A 5-11 season means every option should be on the table for the Chargers as they prepare to select No. 7 overall in the 2017 NFL draft.ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah unveiled their first mock drafts of the year last week and each had a much different player going to Los Angeles. Let’s start with Kiper:
Alabama OT Cam Robinson (subscription required)
Kiper says: “This isn’t a great class for top-tier blindside protectors, but Robinson is at the top of the list, though I think his best skill — run-blocking — means he’d be better as a right tackle at the next level. A three-year starter for the Crimson Tide, he’s a known commodity in the NFL. The Chargers ranked in the bottom third of the league in rushing (3.8 yards per carry, 94.4 yards per game) in 2016, and tackles Joe Barksdale and King Dunlap have underwhelmed.”
Why it makes sense: New coach Anthony Lynn has had a track record of success in the running game, the latest example being LeSean McCoy’s exceptional 2016 season in Buffalo (1,267 yards, 5.4 yards per carry and 13 TDs). Melvin Gordon broke out in his second year as the Chargers lead back (997 yards, 10 TDs), but his 3.9 yards per carry were well below the NFL’s elite. Philip Rivers was also sacked 36 times last season. It should be noted that Dunlap is signed through 2018 and his cap number jumps from $5.14 million to $8.37 million this season, per Spotrac. Barksdale is signed through 2019 and has a cap number of $5.55 million in 2017.
Jeremiah’s initial thoughts on who the Chargers will select No. 7 overall begin on defense — and in Columbus:
Jeremiah says: “With the best ball skills of any safety I’ve ever evaluated, Hooker would benefit from the pass rush led by Joey Bosa. If Jason Verrett comes back healthy, this could quickly become one of the best secondaries in the NFL.”
Why it makes sense: It’s pretty eye-opening to read “best ball skills of any safety I’ve ever evaluated,” right? Remember, the Chargers surprised many last year selecting Bosa over Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The addition of Hooker to a secondary that includes Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Verrett and the NFL’s interception leader Casey Hayward would give new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley a dynamic secondary to complement the disruptive Bosa. Hooker was an All-American and named to the Big Ten’s all-defensive team in 2016.
