2014 NFL Mock Draft: In Round 3, the Chargers make a TRADE!
By Conor Cahill
Oct 19, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw (14) is injured as he is sacked by Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Marlon Walls (58) and defensive lineman Daniel McCullers (98) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won 23-21. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
In the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Mock Draft, the Chargers were slated to select with the 79th overall pick. The 49ers own the 74th pick. According to Walterfootball.com, the Chargers and Niners were to select NT Daniel McCullers and DT Ed Stinson, respectively. However, since the 49ers run a quicker defense and the Chargers NEED a legit nose tackle, these picks make no sense. So, I propose a trade for the Chargers to move up to #74 and draft a mammoth of a Nose Tackle prospect, Daniel McCullers. Here’s what Walter Football has to say about McCullers:
#74. San Diego Chargers: Daniel McCullers, NT, Tennessee The senior had 33 tackles with 4.5 tackles for a loss, one pass batted and .5 sacks in 2013. He wasn’t as good as expected, but played better against Georgia and Florida than he did versus Oregon. McCullers will play in the Senior Bowl.
McCullers stands at 6’8″, 360 lbs. He as an absolute truck. He wasn’t the game-changer that Tennessee hoped he would be this year, but he did post some pretty solid games against Georgie and Florida. The NT is still very raw, but is almost impossible to block one-on-one, which will force teams to double him and leave Liuget or Reyes open more often. McCullers can also collapse the pocket from the inside and has improving pass rush ability. As is usual for guys his size, he needs to work on his conditioning, as he was out of breath a lot at Tennessee. He is NOT a one-direction player though. Even at his size he has lateral quickness and good speed that would be a great addition to the inside of an already impressive defensive line. The Chargers just need someone to plug up the middle and Daniel McCullers is more than capable of that. He will need some work and professional coaching, but he could be a force in the NFL with his size.
Here you can see him just move people in 1-on-1 and swallow up doubles, freeing up outside rushers:
Well, that’s it for the 2014 NFL Mock Draft this week. I’ll try to make multi-round mocks a weekly thing going forward.
What do you guys think about the trio of defenders selected in the first 3 rounds?
How would you rate this mock if it were the real draft?