Chargers Roundtable: Grading the Chargers 2017 Draft

The 2017 NFL Draft has come and gone... After the three days of madness, what do the staff here at BFTB think of the haul the Los Angeles Chargers took with their seven picks?

Jamie Sewell: F- because they didn't take Mahomes. Seriously, though, I think this was a really good draft for the Chargers, and the fact that the most annoyed I was over the three days wasn't even at their pick (God, I hate the Chiefs) is a good sign. I think I'm giving this a B+. I didn't love the Williams pick, but he's not a bad player, and Telesco KILLED it with Lamp and Feeney. They were both awesome value, and with those two plus Tuerk being healthy and Okung, the Chargers have completely revamped by far the worst position on the team. I liked the King pick and don't know enough yet on the other three to comment. Overall, though? Telesco and crew did a damn fine job. Now leave me alone so I can cry about Mahomes some more.

Matthew Stanley: I give this draft a solid B. The first 2 days were an A- for me, day three brought it down a bit. Mike Williams was arguably the best WR in the draft and offers something none of the current WRs can match in terms of contested catch abilities. But he was a bit of a reach. Forrest Lamp was the best IOL in the draft and probably a top 2 OL in the draft. To sit pat at the top of 2 and have him fall into their laps was amazing. He's a day 1 starter who will excel at LG for the next 10ish years. Dan Feeney is another stud IOL who the Chargers actually had slotted at the top of RD2, and were able to get at the top of 3. Between Lamp, Feeney, and (hopefully) Max Tuerk, the interior of the Chargers line is set for the foreseeable future. Rayshawn Jenkins, I still don't know a whole lot about, but I understand the reasoning behind his pick, even though it was probably early for him. Desmond King was another pick where Telesco's patience paid off in a big way. King was mocked in the 1st round early in the draft process and was on the Chargers board starting at the top of 2. He will help tremendously when the Chargers are in Nickel. Sam Tavi and Issac Rochell are two more guys I don't know a ton about yet but have an uphill battle to make the 53 man roster with who is currently ahead of them. Telesco really did a great job just based on the names he brought in. Hopefully, that translates on the field.

Michael Peterson: Overall I give the draft a B. We blew it out of the park on Day 2 but unfortunately they momentum didn't carry over into Day 3. The only pick I could enjoy was Desmond King in the 5th. #GoHawks. Other than that it was a very anticlimactic ending. Mike Williams will probably grow on me as time goes on. I'm just so thankful we filled what I thought was the biggest need on our team, which was the interior offensive line. My Lamp jersey is already on pre-order. Rayshawn Jenkins won some points from me when I saw that Vine of him slapping the mess out of that receiver. Tom Telesco did a bang up job of letting guys fall into his lap. Can't wait for the season.

Louis Gorini: It's hard not to like what the Chargers did in this draft. Management finally decided to go all in for Rivers. They realized Rivers can no longer single-handedly carry the team to 7-9 wins. So they got Rivers a big target to help stretch the field. The Mike Williams pick might not have been the "ideal" selection but it doesn't mean it was a bad pick. In addition, LA practically fixed their biggest need (offensive line) overnight with the additions of Lamp and Feeney. Between Mike Williams and Lamp, the Chargers drafted 2 first round picks without trading up. I also was a fan of the King selection in the fifth. King will provide help as a slot corner and maybe free safety. What I most loved about this draft was the message that management sent. Lynn and Telesco sent some clear messages with their picks: guys who have been underperforming or unreliable will not be here. They picked mike Williams because they can't trust on Keenan's health, then basically they said to watch out to all the offensive linemen on the team by drafting Lamp and Feeney. Most importantly, LA did a fantastic job drafting for immediate need with the future in mind. Even though they didn't draft their QB of the future, what LA did do, was ensure the success of their future QB by forming a competent offensive line and dangerous skill players. For all of the reasons above, I give the Chargers a B+. I couldn't give them an A because they neglected their defense line. Passing up on Lawson in the fourth was a mistake. Lawson would have provided some depth at the edge position in case of injury. But chargers fans should still be thrilled with Telesco. He did an amazing job working the board of the draft for the second year in a row.

Grade: B+

Ruben J. Gonzalez: I'd give the Chargers a B+ in this year's draft. I liked the Mike Williams pick. I liked the offensive line picks at 2 &3. Those picks made this a very strong A in my eyes. From 4-7, those are picks that are supposed to be backups, so if the Chargers can hit on one of the safeties, that's another feather TT can put in his ever-growing cap. The Chargers are an above average team. They could actually be really good. Overall this weekend, they got better.

Ryan Doyle: I think a B is a fair grade. The Chargers dropped the ball by taking Mike Williams at 7. However, getting Lamp and Feeney in the second and third immediately made up for it. All of the day three picks weren't anything I got excited about aside from Desmond King. I like this class, but don't love it. Telesco has done a solid job in back to back drafts and I hope this class is as successful as the last!

Cody Young: Tom Telesco and the Chargers get an A- from me. I was a little down on the Williams pick at first, not because of the player, but because of the position he plays. However, the longer I sat and thought about it, the more at ease I felt with it. I still would have gone in a different direction, but Williams certainly isn't the worst thing they could have done. I'm actually excited to see what he's got. Day 2 is where it really got good, and this is where the A- grade mostly comes from. With just two picks the offensive line has gotten exponentially better. Forrest Lamp is going to come in and become a dominant presence along the offensive front starting the minute he hits the field. There is no reason Lamp should have made it out of the first round. None. Him being available at 38 was a gift from a higher power. There's no other way to explain it. Feeney was great value in the 3rd round and he'll come in and most likely earn a starting spot. I would have liked to see a DL taken before the 7th round, that's my biggest complaint about this draft. I don't know much about Rayshawn Jenkins yet, only what I've seen on his highlight reel. But from what I can tell, he looks to have more Jahleel Addae qualities than I'd care to see. The selection of Desmond King in the 5th round made the entire 3rd day for me. I absolutely love King. He's an extremely intelligent player with great instincts, and he gets his hands on A LOT of passes. He's perfectly suited to play the role of nickel corner in the Chargers defense, and he's going to come in and immediately compete for the spot. It would not surprise me at all to see his name 3rd on the depth chart at corner to start the season. The Chargers 6th and 7th round picks I know nothing about, but they both have a difficult battle ahead of them in terms of making the roster I'm sure. This draft class has incredible potential, hats off to TT for the second year in a row.

Nathan Graber-Lipperman: TT did everything I've been preaching: draft young talent to fill out the depth chart at offensive line. The team turned its biggest weakness into one of its strengths in the course of 3 days. And yet...I find myself giving this draft a B-. Besides Rounds 2, 3, and 5, the picks had me scratching my head at a lot. I'm not really a fan of the Mike Williams pick, and I don't know enough about Jenkins to fully comment. But the 6th and 7th round picks really felt to be like TT was ending on a whimper. It's too much to expect superstars in those rounds, sure, but the decision making just felt like too little, too late at that point in the draft. I probably would've rather seen an RB and/or edge guy taken at some point, too. If King and Jenkins can quickly take Addae and Lowery out of the lineup, and Feeney and Lamp prove to be capable of starting immediately, my opinion will obviously shift for the better. The Mike Williams pick just left a sour taste in my mouth, though, and I hope he proves me wrong. I have a feeling my opinion of TT's work will flip-flop immensely during the coming weeks, though. Solid job all around.

Garrett Sisti: I give this draft a B. After the first 3 picks I think TT and Lynn proved they wanted to really focus the Offense around Gordon and improve the worst part of their team the last few years, the O-Line. Grabbing Desmond King was a great value and playing him in Nickel is the right spot. S Jenkins and DL Rochell were the right positions but not the players I would've taken there. OT Sam Tevi was a head scratcher. A third Offensive Lineman with other needs being passed up and better OTs still on the board makes that pick on the surface go from bad to worse. All in all, Telesco stuck to his board and got his guys, solid draft.

Thomas Herd: For me, there's a couple of questionable picks in there, but also a couple of home runs. Williams was a pick I expected and it seems like a very 'Chargers' pick, I get why they did it but it's not exactly who I would have gone for. The next two are home runs. They got both, Lamp and Feeney, a round after they should've. Going offensive line was key, especially getting in more athletic guards who fit Lynn's system. I think I like Rayshawn Jenkins more than most on here but even so, it just makes me question the money they gave Addae even more. Chargers' fans will love Jenkins as soon as he steps on the field. DB Desmond King could be another HR. Chargers have their 5th DB on the field a lot and King is perfect for the nickel position, he could also challenge Lowery at free safety. Picking another OL in Sam Tevi was a strange choice as I would have doubled down on pass rushers. Haven't seen any of him or their next pick, Isaac Rochell so can't comment on those. Overall, I think it's a B+ draft, potentially five starters in there but there's still some holes to fill, so the UDFAs will get their chance.

Daniel Stebbins: I give this draft a solid B+. I, like many, wasn’t a big fan of going WR in the first round. I totally understand it and like that it’s an eye on the long-term future of the team, but don’t see him having the biggest impact immediately which will basically be wasting the end of Rivers’ career while setting things up as well as possible for his eventual replacement. That being said, I really like Mike Williams as a player and see him doing well in Los Angeles for years to come. Then came day 2... oh what a day 2. For those who have seen the live stream, you know how hyped we were when the pick came in for Lamp. Day 2 and the two guys they took in Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney are amazing additions and also are setting this team up for success with Rivers’ eventual replacement. It will help solidify the line for now while also making sure that whoever does take over for old man Rivers’ will have a solid interior OL to work with, something any QB (rookie or not) will be happy to have. Day 3 didn’t go the way most of us would have liked, tons of front seven talent being overlooked... I like the direction they went with who they DID get, though. Safety help was needed, especially for the long term. Jenkins is now under contract for the next four years, along with Addae, and could be what the team expects going forward as a safety duo. King was a great value and can handle the nickel spot immediately and provides an enormous upgrade over Mager instantly. The last two picks feel like projects, which for sixth and seventh round guys that’s really all you can expect so I’m not going to move a grade up or down too much for that. Making a roster is a tall order for those guys in a lot of situations. I love that they are already setting the team up for the inevitable new QB, so I can’t really fault them too much. Is it exactly how I would have drafted? No, but I get their strategy and appreciate their eye on the future.

How would you grade the Chargers 2017 Draft? Let us know in the poll and the comments below.