ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a thick upper body with a wide back, thick chest, arms and neck, lean in the middle and a tapered lower body with muscular thighs and calves … Has a very quick initial step, exploding off the line at a low pad level to be a disruptive force … Feels and fights pressure well and does a nice job of locating the football … Has made steady improvements with his hand usage in attempts to disengage … Wins most one-on-one battles due to his strength and leg drive … Has above-average strength to hold his ground at the point of attack … Has developed a variety of moves and is especially effective using his club, rip and swim motion to defeat combo blocks … Plays with a fast motor, giving an intense effort as he gets off blocks and flies to the ball … Plays from snap to whistle, as he pursues, drags down hard and bursts to close … Gets a good push in one-on-one situations, as his bull rush can defeat offensive guards and centers from the defensive tackle position … When playing outside at end, he has quick swim and spin moves to escape blockers and penetrate … Active with his hands, using them to grab and control and to push and separate … Has a good feel for leverage and balance, thanks to his excellent athletic agility.

Negatives: Still learning the game … While he gets off his blocks quickly and is a disruptive force in the backfield, he needs to improve his footwork, as he is not quick to redirect … Must do a better job of breaking down plays (has a high motor in pursuit, but fails to locate the ball immediately) … Must improve his plant and drive action (will overrun the plays when he gets too aggressive) … More relentless and intense, rather than sudden, in his pursuit to the quarterback.

--My thoughts are wow. We got this guy as a DT and were going to move him to DE. I heard he is very good like Wiley but better.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Right-footed soccer style kicker with a very strong leg, especially on field goals … Has good snap-to-toe mechanics (1.4-second average) on field goals and PATs … Gets the ball up quickly … Can kick for distance and with good height and hang time (4.02-second average) on long-range field goal attempts … Thrives under pressure and has enough leg drive to kick into the wind … Cool under pressure and takes pride in his ability to get down field and lend support to the coverage unit on kickoffs … Shows good speed and the ability to make the tackle … Mentally tough and has a great work ethic.

Negatives: Looks like a typical placekicker with a soft body and minimal muscle definition … Gets good hang time on his kickoffs and a good portion of them (46 percent) will result in touchbacks, but he needs to kick for longer distances in order to be effective in this area in the NFL … Hard worker, but must be watched in practice (will kick too much in practice, resulting in a tired leg).

--My thoughts are now we can kick 20 + yard field goals. He is a great kicker the best in the draft hands down and I am happy he is with us.

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Nick Hardwick C

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has good thickness to his frame, with solid upper-body mass and the potential to add at least another 20 pounds with no loss in speed … Has above-average quickness coming out of his stance … Can handle all snapping chores (shot gun, deep snap, long snap) … Has the wide leg base and balance to hold ground firmly at the point of attack … Knows how to deliver a punishing hand punch and roll his hips to finish blocks … Former prep wrestler who compensates for a lack of ideal size with true aggression and great upper-body power … Shows patience waiting for the defender to make the initial move (in the past, he would overextend and lunge when anticipating the play) … Keeps his feet on the move and is very effective at locating and neutralizing the linebackers when blocking on pulls and traps.

Negatives: Still learning position technique (has only 14 games of experience at center and played only freshman football in high school) … Has excellent strength, but tends to try and "outwrestle" his opponent rather than use his hands to punch and set … Has vastly improved, but still needs to develop a nasty attitude … Has improved patience, but needs to get off the snap quicker to sustain blocks (lets defenders absorb into him rather than fire off the ball and attack) … Gets a little too narrow in his base working in space (looks awkward as a lead blocker).

--My thoughts are he could better then Ball but lacks experience this is a great pick.

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Shaun Phillips DE

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Dynamic pass rusher with long arms, tight waist and the frame with the ability to add more bulk (270-pound capacity) with no drop-off in quickness … Gains instant leverage with his strong straight-ahead charge off the snap, doing an excellent job of tracking the ball while working the backside … Shows a very combative nature fighting down the line and stays in control, going low in his stance and extending his arms properly to grab, contain and wrap before the tackle … Gets a good push coming off the snap and uses his hands quickly to get underneath the blocker … Has a sharp drive coming off the edge as a pass rusher and is relentless in his attack, showing the sudden burst and the lateral agility needed to pursue the quarterback … Comes out of his stance with urgency, displaying the explosive initial step to penetrate and the short area speed to collapse the pocket … Accelerates quickly out of a cut and has developed a powerful inside charge to beat the blocker in attempts to penetrate into the backfield … Has the speed to string plays wide and is very intense in pursuit … Holds his position firmly at the point of attack, defeating the larger blockers with effective hand swipes and precise rip-&-swim moves.

Negatives: Needs to add bulk and strength to prevent struggling vs. combo blocks … Tracks and locates the ball well, but needs to do a better job with his hands to prevent the cut block … Undersized edge rusher who lacks the power to gain leverage vs. the larger blockers … Can be misdirected trying to move through the pile … More of a straight-line charger, lacking the power to drive inside … Body could use more weight and muscle refinement … Struggles to keep balance when changing direction and sliding outside to contain the run.

--My thoughts are he will be a big help he is a top pass rusher and second team all-American.

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Dave Ball DE

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has an athletic frame with adequate muscle definition, thick thighs and calves and a broad chest … Very quick to break down and react to plays … Shows a good short-area burst and lateral agility to work down the line … Instinctive locating the ball, doing a nice job of recognizing traps … Plays with leverage and uses his hands effectively to control and disengage … Plays at a high intensity level, showing consistency in his effort to get to the ball … Gets a good push off the edge and has a quick swim move to generate a pass rush … Has the acceleration needed to close on the quarterback … Shows the leg drive and hand strength to control and adjust off blocks … Has made good improvement in redirecting coming on the back side … Shows the power to stack vs. double teams.

Negatives: Still needs to improve his overall strength and add needed bulk and muscle mass to his frame … Can stack most of the time, but his lack of bulk causes the larger blockers to wash him out when working in trash … More effective as a pass rusher, as he struggles to stay low in his pads to prevent the cut block on run force … Tends to lean into blockers at times, resulting in him getting turned and blocked … Gets a little frustrated when his initial move fails to work (has good rip and swim moves in isolated situations, but needs to deliver more force with his club move).

--My thoughts are we didn't really need another DE but this is still a good pick.

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Michael Turner RB

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a thick and well-defined chest with broad shoulders, muscular arms, tight waist, good bubble, thick thighs and calves … Shows good quickness off the line and adequate vision and instincts … Strong inside runner with good body lean and burst hitting the crease … Has the power to break tackles at the line of scrimmage and in the open field … Shows the speed to bounce outside when the rush lanes are clogged … Does not show a true burst, but has good acceleration working in space … Shows excellent ball security with only two fumbles among his last 508 carries … Runs hard and with good effort … Has the built-up speed to run past defenders once he gets free … Improving receiver with adequate hands on the pitch-out … Shows patience waiting for blocks to develop as a returner, doing a nice job of picking a side, then cutting back across the grain.

Negatives: Runs from an I-back position and gets a good portion of his carries on pitchouts … Despite his success as a runner, he still needs to do a better job of anticipating and reading blocks in front of him … While he has the speed to turn the corner, he must learn to square up and get up field … Marginal route runner who looks for the ball too late and is slow to settle into his patterns … More of a body catcher than one who would reach and extend for the ball … Lacks a commitment to make a consistent effort as a blocker (does not play physical without the ball) … Flexibility is questioned, especially with his history of hamstring problems … Has had success as a runner, but if he read his blocks better and showed more awareness for hole development rather than make cuts in the hole too early, his production would increase.

--My thoughts are that he could be a good back up for Tomlinson. I like Chatman better but they got him.

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Ryan Krause WR

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has rare size for a receiver, with an athletic physique, tight waist and hips, strong thighs and calves and developing muscle tone in the upper body … Shows quickness in and out of his cuts … Power receiver who uses his size and strength to power through the jam, showing good hand usage to chuck defenders out of the way to escape … Has good change-of-direction agility and shows effective stutter-step moves to elude … Has good straight-line speed for the bubble screen, hitches and post routes … Does a nice job of adjusting his routes when he sees the quarterback in trouble … Will push off and out-muscle defensive backs to get open … Big target who gets open in time for the quarterback to get the ball to him … Natural catcher with above-average hand/eye coordination, showing toughness and courage going for the ball in traffic … Will lay out and sacrifice himself to make the catch and is very smooth making the over-the-shoulder grabs … Can run, adjust and contort his body to get over the defender in attempts to reach the high tosses … May not have blazing speed, but his size, strength and leg drive makes it very difficult to bring him down in one-on-one situations … Has a very aggressive streak and good hand technique as a blocker … Effective cut blocker who will go for the "jugular" on his hits.

Negatives: Needs to build up steam in order to get to top speed … Not a real polished route runner, as he does not make sharp cuts (takes more of a soft angle) … Has to rely on his strength in order to gain separation (no foot speed or explosive burst) … Does a marginal job of recognizing zone coverages (will run right into the heart of the defense, at times, relying more on his power to break free).

--My thoughts are.. This guy is bigger then Boston at 6' 4" 245 pounds, he will be a good target for Rivers. With some work he could be a pro bowler.

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Ryon Bingham DT

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a solid build with low body fat, thick upper torso (much like a wrestler), width in his hips and thick thighs and calves … Shows enough quickness off the ball to get into the gaps … Has an adequate feel for blocks and will create piles at the point of attack … Makes plays in the short area, using his above-average strength to get position on the blocker … Uses his hands effectively to control and stack and his upper body power allows him to disengage … Gives good effort working down the line and has the raw power needed to punish ball carriers when working in-line … Shows good hand placement to keep blockers off his body … Will play through pain and is a rather intense worker in the weight room.

Negatives: Best working on the line, as he does not have the foot speed to pursue in space … Tends to get a little too high in his stance, losing leverage, but will compensate with his brute strength … When he does not extend his arms, blockers quickly gain position (does not have a variety of moves to escape, relying more on his club move) … Shows good effort in pursuit, but fails to clear his feet, resulting in him being late to the plays on the corner … Marginal pass rusher, at best, as he does not have the rush moves to get a good push on the move … His lack of burst prevents him from getting to the quarterback consistently, even when he breaks free.

--This guy might just be back up or a project to see if he is a good DT. Nothing more to say.

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Shane Olivea OT

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a very thick upper body and a frame that can carry at least 345 pounds … Has good initial quickness in his pass set, showing explosion upon contact … Gets good leverage and shows impressive leg drive as a run blocker … Displays effective balance, agility and flexibility on the move … Works well in space, keeping his head on a swivel to search out other defenders after making the initial block … Gets good effort from his power push in pass protection, using his hands quickly to get underneath a defender's jersey … Generates force with his hand punch and competes hard until the whistle … Despite his large girth, he is very mobile for a player his size, staying low in his pads while keeping his leg base wide to prevent defenders from rocking him back on his heels … Does a nice job of mirroring the pass rusher's moves to neutralize the edge rush … Short, squatty frame could be better suited at offensive guard in the pros.

Negatives: Needs to dedicate himself to a proper nutritional program (very overweight player who has much better agility and stamina when playing in the 315-pound range) … Shows good effort in the weight room, but he needs to run hard on every play (will take some snaps off) … Was in much better condition in 2002, as the additional weight made him appear much slower, preventing him from finishing blocks consistently … Does not have the quickness to consistently finish off run plays to the outside (better working near the line) … Can get exposed by a more physical down lineman, as he does not always protect his chest from rip and swim moves … Used mostly in the box and was rarely asked to turn and run upfield … Has shorter than ideal arms (wing span prevents him from effectively sealing off the edge).

--My thoughts are, he seems to be better as a run blocker, so that is a good pick in my mind because we need to help Tomlinson.

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Carlos Joseph OT

from Chargers.com Draft Prospects

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has a massive frame with thick arms and legs and a barrel chest … Solid positional blocker with the strength to lock on, steer and gain leverage … Shows the ability to slide out and sustain blocks on the run, doing a good job of stalking linebackers at the second level … Moves and adjusts well working in space … Uses his hands effectively to catch the defensive lineman, flashing quickness to defeat the pass rusher to the set-point … Plays on his feet and knows how to use his body to lean in and mirror the defender … Delivers a powerful hand punch coming out of his stance, sinking his hips adequately in pass protection … Effective trap blocker who knows how to open his hips to gain that extra step moving down the line … Changes directions to counter the pass rusher and powers his way through the trash to open good holes for the ground game.

Negatives: Lacks the mental ability to play left tackle, a position he played before the 2003 season (was graded by the coaches as being late off the snap 102 times in 2002 alone) … Struggles to maintain position in pass protection when having to redirect in-line (more comfortable blocking off the edge, where he can use his size to gain leverage) … Plays too high in his stance, which causes him to struggle some vs. the bull rush (gets pushed back on his heels) … Has a "teddy bear" personality and needs to show more aggression and determination in his game (too easy going, lacking the nasty nature needed to finish) … Has a good hand punch, but lets the defenders get into his chest too much … Very slow to recognize and pick up stunts … May have to shift inside to guard, as he does not seem to have the play-diagnosing capabilities to handle defenders in isolated situations.

--My thoughts like any 7th round pick he will need work.

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