The supplemental draft is tomorrow (Thursday).  For those of you who don't know, the supplemental draft allows draft eligible college players a last chance to get into the league in 2009.  In order to be eligible, a player must not have declared for the April draft.  This typically means that the player who declared for the supplemental draft intended to go back to school but the situation changed.  This could be because of a variety of reasons, most of them negative.  Typically, the player got either kicked off the team for some transgression or was ruled ineligible due to academics or some other reason.  Because of that, these players tend to be a bit of a risk.

That being said, we did pick up big Jamal Williams in the supplemental draft, we also got Paul Oliver a few years ago.  Whatever round you draft a player in during the supplemental draft, you will lose that pick in next year's real draft.  It is common for a team to not pick anyone in the supplemental draft, so the Chargers might not do anything.  In fact, last year no one was drafted at all by any team.  Typically, 2-5 players will be drafted in the entire supplemental draft.

The players who declared for the supplemental draft are:

Blake Boyd - OLB - Western Kentucky
McKinner Dixon - DE - Texas Tech
Jeremy Jarmon - DE - Kentucky
Torris Magee - WR - Southern Miss
Joe McMahon - OG - Central Michigan
Demetrice Morley - S - Tennessee
Deon Murphy - WR - Kansas St.
Corey Surrency - WR - Florida St.

Here are two good articles from the National Football Post breaking down the draft:

Part 1 : The Players

Part 2 : What teams might be interested

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The Chargers have assigned numbers to the eighteen undrafted players they signed following the 2009 NFL Draft.  All but three of them are being forced to change their number either due to NFL rules or because their college number is already taken by somebody on the Chargers team.

• #64 - Sam Allen (Wore #58 at Grand Valley State)
• #46 - Darry Beckwith (Wore #48 at LSU)
• #44 - Curtis Brinkley (Wore #22 at Syracuse)
• #8 - Greg Carr (Wore #89 at Florida State)
• #9 - Jeremy Childs
• #58 - Anthony Felder (Wore #15 at Cal)
• #71 - Dan Gay
• #53 - James Holt (Wore #12 at Kansas)
• #77 - Rashaad Jackson (Wore #91 at Clemson)
• #13 - Charly Martin (Wore #17 at Texas A&M)
• #60 - Ryan McDonald
• #72 - Ben Muth (Wore #76 at Stanford)
• #38 - Wopamo Osaisai (Wore #6 at Stanford)
• #40 - Williams Rentmeester (Wore #34 at Wisconsin)
• #3 - Rodgeriqus Smith (Wore #80 at Auburn)
• #47 - Kory Sperry (Wore #80 at CSU)
• #30 - C.J. Spillman (Wore #4 at Marshall)
• #49 - Jerimiah Wurzbacher (Wore #80 at North Dakota State)

Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue?  Any tips you want to send our way?  Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.

Gartrell Johnson at the 2009 NFL Combine via i.cdn.turner.com

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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.

via i1.chargers.com

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The Chargers have assigned numbers to eight players they picked in the 2009 NFL Draft.  All but two of them are being forced to change their number either due to NFL rules or because their college number is already taken by somebody on the Chargers team.

• #52 - Larry English (Wore #51 at NIU)
• #65 - Louis Vasquez
• #92 - Vaughn Martin (Wore #47 at Western Ontario)
• #69 - Tyronne Green (Wore #71 at Auburn)
• #33 - Gartrell Johnson (Wore #5 at CSU)
• #36 - Brandon Hughes
• #25 - Kevin Ellison (Wore #4 at USC)
• #82 - Demetrius Byrd (Wore #2 at LSU)

So now you can create the jersey of your favorite draft pick and be the coolest Chargers fan on your block.

Every year we get a UDFA who makes an impact.  Who is it going to be this year?  One of the main reason a pretty set team like the Chargers can sign 18 UDFAs is because all these kids know they will be given an honest shot at being the next Dielman, Gates, or Cooper.  No one wants to look through 18 guys who didn't get drafted, so let's look at a few of these guys and see if we can find some who seem like they might make an impact:

Darry Beckwith, LB, LSU

via images.athlonsports.com

6-0, 242, 4.79 in the 40

Projected around the 5th round, some projections had him as high as a 3rd rounder.  This guy is going to make the team and will probably make an impact.  He is a pretty good friend with the WR Byrd who we drafted in the 7th round (the guy in the hospital).  Good run stopper, might have some trouble in coverage.

Compares To: GARY BRACKETT, Indianapolis -- Beckwith is a smart, instinctive inside ruin stuffer, the type you want dealing with "inside trash" to free up other quicker defenders, but he lacks range and pass coverage skills to be exposed there as an every-down type of player. He's had several knee issues that will see his stock drop, and unless he gets into a system where his outside men can compensate for his deficiencies, he will be nothing more than a situational player.

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San Diego Chargers' first-round draft pick Larry English, second from right, holds up his new jersey as, from left to right, general manager A.J. Smith, president-CEO Dean Spanos and head coach Norv Turner look on during a news conference Sunday, April 26, 2009, in San Diego. English, a linebacker, is from Northern Illinois. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

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Larry English, OLB, N. Illinois (Round 1, Pick 16 - 16th Overall)

I don't think anyone was really surprised by this choice.  In the past week we began discussing AJ Smith's past picks and how we almost never know who the guy is before he's drafted.  AJ did it again, drafting what he believed to be the best player available at 16.  This was not the most exciting pick, but it's one that provides the defense with some sorely-needed depth.

The more I watch of Larry English, the more he looks like a fearsome pass rusher.  He's built in a similar mold as Merriman - strong, fast and tenacious.  After sitting through 2008, I like the idea that an injury to Merriman or Phillips no longer means our defense turns into wet paper.  This pick also has me fearing the upcoming offseason and negotiations with Merriman a little less.  Most importantly though, our pass rushing linebackers are deeper than ever with Merriman, Phillips, English and Jyles Tucker.

2009 Outlook: Not a starter, but Larry English will see plenty of time on the field.

Pick Grade: B+

Louis Vasquez, OG, Texas Tech (Round 3, Pick 14 - 78th Overall)

Immediately Louis Vasquez becomes our widest offensive lineman.  McNeil is the heaviest at 335lbs, but Vasquez matches that weight while being three inches shorter.  This pick is all about potential.  He has unbelievable size and strength to go with great quickness off the line and quick, nimble feet.  Louis' only drawback seems to be that he spent so much time in pass-blocking at Texas Tech that he has little experience driving the defender back or pulling down the line.  These things can be taught.

2009 Outlook: With an outstanding camp Louis Vasquez could possibly compete for the starting RG spot.  It's more likely that he'll sit out most of 2009 while having his skills refined.

Pick Grade: B

Vaughn Martin, DT, Western Ontario (Round 4, Pick 13 - 113th Overall)

Here's the risk pick.  The one that the fans know nothing about because we don't typically watch Canadian College Football.  At 6'4", 330lbs Martin has the size to be the Chargers Nose Tackle of the future.  Although he was not invited to the combine, during his workout for NFL teams Martin ran the 40 in about 5 seconds, did 33 bench press reps and somehow did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.31 seconds.  By comparison, Larry English ran the 40 at 4.88 and did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.38 seconds.  It's quite possible the Chargers just drafted a player with Jamal Williams' size and Shawne Merriman's speed.

The one reason I'm down on this pick is it seems to be a major reach.  Martin was expected to go undrafted or possibly get grabbed in the 7th round.

2009 Outlook: Because the Chargers need depth on the defensive line, Vaughn Martin may end up as a backup of some sort for the upcoming season.  However, he is a project and will need to adjust to the rules of American football as well as the size, speed and ferocity of the game before he has any chance of starting.

Pick Grade: D

Tyronne Green, C, Auburn (Round 4, Pick 33 - 133rd Overall)

A pick of tremendous value.  Green will replace Newberry, who was effective but might have the creakiest knees in football.  Tyronne provides good size (6'1.5", 309lbs), strength and versatility (he played OG at Auburn).  To add to that, his athleticism makes him a tremendous pull blocker who hits the second level with power and keeps his head on a swivel.

2009 Outlook: Barring any injury, Tyronne Green will not see any playing time in 2009 but will be sitting behind a former Pro Bowler and learning the Center position from him.  Grabbing a Center in the draft was seen as a priority after consecutive injury-plagued seasons from Hardwick.

Pick Grade: A

Gartrell Johnson, RB, Colorado St. (Round 4, Pick 34 - 134th Overall)

This is a pick I'm very excited about.  Although I believe LaDainian Tomlinson to be a great player, I have spent many games screaming at my TV for the Chargers to get a power back.  Or, when they knew they had one in Michael Turner, for them to use a power back.  Not necessarily because I think a big, bruising runner would have more success in certain situations of the game but because LT needs to be taken care of so we can extend his career and get the most from him.  This was gone over in great depth here, but to summarize: The Chargers have worked Tomlinson harder than any other back in the league since his rookie season and he's starting to break down because of it.  It's time to let somebody else take that pounding and have LT healthy for the playoffs.

As for Gartrell Johnson, I think he's a fantastic player.  He's built like a MAC truck and he runs like one too.  From what I've seen of him as a college player, he almost never goes down from the first or second hit.  As a matter of fact, it usually takes two or three guys to get him down.  Johnson is the polar opposite of Darren Spoles.  He is not very fast and is not going to be able to make it to the corner for an outside run.  Gartrell Johnson takes the ball and runs straight up the middle, but his strength and determination make him very effective at that. 

2009 Outlook: Gartrell Johnson is going to get a lot of looks.  He's going to be out starting RB in the preseason to save Sproles from the pounding and I think he's going to impress a lot of people.  As the Charger short-yardage back I'm looking for a first-year similar to Brandon Jacobs' second year: 96 attempts (less than 7 per game), 423 yards (4.4 yards per attempt), 9 TD.

Pick Grade: B

Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon St. (Round 5, Pick 12 - 148th Overall)

I thought after a night of sleep I'd wake up and realize why this pick was made.  Nope.  Brandon Hughes is an undersized corner (5'10.5", 182lbs) with good speed.  The scouting report on Hughes describes him as "feisty, physical and quick" when playing the run or a screen pass, so he likes to hit.  Due to his size he has a hard time fighting through blocks and has only average ball skills (and hands).  His ceiling seems to be as a nickel corner.

2009 Outlook: Brandon Hughes will not see the field in 2009.  With five or six cornerbacks ahead of him on the roster, Hughes will most likely end up on the practice squad.

Pick Grade: D-

Kevin Ellison, S, USC (Round 6, Pick 16 - 189th Overall)

Rodney Harrison, part two.  Kevin Ellison is a linebacker with good enough ball skills to play safety.  He is without a doubt a strong safety, one who likes being the 8th man in the box and laying a big hit on a RB or a WR coming across the middle.  Ellison's scouting report says he's very good at defending TEs over the middle, but struggles with covering a RB or WR near the sidelines.

The question I'm asking with this pick is if the big, hard-hitting strong safety with marginal cover skills is still an asset in the NFL.  The Chargers let Rodney Harrison go, the Cowboys let Roy Williams go and it seems teams are looking more for fast/quick players that can lay the lick (like Polamalu) than a linebacker to play in the secondary.

2009 Outlook: Kevin Ellison could end up taking the starting safety spot away from Clinton Hart with a good training camp.  If he shows the same level of ability or better in coverage as a rookie, I have no reason to believe they'd put Hart out there.  Even if Ellison doesn't win the job out of camp, he could be the starter by the end of the season.

Pick Grade: B-

Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU (Round 7, Pick 15 - 224th Overall)

I always liked Demetrius Byrd.  He was one of those players that I couldn't quite put my finger on why I liked him so much, but it seemed like when the ball was in the air he just wanted it more.  In reality, there are several things I can take out of that sentence and translate.  One, he plays with passion.  Two, he has the strength to fight for the ball.  Three, he's a QB's best friend (a receiver who comes back to the ball).  Four, he's tough.  Fifth, he's the best college receiver I've seen at making an over-the-shoulder catch in-stride.  And finally, Byrd has a burst of speed that cannot be captured in statistics or measurements. 

Byrd was projected to go in the 5th round or higher, but a recent one-car accident has put him in the hospital with no news as to the severity of his injuries.  If he fully recovers, it's a steal.  If he doesn't, it was still a good risk to take.

2009 Outlook: Recovery, I imagine.  Depending on the severity of his injuries, Byrd may not be able to play at all this season.  In his first healthy year I expect Byrd to be our 4th receiver and push for the slot receiver spot.

Pick Grade: B

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The San Diego Chargers selected Demetrius Byrd from LSU with the 224th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.  He will be a project WR that could provide our receiving corps with some much-needed depth.  Keep in mind that after 2009 Vincent Jackson's contract is up and Chris Chambers is having a harder time staying healthy as he gets older.

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The San Diego Chargers selected Safety Kevin Ellison from USC with the 189th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.  He will provide depth and could possibly compete for a starting Safety job in the upcoming season.