San Diego Chargers Daily Links: April 10, 2012

NFL Pre-Season Power Rankings - Douglas M
19. San Diego Chargers - This is now a mid-line talented team. They lost key parts of their offensive line to retirement and free agency. The loss of Vince Jackson to Tampa Bay will be tough to solve, but New Orleans perennial #3 receiver Robert Meachem is a decent gamble. The Chargers running game will be a bit thin in depth, and quarterback Phillip Rivers will spend the season running for his life. I can easily see him throw more interceptions than touchdown passes this season. The thing that puts them in the possible eight wins category is the weakness of the AFC West.

AFC West remaining team needs - Gary Horton (Insider)
The Chargers could address any/or all three positions on the O-line in this draft and still fill their biggest need. Left tackle Marcus McNeill is gone and RT Jeromey Clary just isn't good enough. Brandyn Dombrowski provides depth at tackle, but he isn't an ideal starter. There are also issues inside, as G Kris Dielman retired and C Nick Hardwick is close to ending his career

Charger Girls auditions begin Sunday - Christopher Smith
More than 400 dancers will audition for the Charger Girls, with the first portion of auditions to commence Sunday. A three-day process helps determine the 28-member team, which performs at every home game and makes dozens of community appearances during the year.

Stock Watch: Part II - Wes Bunting
OLB Shea McClellin: Boise State (6-3, 258) McClellin is a productive pass rusher with a big motor, good skill set and can get after the QB in a number of ways. Looks like a potential starter at the next level.

Five elite players atop board - Todd McShay (Insider)
The 2012 NFL draft class has some clear headliners at the top of the board, but how does the talent level overall look up and down the board? This draft tiers document -- which breaks down the top 100 players on my board into groups based on grade -- is helpful in answering that question, both for teams and fans.

The death of the workhorse running back - Joe Fortenbaugh
NFL offenses have evolved for the better in a similar fashion to how drivers have improved scoring in the game of golf. Golf club manufacturers have turned to composite metals over wood in the same way that NFL coaches have turned to receivers over running backs.

The Wide Receiver Transformation - Greg Cosell
The transformation in the NFL game over the past decade has been widely documented. The expansion of three-wide receiver personnel has been the most visible change.

What Hayden Smith Brings From Rugby - Sam Monson
The New York Jets have been looking outside the box for players for a while, searching for the new Antonio Gates in sports other than football. To date they have stuck to basketball, but this offseason they deviated from the plan a little, and signed rugby international Hayden Smith to play tight end. Usually US rugby players are comprised of people that knew they would never carve a career from football, players do not tend to go in the opposite direction.