Courtney Upshaw went onto XX1090 today and shared that he did come for a visit to San Diego last week. Finally some real names to put on that list of players that made a visit:

Old Dominion defensive tackle Ronnie Cameron.
California safety D.J. Campbell.
Oregon State cornerback Brandon Hardin.
Oklahoma linebacker Ronnell Lewis.
Jackson State defensive end Donavan Robinson.
Alabama tight end Brad Smelley.
Illinois safety Tavon Wilson.
Utah St linebacker Bobby Wagner
Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower
South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram
Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw

I am sure all you draft geeks know about Upshaw, but just in case, here is his scouting report again (Pro Football Weekly):

Upside:
• Thick-bodied and powerfully built
• Highly instinctive
• Fierce competitor
• Bulldog mentality — relentless and mean
• Leverages the edge
• Physical tackler
• Emotional leader

Downside:
• Short-armed and small-handed
• Tightly wound — not easy flipping his hips
• Can be engulfed at point of attack
• Unrefined coverage instincts
• Average book smarts

The Way We See It:
Strong-handed, high-motor, highly productive power-leverage rusher capable of setting the edge and walking back blockers, Upshaw plays the game with intensity and is a disruptive force. Is the top rush linebacker prospect in the draft and a surefire first-rounder.

DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE!!!! That is two players that we know of from Alabama that made a visit now. I wonder if Mark Barron snuck through town also.

Anyway, the highlight vid:

Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

I know, I know, he was a beast at ‘Bama; but, I have made it clear in both comments and a couple of articles that I am not fond of the idea of our Chargers drafting Upshaw with the 18th pick.  The term ”Buyer beware” is more than appropriate.  I am a stay-at-home dad and have watched the Senior Bowl multiple times from start to finish.  The Senior Bowl is very different than any other college football game in that its rosters are made up of “elite” seniors at each position.  I know that you shouldn’t judge a player off of one game.  He lacked explosion and was completely man-handled by Mike Adams, tackle from Ohio State.  Most rushers coming off the edge in that game lost their battle with Adams.  ( I still don’t want Adams with the 18th pick either.)

The Nick Saban led defense not only had a great scheme, it was also made up of an overwhelming amount of future NFL starters.  This just adds to my issue with having Courtney drafted by the Bolts.  Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Donta Hightower are all higher on my list as far as who should be chosen at 18.  I’m not even dreaming of taking DeQuan Menzie at 18, but I am starting to warm up to the idea of either him or Brandon Taylor ( SSs out of Bama and LSU respectively) with our second round pick to fill the SS void.  After seeing Harrison Smith on NFL Network, we are most likely not getting him without making a drastic move in this draft.  It might possibly take acquiring another first round pick to get Smith.  This is a very poor SS class, overall.  I do have to admit, though, that my sleeper in the second round is George Iloka out of Boise State.  Big, tall, fast, and very versatile.  Iloka played FS, SS, and CB at Boise St.  He had a great practice week at the Senior Bowl.  Tell me he is a FS and I’ll remind you about this being a passing league.  The difference between a FS and SS is very minimal now-a-days.  May I also remind you how valued a TE, or two, is on the offensive side of the ball.  A.J. likes guys who can line up in multiple spots and contribute in a multitude of schemes.

In addition to my other points, for him to come in at 279 lbs knowing that he was about to have a pro day is extremely alarming.  Although it is no where near as serious, I liken that to a player failing a drug test knowing he is going to the combine.  No excuse for either of those things to happen!  Both the combine and pro day are two of the biggest interviews a potential NFL prospect will ever have in their life, period.  Gametape should always be the number one deciding factor; I know.  But reports say that he was also “underwhelming” during his one-on-one interviews, as well.   He is only 6’2″.  For him to weigh 279 lbs at that height you really have to wonder what position he would play.  Don’t compare him to Melvin Ingram.  Ingram is a top-ten pick.  Lacking quick feet and explosion does not lend itself to being a formidable force at OLB,  given his size.  Same goes for defensive end.

I still believe that my pick of Nick Perry would be much more beneficial to our cause in the first.  If not Perry, I hope that it would be Mercilus in that slot.  It is my belief  that a pass-rusher MUST be picked at 18.  I would MUCH rather have A.J. surprise us with another member of the Crimson Tide’s linebacker corp than choosing the Tide’s #41.

Donta Hightower is 6’4″ 260 lbs.  I am starting to think that he might be the guy that could make the most impact on our defense.  He has the knowledge and abiltiy to play a couple of LBer positions.  The guy can move and has the ability to both rush the passer and drop back in coverage.  He is an A.J. guy, due to his versatility and playmaking ability.

Courtney Upshaw was a stud at Alabama.  In my opinion, he will be a solid player in the NFL.  But we need someone who can come in and immediately make a HUGE impact on this defense right away.  I don’t see Upshaw as that guy.  I know what Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune (and various other media outlets) are saying about the Chargers really liking Upshaw.  Who am I to doubt them?   I’m just a person, like all of you,  who has always loved the Chargers and want them to win a Superbowl now.  By the way, Rivers and Spikes seem to think it will happen this year.  Put your money on them.  Sure sounds like a safe bet to me.

Don’t forget to start sending me your questions for “Booga’s Mailbag” which will debut April 10th here at boltbeat.com.  To submit a question or query, email me at boogapeters@yahoo.com or tweet me @BoogaP on Twitter.

Thanks for reading and leave me some comments at the bottom.

BoltUp!!

Booga

With The Chargers lacking impact players at major positions they are expected to fill the remaining holes with their (8) upcoming picks in the 2012 NFL Draft.  AJ Smith has more pressure upon him than ever before which suggests he may step outside the box and draft players that fall into the “Risk vs. Reward category, rather than the “Safe Bet” category.  The Bolts first pick is the 18th overall and is expected to yield an above average player but may be just out of reach for the sure thing, therefore a trade may not be out of the plan. Let it be said that I believe the front office will pull the trigger and move up at least 6 spots to get a player to be discussed sooner than later but for this article we will assume the Chargers stay at #18 and we will address the trade possibilties at a later date.  This will be the first of (8) articles before the draft at the end of the month in which we will mock all the Bolts picks, giving the top three options available in my opinion.  So, in the words of the Commish: With the 18th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft the San Diego Chargers select….

Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Nico Johnson (35) along with linebacker Courtney Upshaw (41) celebrate after a play during the BCS National Championship game against the LSU Tigers at the Louisiana Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Courtney Upshaw:  OLB/DE University of Alabama

Height:  6’2″  Weight:  272 lbs.  40 yard. Dash:  4.77 sec. (unofficial)  Bench Press:  22 reps at 225lbs.

Strengths:  Upshaw has immense talent as a pass rusher and is a big time hitter, he has excellent hand and arm action to shed blockers on his way the quarterback or to the running back.  His natural instincts make him a beast when it comes to defending the run, screen plays, and dump offs into the flats.  He is widely considered to have above average strength and speed with regard to his size, which is pretty heavy for a OLB.

Weaknesses:  Lacks experience in dropping into coverage, but showed surprising fluidity in the opportunities he had.  Open field tackling is a concern, and Nick Saban‘s defensive scheme is considered simple for linebackers to play in.  Character issues have been reported by coaches and NFL advanced scouts.

Conclusion:  The Chargers need a pass rusher for their 3-4 scheme, well look no further than Alabama’s All American Courtney Upshaw who is perfectly suited for the job.  He’s as advertised and could be the type of impact player that becomes a leader on any defense in the NFL.  You could plug him into a rotation with Sean Phillips, Antwan Barnes, Travis LaBoy, and the oft-injured Larry English to make the group far more efficient right away.  Upshaw will have to get passed the New York Jets at pick #16 to fall to the Chargers and an incident in 2009 which resulted in an arrest for domestic assault could work against this young talent.  If Upshaw is available at #18 the I feel AJ Smith should take a chance (with concerns to character) and pull the trigger on the volatile pass rusher from Alabama, but if he’s not there lets go for:

Nov 26, 2011; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (43) is hit by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Mark Barron (4)at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Mark Barron:  (S) University of Alabama

Height:  6’1″  Weight:  213 lbs.  40 yard dash:  4.51 (unofficial)  Vertical Leap:  34.5″

Strengths:  Barron is a classic ball hawk with big play ability when the ball is in his hands and he is a natural at being in position to make the big play.  NFL scouts cite his quick feet and even quicker reaction time as one of his major selling points and his knack for reading the quarterback’s eyes is second to none.  His above average hand eye coordination make him great in jump ball situations and to be able to snatch the ball out of the air on high velocity passes.  He has a rare combination of balance, patience, and aggression which led to him becoming the “defensive quarterback” on the nations toughest defense and showed his smarts and leadership ability.

Weaknesses:  He is recovering from a procedure to repair a bilateral sports hernia and is still not 100% which concerns some people.  Barron lacks the bottom end speed to run with some of the top tier receivers in the league but his closing burst on the ball somewhat makes up for it.  He’s not a huge hitter, he’s a good tackler so he might not make the bone shattering hit but he gets the job done.  Some game film seems to show him being simply outmatched in the open field against running backs, which is a bit concerning if he’s the last line of defense.  He’s somewhat injury prone with the hernia, and also a torn pectoral muscle suffered his junior year leading to his return to Alabama his senior season.  Again, there is some character concerns with Barron as well.  he was arrested in March of 2011 for hindering an investigation into a single car accident he was involved in.

Conclusion:  Can you picture Eric Weddle (a ball hawk in his own right) and Upshaw patrolling the Chargers secondary like a couple of vultures over a fresh carrion?  I’d wager that’s the last thing opposing quarterbacks want to see when they play the Chargers.  Barron could finally be the missing piece the Bolts secondary has been lacking since the departure of stalwart SS Rodney Harrison, bringing a toughness that Clinton Hart, Kevin Ellison, and Steve Gregory lacked the capability to provide.  Barron is the #1 safety on the board and it will take some luck to have him fall to the Chargers but he would be as close to a sure thing as there is available in this years crop.  Can AJ overlook a bit of mis-spent youth and see the talent and potential that is a player like Mark Barron?  I’m not sure, but you can count on the front office to give him a long hard look if he’s still there at #18 even if AJ is rumored to have a huge man crush on safety Harrison Smith from Notre Dame.  If he’s not there they should look at….

October 29, 2011; Jacksonville FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Cordy Glenn (71) blocks during the first quarter of their game against the Florida Gators at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Cordy Glenn: OG Georgia University

Height:  6’5″  Weight:  345 lbs.  Bench Press:  31 reps at 225 lbs.  40 yard dash:  4.96 (unofficial)

Strengths:  Cordy Glenn is simply a monster of a man-child, his arm length is 36″ which gives him an overall reach of over eight feet.  His athleticism suggest he could play 2 if not 3 of the offensive line positions and he seems to always be in control of the guy in front of him.  He is known for his good hands, and for being an excellent run blocker but the closing factor is that he’s NEVER been injured.

Weaknesses:  Glenn’s massive size makes him a bit susceptible to speed rushers like Tamba Hali or Dwight Freeney.  Some scouts and coaches have said he has a habit of leaning on his opponent depending on his size over technique.  He wasn’t beaten often but his mild inconsistency off of the snap showed that he could be beaten if the defense was on top of the snap count.

Conclusion:  Glenn is the #2 ranked OG in the 2012 NFL Draft behind Stanford‘s David DeCastro who will most certainly be gone by the time the Chargers pick, and I know that offensive line might be the third biggest priority for the team at this point.  Glenn could be the player to change the Bolts mind on their desire to draft defense in the first round.  His sheer size and athleticism, not to mention his versatility to move around on the line make Glenn a hot commodity.  It’s not a secret that Jeromy Clary is not an elite right tackle and Glenn has the potential to not only unseat Tyronne Green as the current starter on the depth chart at guard but possibly push Clary out as the starting right tackle.  The fact that he has never suffered any major injuries is intriguing because of the brutality of playing offensive line, these guys fight battles in the trenches and his durability is a sign of good things to come.  If the Chargers select Glenn with pick #18 I would not be surprised in the least, if he is the highest rated player when the Bolts pick it might just happen.

Check back tomorrow for a look at a trade scenario that probably won’t happen but sure will be fun to think about.

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