Chargers UDFA Spotlight: OL Isaac Weaver

Among the Chargers’ 14 undrafted free agents signed following this year’s draft, they inked a pair of sizable offensive lineman. Today, we’re taking a look at the first of the pair in former Old Dominion center, Isaac Weaver.

Weaver is a native of Marrietta, Georgia where he starred at Lassiter High School. After earning All-Region honors, the three-star prospect took his talents to ODU where it didn’t take him long to earn a starting job for the Monarchs.

After redshirting in 2016, Weaver won the starting left tackle job en route to starting 12 games as a freshman. In fact, if it wasn’t for his helmet popping off during a game, he would have played every single offensive snap on the season. In 2018, he continued to show his consistency with 12 more starts at left tackle.

It was the 2019 season where Weaver experienced his first missed game due to injury. Before he missed the FIU contest, he had started 32 consecutive games. He came back for the final two contests, and overall started two games at left tackle and nine others at center, the position he transitioned to prior to the start of the season.

Due to the pandemic, Weaver and Old Dominion were forced to sit for a whole year before returning to the field in 2021. That gave the former tackle quite a bit of time to progress as a center since the 2019 campaign was his first time playing the position in his career.

In his final collegiate campaign, Weaver once again completed the whole season, starting all 13 games. He played the majority of games at center (10), but also started two more at left tackle and one at left guard due to injuries there. His 48th and final start also tied him for the program record in for that statistic.

At 6’6 and a little over 300 pounds, Weaver has the ideal size for the NFL. His versatility will always earn him an edge over over those who aren’t as versed in other positions and his lengthy experience also noteworthy. However, Weaver is a middling athlete on the field where he lacks ideal quickness to consistently beat opposing defenders to the spot. He seems heavy-footed and a bit of a lumberer which is why he’s an interior guy in the NFL. His strength and lower-body power to knock three-techniques off their base and open holes is ideal for a gap scheme, but that’s unfortunately not the Chargers’ bread and butter.

As it stands, I believe Weaver has a better shot to make the roster over Andrew Trainer, the other lineman signed among the group, but that’s not saying much when both of their chances are slim to none.