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Tom Telesco and the San Diego Chargers selected Jason Verrett, defensive back out of TCU, with the 25th pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Leading up to the draft, many felt that this would be the direction the Chargers would go in with their first pick. The Chargers ranked 29th in passing yards allowed and 31st in net yards gained per passing attempt last year, so there was a clear need to add players at that position.
The pick seems to have mixed reviews by the Chargers fanbase, however, many members of the media like what Telesco and the team are doing so far in this years draft. The only knock on Verrett seems to be his size, which has been well documented through the pre-draft process.
So, borrowing an idea from our friends over at Gaslamp Ball, lets see how "Fresh" this draft pick is among members of the media.
Using the Rotten Tomatoes movie rating system, the Jason Verrett draft pick gets a rating of 88%, which puts it in the same league as The Dark Knight Rises and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, two movies that turned out to be great installments into already established products.
If Verrett can live up to his scouting reports and become the cornerback that the team has been searching for, despite his lack of size, the San Diego Chargers will have a great player to fill a huge need, and someone fans will enjoy or years to come.
Oh, and of course, apologies to Rotten Tomatoes.
A little bit on the slight side, but that’s the only negative. He runs fast, he’s sudden in his movements, he is a ball-hawk, and for a little guy, he tackles quite well. And he fills a bad need for the Chargers who blew three double-digit leads in the second half last year. Its a pick they badly needed, it’s not a surprise, but it’s one that works for them.
A+ The risk: Jason Verrett carries some durability risks and is a bit undersized, but those should be minor concerns.The reward: The Chargers landed the top ranked cornerback on our board and addressed a huge hole on their defense. Verrett isn't just a slot cornerback. He can be a shutdown guy on the outside due to his quick feet and incredible ball skills.
Verrett has the best feet, backpedal and hips among the top cornerback prospects. He’s also a willing tackler. The only thing holding him back is his height. Played much of last season with a shoulder injury but was still good enough to share Big 12 defensive player of the year honors. Had 14 passes defended and two interceptions. Fast and quick, but undersized which could lead to a career as a slot corner.
If he was an inch or two taller, he would have gone higher. He might be the best cover guy in the entire draft. He fills a big need. Good pick. GRADE: B+
Verrett gives the Chargers an elite combination of speed and quickness that provide flexibility to play both inside and/or out. Though he lacks the size and thickness you'd like to see in a regular outside corner and struggles against the run when taking on bigger blockers, he's as good as anyone in the class at blanketing stride-for-stride and closing on plays in front of him. He may need to bulk up if he's ever to establish himself in the top echelon of corners at the NFL level. GRADE: B-
Without having to sacrifice any additional picks and trade up, the Chargers scored a cornerback that’s clearly among the top five at his position in this class. Heck, Verrett may turn out to be the best of the bunch, given that he has the versatility to play zone or man and has a knack for finding the football in the air. Don’t be surprised if Verrett becomes the pace-setter among the rookies at his position before long.
The lone knock on Verrett — size–was overblown but it’s still a valid one. The AFC West has a few big, physical receivers who will challenge him on a weekly basis. GRADE: A-
Thumbs Up! The Chargers had an obvious need at cornerback, and Verrett is aggressive, plays hard and has good ball skills. At 5-9, he'll struggle to play on the perimeter against bigger receivers in the AFC West, but should find a home at nickel cornerback for the Chargers.
Verrett went right in the range that was projected for him, and San Diego gets a smooth corner who can play inside and out. Needs plus value equal a checkmark for this organization in the first round.
On the counter side of standing still, sometimes you end up with the fourth or fifth rated player at a certain position when you don't move up. The Chargers desperately need to find a number one corner and they were likely praying Darqueze Dennard would fall to them. Jason Verrett is not a terrible consolation prize. He has good speed and makes plays, but he's a little undersized and won't matchup well with a lot of the bigger receivers in the league.