft.
The other position should be defensive tackle. There are some great defensive tackles in this year’s class and the Chargers also have several different free agents that they could sign to bolster the depth chart.
Heck, maybe the fallback plan is spending a good chunk of change on Ndamukong Suh, which is a dang good fallback plan if you ask me.
dark. Next. Splashes the Chargers can still make
It obviously worked out for the Los Angeles Chargers last offseason and this truly is the best way for the front office to make sure they do not throw all their eggs in one basket.