San Diego Chargers 2009 Draft Steals and Reaches
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Apr 30, 2009 7:14 AM PDT
in NFL Draft
17 comments
Now that we have had a little time to digest the Chargers picks in this years draft I thought I would give some of my thoughts on who I thought some of the Chargers steals and reaches were.
Steals:
Gartrell Johnson, RB, Colorado St. (Round 4, Pick 34 - 134th Overall)
AJ Smith has an eye for mid-round Running Back talent. He hit homeruns with Michael Turner in the fifth round of the 2004 draft and Darren Sproles in the fourth round of the 2005 Draft. I think Gartrell Johnson might be the next mid-round Gem of AJ Smiths draft career. As SDSU alum I follow the Mountain West very closely and I have watched Johnson run over defenses for the past two years. Johnson is built like a bowling ball and while he does not have top end speed he is incredibly quick for his size and can make defenders miss (if he does not decide just to run them over) think a smaller Natrone Means.
Johnson is the ideal back (straight forward power runner) for Norv’s offensive scheme and I think he will contribute quite a bit this year. He can be used in third and short situations as well as around the goal line and give this team the power running back they lacked last year. I don’t know if Johnson will ever become a feature back but I definitely think he will have a good pro career and will help out any team that he is on.
Kevin Ellison, S, USC (Round 6, Pick 16 - 189th Overall)
This is probably my favorite pick of this years draft, Ellison is a Beast...when he can stay healthy. Ellison has the upside of Rodney Harrison and at the very least will be a dominate special teams player. He is projected to contribute on special teams this year as well as some situational situations (short yardage and possibly other running downs) and possibly compete for the starting SS job in 2010. While he lacks top end speed he does have great ball skills and can cover RB’s and TE’s and will punish any receiver that comes over the middle. Ellison has tremendous talent for a sixth round pick and I think may be the steal of the entire 2009 draft.
Reaches:
Vaughn Martin, DT, Western Ontario (Round 4, Pick 13 - 113th Overall)
There is no doubt that Martin is a physical specimen but he is very raw and I don’t believe he has ever played football on a 100 yard field (not including end zones). The question I keep asking myself with this pick is does a player who never played football in the states really warrant a 4th round pick? AJ even admitted that he though Martin would go in the 5th or 6th round but he drafted this high because he did not want to risk losing him.
The Chargers have talked about Martin competing for a DE job this year, if he can quickly adjust to the giant step up in competition and contribute in some way to this years defense I think this pick will be a good one but I just think it is way to much of a crap shoot to warrant a 4th round pick.
Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon St. (Round 5, Pick 12 - 148th Overall)
This was probably my least favorite pick of this years draft. Hughes had a pretty good college career and was a 4 year starter in the Pac-10 but at 5-11 and 180 pounds I’m not sure if he will have the size to be an NFL corner. Hughes probably has the upside of being a nickel back but to be honest I don’t see him even making the Chargers roster.
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The official playing field in Canadian football is larger than the American, and similar to American fields prior to 1912. The Canadian field of play is 110 yards (101 m) long and 65 yards (59 m) wide, rather than 100 yards by 53⅓ yards (91 m by 49 m) as in American football.
Here’s a useful Comparison of Canadian and American Football.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John (obviousman) on Apr 30, 2009 7:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
After checking that out
It seems that most of the differences are offensive; ie motions, extra room and number of players. For a DL, it doesn’t seem like the changes will matter much. He will just have to get his hands up quicker off the line since he won’t be a yard off and maybe get used to the extra down. I don’t expect it to be too hard considering the amount of talent that the scouts have said that he has.
by Diesel85 on Apr 30, 2009 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Maybe that's why
The Chargers scout was doing this?
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Apr 30, 2009 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmmm
Maybe I’m just an optimist….but I agree with your steals and not necessarily your reaches. Not with your feelings on Vaughn Martin anyways. While everything you said is true, it’s all speculation. I’ve yet to see a fan that has actually seen Martin play or even work out (aside from the impressive YouTube clip of him knocking over a Chargers scout), so I’m going to assume that what the Chargers saw was very, very impressive. The Martin pick seems to be the one they’re most giddy about, which leads me to believe it belongs more in the Steal category than the Reach category.
The Hughes pick confuses me too, but I get it. Although our top 3 corners are stellar, you need to prepare yourself in case one of them gets injured. Right now we have Gordon, who is fine, but was a restricted free agent this offseason and I believe is an unrestricted free agent next offseason. So Hughes can be looked at as a long-term replacement for Gordon. Maybe a little high to be picking for a spot like that, but I understand it more now than I did on draft day.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John (obviousman) on Apr 30, 2009 7:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree
One of the other things to consider is that Cormatie is going to get a huge offer from someone so keeping him might be tough. Brandon Hughs might become the nickel when Cason moves up
by not humble enough on Apr 30, 2009 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess my main problem with the pick is
I dont think Hughes was the best corner on the board at that pick. I would have liked to see them pick Victor Harris.
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Apr 30, 2009 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
does this mean I should cancel my order for the Hughes jersey I placed yesterday?
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 30, 2009 8:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I keep asking myself with this pick is does a player who never played football in the states really warrant a 4th round pick?
You’re killin’ me Smalls. Come on, this is a 330 pound guy that runs like a god damn gazelle and can lift a Buick, how do you not love this pick? I mean his nickname is Vicious. Between him and Vasquez the Bolts got some BWA (Bruisers with attitude) for the lines; I’m all over it.
"Football is a physical sport, sometimes you have a disagreement on what's going on, and you have a discussion about it." Kris Dielman
by Brian (DaBolts) on Apr 30, 2009 4:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The NFL is more about technique and skill
then it is about size and speed. Look at how many scouts fall in love with a guy at the combine and pick him higher than they should and he ends up being a complete bust.
Martin played football in a league that is lower talent wise than Division II (or what ever they call it these days). He has always been the biggest fastest guy on the feild and has never really been challenged. I really think he is going to face a rude awakining the first time he has to go up against a guy like McNeil or Deilman.
I don’t hate the pick I think there is a chance that he could end up being a stud in the league but to pick him in the 4th round and pass up on a guy like D.J. Moore to be able to pick this guy two rounds early is just crazy to me.
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Apr 30, 2009 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good Answer
But Antonio Gates makes a pretty good rebuttal, he didn’t have any college experience. Below the third is a risk, it’s hard for me to see this as a big loss even if he doesn’t pan out. Damn, how long till preseason again?
"Football is a physical sport, sometimes you have a disagreement on what's going on, and you have a discussion about it." Kris Dielman
by Brian (DaBolts) on Apr 30, 2009 6:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is your argument that if the Chargers took him in the fourth, he would have been a reach?
"Football is a physical sport, sometimes you have a disagreement on what's going on, and you have a discussion about it." Kris Dielman
by Brian (DaBolts) on Apr 30, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
At the time yes...
Since he was clearly on no one else’s radar they would be wasting the pick on a guy that they could have (and did) sign as a UDFA.
I’m not looking at this from a where will he be in a few years stand point I’m looking at this more as a what kind of additional value did the Chargers give up to draft him two rounds early stand point. I really think Martin would have been there when the Chargers picked in the 5th round so if the Chargers would have drafted DJ Moore in the fourth and Martin in the 5th then they would still have the player they wanted in Martin and in my opinion a huge upgrade over Hughes with DJ Moore. In my opinion, and the reason why I am calling this pick a reach is because they passed up on several good player who could make this Charger roster with their fourth round pick to pick Martin at least a full round earlier than they needed to.
by Steve (Grey Suit) on Apr 30, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK
We just have a different view. I would argue if you see the talent, somebody else might too. I say if you see potential first round talent there in the fourth; you grab with both hands. The difference between a fourth rounder and a fifth rounder is about 35 points on the trade chart, in comparison third rounders are worth about 190 in mid round.
"Football is a physical sport, sometimes you have a disagreement on what's going on, and you have a discussion about it." Kris Dielman
by Brian (DaBolts) on May 1, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Martin wasn't going to last until the 5th
He was on the radar of a few other teams. I believe that AJ felt he would lose him if he waited any longer – even to our comp 4ths.
I post with a Canadian fan on another board who has a very sharp eye for talent . His thread regarding Martin was the first time that I was aware of the guy. And he has seen Martin play.
I believe that Vicious is going to turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on May 8, 2009 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And Martin has more football experience than Gates
And has build his body to be a football player and take a pounding vs. Gates trying to be a basketball player.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
by Wonko on Apr 30, 2009 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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