San Diego Chargers select Gartrell Johnson, RB, Colorado State
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 11:44 AM PDT
in NFL Draft
15 comments
The San Diego Chargers selected Running Back Gartrell Johnson from Colorado State with the 134th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He will most likely split carries with LaDainian Tomlinson and work as the Chargers short-yardage Running Back.
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I like this pick
Getting a quality RB later in the draft.
by soulSD on Apr 26, 2009 12:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
split carries with LaDainian Tomlinson???
a late 4th round pick??? Michael Turner at his best didn’t get to split carries with LT.
I’m not so sure. I think we’re drafting backups at this point. Hopefully he can grow into the staring role, but let’s not get crazy
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 26, 2009 12:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
He’ll only see the field if there’s injuries
"I bleed powder blue." - Antonio Gates
by matthewverygood on Apr 26, 2009 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Turner was LT's backup
When LT was at MVP level. Now he needs to get less carries for his health and for the running game to succeed. Sproles can’t take all of those carries. I see Johnson getting 5-10 carries a game.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good comparison
The way Brandon Jacobs was used during his rookie year
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
we drafted Marcus Thomas last year around the same spot
and that dude didn’t even make the team… or at least didn’t last long. Unless Johnson has something special, he isn’t going to be more than a short yardage back. Which might end up being 5-10 carries a game, but probably a lot closer to 5. I’m not saying he’s not going to be the RB of the future, I just don’t think are going to be a lot of extra touches to go around on offense.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 26, 2009 2:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
5-10
I got 5 to 10 in his first year this way:
short-yardage carries (about 2-5 per game)
carries in the fourth quarter (5 or more with a lead, 2 or 3 when behind)
Gattrell Johnson isn’t meant to replace LT in year one. Maybe one day down the line, but what he’s meant to do is take the pounding LT shouldn’t have to take. Sproles can’t do it without getting hurt. So when we’re up in the 4th quarter and burning clock, Gattrell gets those carries. When we have a yard left to go, he gets those too. From what I’ve seen from Johnson, this is what he was built for. I’m not guaranteeing Jacobs first year production, but I do believe we’ll use Johnson the same way. They were trying to save Barber’s body, we’re trying to save LT’s (and Sproles’).
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thomas
Was never seen as a special talent. He was below average in every way. Johnson is a freak. In a good way. With his size, if he can get yards in the NFL he could be something. I see him as much more of a prospect than Marcus Thomas ever was. But, I agree with almost everyone here. He won’t be seeing the field much in 2009, but he’s also too good of a prospect to sneak onto the practice squad. He should be the 3rd RB barring injury, attitude issues or some development once the pads are on.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Apr 26, 2009 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
we need a short yardage back
Doesn’t anyone remember the end of the first Raiders game when LT had to come back in because there was no Turner and Hester fumbled his first carry. LT does not make YAC these days. This guy fills a need that Hester (and Tolbert) obviously didn’t. He supposedly has good hands too which makes Hester just an undersized FB that was worth our 2nd pick and a 3 others.
At least Al Davis isn't running my team's drafts.
by bringbackbuddytrees on Apr 26, 2009 5:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hester
I still think he has real potential as an H-back type player. His blocking got really good really quickly at the end of last season, he’s very quick and he has soft hands.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am very optimistic
about Hester this coming season. I also thought he got a lot better at the end of last year. His first few games were terrible, especially the blocking, but he really came on near the end of the season.
OMan, I believe an Xs and Os on Hester may be in order once the draft hubbub dies down.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 26, 2009 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Apr 26, 2009 7:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like the pick alot. Johnson isn’t a speedster, but we got a short yardage back. Now Norv has someone he can run into the teeth of the defense like he so loved to do with LT on EVERY first down last season..
by BleedsBlueNgold on Apr 28, 2009 2:54 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
He looks a whole lot faster than 4.75. Is it me…or did the whole draft this year seem to have below average 40 times?
by BleedsBlueNgold on Apr 28, 2009 3:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It's not just you
It’s been mentioned that this could have been the case. However, you would have expected the pro days to show significant improvement in times if that were the case. I haven’t seen anything that said that was or wasn’t the case though. It’s also worth noting that a big guy like this probably won’t be slowed by his pads as much as a smaller guy. You also rarely run in the NFL without contact and the bigger you are the more contact you can sustain while maintaining speed.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Apr 28, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
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