One name that hasn’t exactly been in many Charger fan thoughts is Jonas Mouton.

Remember him?

The Chargers drafted him last year in the 2nd round.

In the 2011 NFL draft, Jonas Mouton was considered a mid to late 3rd or early 4th round pick, so it kind of raised eyebrows when A.J. Smith picked up Mouton late in the 2nd round. (61st overall).

We all know how Smith’s attitude is when it comes to the draft. If he wants a guy, he’ll get him no matter what, even if he has to waste a 2nd round pick to get the same guy he could’ve picked up in the 3rd round.

With that attitude, it’s no wonder we’ve had a series of underwhelming drafts.

Out of Michigan, Mouton had a solid College career. In 2010 he led the Big Ten Conference in tackles and was a second All-Conference selection my the media.
There’s no doubt this guy has a competitive mean streak after being suspended for punching an opposing player in the 2009 Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry game.

I’m thinking and hoping that once he gets into the groove of being in the NFL, Mouton will be a solid force with our already vastly improved linebacking core.

“I’m just trying to be the player I know I can be. Everybody tells me I have potential. It’ll take a little time,” Mouton explains.

Takeo Spikes turns 36 in December and will be entering the final year of his contract in 2013. As much as I like Spikes, he’s nearing the end of his football career, so it’s possible that Mouton could be starting alongside Donald Butler next year.

Sep. 11, 2010; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jonas Mouton (8) intercepts a pass intended for Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Theo Riddick (6) in the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE

The draft is done and it is time to salivate over what these kids are able to provide for us! A lot of people are excited about the haul of players that AJ Smith selected this year, but which rookie are you most excited about? Which kid’s jersey are you looking to buy?

The easiest choice would be for our number 1 draft pick DE/LB Melvin Ingram. If you watched the sport science video on the kid, you know he is a freak athlete! Plus he can do a back flip… I don’t know why that is so cool to me. He will be relied upon to put Peyton Manning in the dirt over and over and over again.  AND OVER AGAIN! Ingram is one of the reasons we have hope that this defense can be much better.

Do you like the offensive side of the ball, where we have a young, tall and athletic tight end, Pee-Wee Green, that will be snatching touchdowns from Philip Rivers? Plus, his nickname is Pee-Wee! If Green shows off that athleticism and speed in the game, he will become a fan favorite real fast.

Could you be looking forward to seeing a draft pick from last year, Jonas Mouton? Jonas was not able to get on th field last year because of injuries, but he is looking to make a comeback this year. Mouton will get plenty of action in the middle of the defense and he is supposed to be a thumper. He will be laying out a few runningbacks this year with his aggressive play. Cracking skulls!

Maybe you want to see the young safety Brandon Taylor line up next to Eric Weddle. He could be stealing the starting safety job by the end of training camp. He will have all kinds of opportunities to win the starting job and we will be looking for some impact plays from him.

These youngsters have a lot of potential and there is plenty to be excited about. Who are you looking forward to the most?

When the Chargers selected Jonas “the assassin” Mouton (nickname given to him at Michigan for his big hit ability) with the #61 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, fans and scouts nationwide were shocked. But was this the case of Mouton being selected too high? Or was this the case of fans and scouts “missing” and overlooking him? (more…)