By Ben Harbaugh and Danny Kelly, writers at Field Gulls.

The 2012 NFL Draft is almost upon us. Many NFL fans discuss the draft even more than regular season and it is easy to see why. The draft represents the future of the league. It can push a team to ultimate victory or leave them looking to next year's draft. Each pick symbolizes an opportunity for improvement. Success takes a team that much closer to the title, while failure leaves them that much farther away. The gravity of the situation is difficult to overstate.

Understandably, many of us don't like following such an event with our eyes closed. We've learned about the prospects and developed opinions for who we want our team to select. With opinion comes debate and intrigue. The sea of scouting fosters a sense of competition based on the desire to predict the outcome of the draft. However, until now there's never been a platform to give that sense of competition meaning. This year that changes. It's time to put your armchair GM skills to the test.

In a nutshell, the challenge is to predict the draft picks for your team of choice. You will rank the twenty prospects most likely to be selected by your team in the order you feel is likeliest. If your top player is picked then you score 20 points. If your second player is picked - 19 points. Third player -18 points, etc. Whoever accumulates the most points by the end of the draft is the winner. We will discuss tie breaking and the finer details of the rules in the competition after the jump.

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Thomas actually isn't expected to be drafted in the draft, but you never know with how things can break down in regards to the late rounds of the draft. Still, Thomas should be a highly intriguing undrafted free agent.

Position: RB

Weight: 185 lbs.

Height: 5' 9''

Pros: Thomas is an incredibly versatile back who has extensive experience coming out of the backfield as a receiver. Toledo utilized his talents very well. Even though he missed a handful of games with a broken bone in his arm, he still produced at a high level and was a big part in Toledo's great games this year. He has great agility and acceleration, often leaving defenders grasping for air while at Toledo. For all the bigger he is, he can be surprisingly effective running between the tackles.

Cons: Thomas doesn't have great top end speed. That may be the thing that holds him back the most. He also has injury concerns, which may cause teams to pass on him. Thomas also has happy feet and tends to try and dance around to much at times, which causes negative plays. He also doesn't have much of a power game to him. As to be expected of most rookie backs, he also struggles in pass protection.

Thomas has a lot of upside and could be the replacement for Sproles that the Chargers have been looking for since his departure. He may be a late pick or a free agent pick up, still, keep an eye on him regardless of where he goes (if he goes).

***This post has been approved for All SBN NFL sites by SBNation***

Speculation, rumors, prospects and draft stock... We've read it for months now, and what have we learned? Well, I learned that I really hate the time period between the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft. How about you?

On April 26th, all our eyes will be firmly fixed on New York City, waiting for our favorite NFL team's draft picks. We've sliced and diced every combination imaginable in Mock drafts, right? Well how about a contest that will test your draft metal? Starting April 23th, and running till the 25th, you have a chance to prove you know your team's needs and wants. This contest is open to all SBNation NFL sites, and the prizes will be for the winner's favorite NFL team.

Welcome to the Turf Show Times "Top 4 Team Draft Picks Contest"!

Here's what you need to do to win:

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I've read they've assembled in some undisclosed location (jk) for the final week push . Even with my confidence in the decision making group waning I still am anxious to get the draft underway , just a glutton I guess . As with every draft the discussion usually revolves around need or at least one's perceived team need and there the arguments begin . For the Chargers , assessing the current roster while factoring in expiring contracts may offer some insight as to which positions top the shopping list . This is but the first of several factors that must be considered at the annual meat market , others include positional value and individual value ( my terms ) , positional class depth , trade values , risk management are a few .

For the team itself the bigger question will be are the last two years truly reflective of the team's ability or bad years that can be dismissed ? It shall be interesting to watch the season unfold starting with that first pick in 9 days . What to do ? Who to take ? Move up ? Down ? Stay put ? Pass rusher ? Safety ? OL ? Well let's look at some things , the last offensive lineman drafted by the Chargers in the 1st ? Anyone ? Bueller ? It was Fatzpatrick way back before the internet and probably the reason SD still shies away from them even though that was BB's era . So maybe Decastro falls into our lap and breaks the streak or maybe the streak continues but I don't think Cordy Glenn is the pick and I'm hopeful he is not as Mayock has him as a 2nd round talent , which I find a bit unsettling . The guys who drop always present a bit of a quandary because at some point their value over rides a team's preferred position , the X factor if every there were one . You may know what you need but you don't know who's available until your on the clock .

Assessing the current roster , the offense has virtually every starter spot set for this year with Vasquez and Greene in the last year of their deals , look for a OG relatively early but not necessarily in the 1st . OTs always appeal but unless he can play LT , forget it , maybe a late round guy for depth . The RB stable is adequate but the loss of Sproles lingers so I look for an RB to taken somewhere in the middle rounds . WRs were signed liberally in free agency so AJ can afford to be prudent , anytime after the first should someone appeal or not at all should none . TEs are signed but old and it's an unappealing TE class, some developmental guy maybe . QB project at best this year . Unless someone is available that the personnel team has rated super high I don't see an offensive guy being taken in the first , with OG and complimentary RB warranting consideration any time afterwards .

The defense has starters in place at all spots except the safety opposite of Weddle , currently Bigby gets listed as starter ( ourlads) so naturally that would seem a high priority . Cason & Jammer are in the last year of their deals so CB is an position of need as well as the DL with 3 expiring contracts and some age . The LB corp is stuffed with a bunch of guys from oldsters to unproven with 5 contracts expiring , I imagine quality would trump quantity so I'm sure LB is on the shopping list , where of course is the money question . The stage is set but things could get tricky should panic set in , like the Ryan Mathews move . Let's hope AJ doesn't get played like a one string banjo when the fur starts to fly , which I believe it will . Call it a backlash from last year's weird non off-season but I expect movement and nutty picks .

I noticed that nearly all pre-draft visits were defensive guys , including Ronnell Lewis ( a personal fave ) and Bobby Wagner , both look like nice prospects . The draft boils down to either guys you like or don't like until such time they've actually played so I really just hope the Charger draft includes some guys I like , like Lewis , and maybe even some quick producers . Wouldn't that be nice ?

Today when i was going through one of my many chargers fantasies of the day and I was imagining how amazing the team would be if AJ got a Nick Perry at 18 and a Harrison Smith at 49. Perfect world scenario right? All defensive holes plugged with good players. That's when I realized the potential major hole we could have.

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A versatile player is always a good thing for any team to have. With that in mind, here is the draft profile for California ILB Mychal Kendricks.

Position: ILB/OLB/SS

Weight: 240 lbs.

Height: 5' 11''

Pros: Kendricks is an athletic and versatile player who played both inside and outside linebacker in college. There is also talk of him being able to transition to SS in the NFL. Some wondered if he had the speed to play that position, but he put that to rest by running a 4.47 40 yard dash time. He has great awareness and generally does a good job staying at home. He is a high motor player who goes all out on every play. He is an effective tackler who hits hard despite his size and plays downhill. Kendricks possesses good footwork and has a great closing burst.

Cons: His biggest knock is his size. At only 5' 11'', many scouts are wondering if he can hold up at inside linebacker. He is somewhat stiff in the hips and can get engulfed by blockers and end up knocked back on his feet. He needs to make sure he wraps up better with tackles instead of always going for the big hit. He also has some concerns with injuries, injuring both his shoulder and thumb last season. Even with this, he still earned the PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He doesn't have the best change of direction ability, which could really hurt him if a team wants to transition him to SS.

Kendricks is a player who, regardless of where he goes or what position he will play, will contribute to a team in a variety of ways. He is an intriguing prospect who should be on the Chargers radar. With his potential to play SS, he might be able to learn under Atari Bigby and compete with Stuckey for playing time. He should immediately contribute on special teams. He seems like the kind of player who will be nipping at the heels of those above him on the depth chart. Competition is always a good thing for a team, both internally and externally.

Free agency appears to be over. At least the 20 piece free agent puzzle that A.J Smith was trying to put together.

So, now is when the clearest view of the Chargers draft plans will come to light.

Here is a pretty clear position by position needs list that face the Chargers, followed by a mock which addresses all in the order of urgency.


Urgency of need:

Offensive line - Low.

Free agency signings. Mario Henderson, Nick Hardwick , Jared Gaither.

Depth - Jeromey Clary , Tyronne Green ,Louis Vasquez, ,Brandyn Dombrowski, Stephen Schilling,
If anything, I think a draft addition would only solidify the depth, not become the instant starter, so a late round pick is probable, an early round pick is highly unlikely.

Wide receiver- Low

Its pretty clear.

1.Malcom Floyd
2. Robert Meacham
3. Vincent Brown - Eddie Royal
5. Roscoe Parrish/ Michael Spurlock / Richard Goodman

I doubt the Chargers go receiver anywhere in this draft.

QB- Low/Medium

Philip Rivers
Charlie Whitehurst

3. Later round QB- if they see potential in, I could see a late round pick up here.

Tight End- Low

1. Antonio Gates
2. Randy McMichael
3. Dante Rosario

Korry Sperry is also on the roster, wasting a draft pick here would be pointless.

Running backs- Moderately High need
1. Ryan Mathews
2.? 2nd or 3rd round pick
3. Le'Ron McClain

Fullback- Low

Wherever Jacob Hester doesn't fill in, Le'Ron McClain will, and vice versa.
The utility back position is filled nicely.

Draft needs Offense- (2) possibly (3) BPA
2nd/ 3rd round RB
4th-7th round OL

Draft picks defense.

Pass rush Specialist / LB- Need (High)
Have-
Antwan Barnes
Shaun Philips
Donald Butler
Larry English
Takeo Spikes
Jarret Johnson
Jonas Mouton
Darryl Gamble
Andrew Gachkar
Demorrio Williams

In a 3-4, these guys are very important in getting to the Quarterback from the outside. They just didn't get the job done in 2011. Gamble, Mouton, and English have so much potential, but I see Smith taking one more shot here in the first with a pass rusher that he's been missing the past few drafts.
32nd in the league on 3rd down is the most pressing need the Chargers should be looking to improve on.

(Safety) - High need

Eric Weddle (FS)
Darrel Stuckey (S)
Atari Bigby (SS)
Nick Polk (FS)

If Mark Barron will be taken in the first, the Chargers will need to trade up to get ahead of Philadelphia and Dallas.
The Harrison Smith hype as of late will push him way out of the Chargers 49 spot, and I seriously doubt the Chargers will want him at 18.

Cornerbacks- Moderately High need

Quentin Jammer- Lost a step
Antoine Cason- great some games , burned bad others.
Marcus Gilchrist- Flashes of greatness, flashes of poor play
Shareece Wright- His lack of play at all last year speaks volumes for what faith the Chargers have in him.


Defensive Line- Low

Luis Castillo, Jacques Cesaire, Antonio Garay, Corey Liuget, Vaughn Martin,Cam Thomas will be used in heavy rotation, and won't set the world on fire, but provide a solid 3-4 D-line .

Defensive Needs (3)

Pass rusher
Safety
Cornerback

Special teams needs - Low.

Scifres, Windt, and Kaeding are locks:

So here it is. My final mock draft

1. Nick Perry / Courtney Upshaw
2. LaMichael James
3. DeQuan Menzie
4. Brandon Taylor/ Sam Ihenacho
5. Ryan Miller
6. Kellen Moore
7. Braylon Broughton

Defending my picks:

1. Either Nick Perry or Courtney Upshaw will be on the board when San Diego picks. The Chargers wont have to trade up, and will get a solid pass rusher at 18 that will fit their 3-4 style very well.
These guys come from big schools and played in big games, so its not so much a gamble as former similar 1st round picks (Northern Illinois).
If either of these guys are draft busts, A.J Smith wont need a defense attorney.

2. LaMichael James. RB

No, he will not drop to the third round. Yes he is small. I think he would fit the Chargers offense perfectly. He can catch out of the backfield, and is elusive as a runner as you will find.
Last season at Oregon he had 1805 rushing yards, averaged 7.3 yards per carry and 18 Touchdowns.

No he's not a one year wonder, he's averaged 6.6 yards per carry or better since his freshman year. For the Chargers to use a second round pick on him is not a stretch in the least. He reminds me a lot of Sproles, and before him Lionel James, and before him James Brooks, the Chargers always seem to have a type of player like this, last year he was missed.


3. Dequan Menzie Cornerback/safety Alabama.

He has slid quietly under the radar because of all the other stars at Alabama, but what makes him a great fit for the Chargers at round 3 is his versatility. Two positions the Chargers need help in, he plays well.

Although he's a projected 4th rounder, I can see the Chargers taking him before that. The interview the Chargers did with him is on Chargers.com, and its pretty obvious , AJ has an eye on him. The higher Harrison Smith and Mark Barron's draft stock rises, the more I can see Bolts on Menzie.

4. Brandon Taylor Safety LSU

Would be the obvious pick here at Safety from LSU, simply because he has played in a bigger division, but in terms of size, strength, and instincts, Sam Ihenacho ( San Jose state) is right there with him. Both are projected as 4th or 5th rounders. And like Menzie, The more Smith,and Barron's draft stock rises , the more these guys look likely to be wearing Chargers uniforms next season.

5. Ryan Miller OG - Colorado

After the 1st round , the guard position drops off rapidly, but Miller (projected 6th round) seems like a great pick up for depth. At 6'7" 320 pounds, he fits the role, and if nothing else solidifies the line, and provides competition for Clary. Its a win win deal for Rivers.

6. Kellen Moore QB Boise state

Yes, I get it , he's small, he's left handed, he doesn't have the rocket arm. Did that stop him from winning more games than any other college players ever? The only time I ever saw him lose was when he was done in by his kicker, so he has that in common with Rivers. He's started every game since his freshman year and got better every year. His 2011 stats are:
Yds-3800
TDs- 43
Int- 9
74% completion rating
Now that Mike Mayock, Skip Bayless and the draft gurus have done their job on him, he's a projected 7th round pick. Mark my words, he'd be a steal in the 6th.


7. Braylon Broughton DE/OLB TCU

Broughton is slated to go in the 7th or UFA, so I think he'd be worth the pickup. He's said to be a good special teams player, and very versatile because of his size 6'4" 260 Lbs. So in terms of a project player, depth player, or just special teams, a 7th round pick here is well worth the gamble.

Keep in mind, A.J will beg, borrow and steal for this years draft to be successful, after all his , and Norv's jobs are riding on the 2012 season. So a trade up will surprise me less than trading down.

For me, this draft would be a grade A report card for Smith.

1. Nick Perry DE/OLB USC
2. LaMichael James RB Oregon
3. DeQuan Menzie SS/Cornerback Alabama
4. Brandon Taylor Safety LSU
5. Ryan Miller OG Colorado
6. Kellen Moore QB Boise state
7. Braylon Broughton OLB/DE TCU

This is based on no trades up, and no reaching, every player would be taken at or above their projected draft round.

The state of Chargers Fans:

Chargers fans are pretty sensitive, and overly critical. There really is no pleasing us. If you made 100 mock drafts , they would be criticized 101 different ways.

We also need a scapegoat:

If its Greg Manusky, Norv Turner, A.J Smith, or Dean Spanos, we need someone to point our finger at as the root of all Chargers problems.

We have learned to follow stats at an almost forensic level, even if they have no bearing on the win/loss column.

Perhaps the Chargers are a snakebitten organization:

How many Pro Bowlers have been stranded in San Diego without a ring? How many hall of famers for that matter? How many times has a loss on a fluke play dictated a season? How many Chargers squads should have gone 12-4, but wound up 8-8?

Why does it seem like when a game is a real close nail biter with everything on the line, the Chargers find a way to lose it?
But if the game doesn't matter, the Chargers will win by 3 touchdowns.

What did beating the Raiders do in week 17? Nothing would be the answer 10 years ago. Now the answer is, " It kept the Raiders out of the playoffs"!

Are we a fan base that has just grown bitter? Would it have been better to take that meaningless loss in Oakland ? We'd be drafting at 12 and 43 instead of 18 and 49! Or, do we get enough satisfaction out of the Raiders missing the playoffs that we miss out on a Mark Barron or Nick Perry?


Have the Raiders fans got us mentally beat? If they sweep the Chargers one season, it is as heavily broadcasted as 911. But if the Chargers beat the Raiders 13 straight, its just a side note.
Does their constant taunting of their 3 World Championships get under our skin? Maybe. Even if their most recent is 27 years old, they still got a point.

Will the Chargers ever win the big one?

Even if the Chargers have the #1 ranked offense and Defense, the Special teams cost them the season.
It seem like the Lombardi somehow eludes San Diego every year for different reasons. Division rivals have labeled the Chargers as "chokers", seemingly admitting they are more talented, but just cant win when it matters, and taunt Chargers fans with this.


The effect:

A once laid back type of surfers, hippies , yuppies and mellow fans, the Chargers fan base has taken a swift and brutal turn into a mob that's impossible to please, and overly sensitive. Any coach or GM will be under heavy scrutiny, and any good player who departs will be criticized.

The article that John Genaro wrote in defense of A.J Smith was pretty spot on. Yeah, A.J has had his stubborn moments, and he's made his mistakes, but this off season, he's made some moves that have been pretty applaud-able on both sides of the ball.

I've been a critic of Smith's over the past few seasons, but, I'd be blind to say he hasn't done a great job this off season, and checked his ego sometime around mid February.


Also:

Big thanks to Vincent Jackson:

Yeah, he could have played the field a bit, saw who would throw him the best offer, visit several cities and drag his feet. He signed a deal within 3 hours, and that was the kindest departure he could have given San Diego.

Eddie Royal was in Washington and Robert Meacham was in Buffalo at the time close to signing deals with those teams. Had Jackson waited 6 more hours, neither of those guys would be wearing bolts in 2012.

But regardless of who the Chargers bring in, trade, promote, or draft, it wont matter. The fans are too hungry for a super bowl victory , and nothing short of that will get A.J. , Norv or Dean's head out of the noose.

So what's the state of the Chargers fan base?

Just hungry! Although the Chargers have had 9 straight years without a losing record..( one of only 3 teams in the NFL including the Steelers and Patriots), that just doesn't cut it anymore. The fans aren't going to settle for anything less than a Super bowl victory.

One thing I can say for the Bolts is that every time they take the field, I think they are going to win the game if they play well. That's all you can really hope for as a fan. So basically every year there are 31 " chokers", and only one champion, and the closer you get to being Champion, the more it hurts.

With the moves that Smith has made through the free agency, I'm really excited about the draft this year. He could trade up or down. He could go DE, OLB, SS or basically anywhere in the first round and nothing will be shocking. The only thing I will be shocked by is the fan base being happy with it! Yeah we've got that crabby!

Hey guys, I signed up to GM for the Chargers in the Mocking The Draft live mock, which is schedule to go on tonight at 7:00 EST. There's about ten minutes left before showtime, and I think I have a pretty good idea what I'm doing, but as I shall have a bit of time before I have to make a choice in either round, I decided to open things up for discussion and gladly accept the input of those who know just as much and moe about the Bolts than I. If anyone's interested in discussing ideas about which moves should or could be made, I'll have this thread open in a concurrent tab and will be checking on it both tonight and tomorrow (rounds 3-7).

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Im wondering how Chargers fans are feeling about this guy. I'm kinda split myself. When I first heard that the Chargers were looking to sign him, I was all for it. Jarred Gaither sprung to mind immediately. A huge offensive lineman who could at least provide depth on the O-line, and perhaps in time or injury could compete for a starting spot.
If it could save a draft pick for the defense, I thought it was a win/win deal.

Somehow 9 days have passed, with little mention on the Chargers signing him, yet they laid out a contract for him.

After reading his initial twitter message, (which could have very well been written by my six year old), I thought this guy was elated to be back in the NFL.

I was also pretty surprised that A.J Smith even would consider him. He was cut by the team who drafted him( The Raiders) , and that says a lot. He showed up to training camp way out of shape, was a locker room distraction, and was recently convicted on a gun charge.

For A.J (of all GM's in the league) to be this guys shot at a 2nd chance in the NFL is a minor miracle. Henderson is even more of an imbecile than his tweets imply for not leaping at the opportunity.

The Chargers reported that their offer is on the table to Henderson until the weekend. Surprisingly, it appears that Henderson is trying to look for bigger offers. More surprisingly, his agent hasn't even returned the Chargers call.

Not surprisingly , no other teams have given Henderson as much as a workout, so it looks like he will probably have to settle for the Bolts.

For a mediocre linesman, who has been basically flushed by the NFL , (even before his legal problems) , to hold out against the only team who's giving him a chance, is absolutely mind boggling, and paints a really ugly picture to me.

So with the state of the Chargers O-Line, what do you say Chargers fans?, if he does get signed are you happy about it ? Could he turn his career around and get the big payday by earning it, or is this guy just a bad fit from the get go?