Los Angeles Chargers: Instant reaction to LA’s 2019 first-round pick

The pick is in and the Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery with the 28th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Prior to the 2019 NFL Draft, there were several likely selections for the Los Angeles Chargers, none of which were who the team actually selected, Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery.

While there likely was at least one mock draft out there with the selection, the choice definitely took most Charger fans by surprise, or at least took us by surprise.

It seemed like a surefire thing that the team would select Jawaan Taylor with the 28th overall pick with him still on the board. However, the team obviously passed to bolster a defensive line that is great but lacking at defensive tackle.

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The biggest trait about Tillery that Charger fans should keep in mind as he heads into the NFL is that he is hot and he is cold, with both levels being extreme.

When Tillery is firing on all cylinders he was one of the most dominant, if not the most dominant, defensive tackles in the NFL. He excels at rushing the passer and has the size and speed to not only fill running lanes but get to the outside and catch runners from behind.

However, Tillery had the tendency to disappear in games at times, which could be worrisome as he heads to tougher competition in the NFL.

While Taylor did seem like the better selection, we cannot disagree with this pick that much. The team needed a defensive tackle and that was evident in the entire build up. Heck, even we wanted to see the Chargers select Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who was selected 17th overall.

Tillery is instantly going to boost the run defense on the Los Angeles Chargers and is only going to make the pass-rush more threatening. If you really think about it, the Chargers were the perfect team for Tillery to come to.

Tillery has so much talent around him that he is naturally going to perform better with emphasis on other areas on the line.

And if he does disappear for a drive or two it won’t be the end of the world. As long as he can still be a presence in the run game the Chargers will not be completely burned if he goes a game without hitting the passer.

Tillery has some of the highest upside in the entire draft and the Los Angeles Chargers are the perfect team to maximize his downside. For that reason, it is a good pick that could end up being great.