Los Angeles Chargers NFL draft picks: 2017 round-by-round results, grades
Back in L.A., the Chargers are trying to make a good first impression and climb out of the AFC West cellar. Who will they draft? We’re breaking down every selection below.
Andy Benoit breaks down Los Angeles’s biggest draft need: Outside man coverage cornerback. It will be interesting to watch the Chargers defense under new coordinator Gus Bradley. Bradley comes from the Pete Carroll tree of Cover 3 zone. He’ll press with his outside corners but prefers to play zone with his inside defenders. In Los Angeles, however, Bradley will have two superb man coverage artists: Jason Verrett and Casey Hayward. Both can travel with receivers all over the formation, including inside (Hayward especially; early in his career, he was highly effective in the slot for Green Bay). Bradley also has two of the most uniquely flexible pass rushers in football: Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. No pairing has better lateral explosiveness. It’d be wasteful to just line up each man on the edge and have him rush with speed. Bosa and Ingram should be moved around and stressing offenses together. Their skill sets translate extremely well to stunts and other designer rush tactics. When you put the corners and pass rushers together, it’s clear: Bradley would be best served running a disguised-based, pressure-oriented scheme, not a vanilla Cover 3 zone. If the Chargers are to commit fully to pressure and man coverage, they need a third quality corner.
Chris Burke’s mock first-round selection: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State. The Chargers led the league with 18 interceptions last season, but only one player (CB Casey Hayward, with seven) had more than two. They badly need a playmaker at safety.
Here's the full list of picks the Chargers hold in the 2017 draft, which will be updated as each selection is made.
Round 1, Pick 7 (No. 7 overall)
Round 2, Pick 6 (No. 38)
Round 3, Pick 7 (No. 71)
Round 4, Pick 6 (No. 113)
Round 5, Pick 7 (No. 151)
Round 6, Pick 6 (No. 190)
Round 7, Pick 7 (No. 225)
