The Chargers let cooler heads prevail and just simply waited for their selection to roll around. At pick #18 they addressed a need at DE. Illinois DL Corey Liuget's main strength is his ability to stop the run. He's probably one of the best, if not the best in the draft. He's a little short for playing DE, but so was Jacques Cesaire.
The pick confuses some experts who preferred Cal's Cameron Jordan, but it's by no means a reach. He's a legit first rounder and was a beast at Illinois. He most likely would have been a top 5 pick had he stayed in school.
A.J. Smith is saying the kid will play DE for the Chargers, despite many experts thinking that he's not a fit for that position. I know what A.J. likes here. He wants someone to take up space, push blockers around and let his linebackers run free towards ballcarriers. That's what Liuget is with the upside to be more than that. Some of the other DEs in this draft would have been better at getting penetration, but that's not the job A.J. and the Charger Defense is asking them to do.