Every year during the draft we could possibly witness what i would like to call a domino effect. What I mean by this is there are always some variables that can be accounted, then their are the ones we never see coming. Whether is be a team selecting someone that no one counted on. Or it can be a player dropping really far in the draft. Due to health issues or off the field issues. Teams might skip over a player. Then their is the occasional team that likes to move around every where up and down the draft board.
Who could be this years culprit? Well after taking a look at some of the draft needs of teams and a couple mock drafts. The Bengals fit the bill in this year’s draft. They could be one of those teams that start the dominoes. With needs at QB (due to the Carson Palmer situation) at D-line (if there looking for a pass rusher who knows who they will take), OLB (have no clue who they are considering they have been pretty hush, hush on the subject), and WR (no one expects Chad Ochocinco or T.O. to be back). Will they be the ones to drop the bomb and will what they pick directly effect the Chargers.
What we will have to wait for is to see what Carolina, Denver, and Buffalo do. Depending on what they do might effect the Bengals. They are looking at the quarterbacks just like Cincinnati is. Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton are being looked at by Buffalo and Carolina. Who could be gone in the first couple picks which then could alter Cincinnati’s look at the draft. This theory could go either way. Either Bad For the Chargers fast or looking up.
We all know and it’s no secret that the Chargers and AJ Smith are looking for defense. Mostly we are seeking pass rushers and a middle linbacker for our 3-4 defense (Stephen Cooper might be on his way out). When looking at this, there are other teams that could alter our Draft approach quickly. The Cowboys (JJ Watt) and Jacksonville (Ryan Kerrigan) are just a couple examples of what could change our approach. Most mock drafts have several of the players we are targeting going to other teams. With the Chargers having to settle for our 5th, 6th or even 7th choice.
The other topple effect is when top level talent drops to really low picks. Due to everyone thinking how a team will pick, then they go the opposite direction. We have seen it several times when players have question marks and drop. Prime examples in the last several years would be Matt Leinart and Tim Tebow. Just to show you how this could happen this year, their are already a couple medical question marks. Da’quan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn are said to be top 15 maybe even top 10 picks, but with medical questions surronding them, people begin to wonder. Da’quan Bowers had knee surgery and everyone questions the degeneration of his knee over his career. Hoe long will he last? Then there is Adrian Clayborn who was born with Erbs Palsy. A birth defect that doesn’t allow you to fully use you arm and shoulder. He can’t fully extend his right arm, so teams speculate that he will only be able to play one side. Not to mention all the quarterback controversy going on. Big calibers players and prospects that could fall like dominos.
In this year’s draft, barring a couple changes due to coaches being shifted, their are 8-10 teams that run a 3-4 defense that pick before the Chargers. 5 of those teams have looked into both pass rush DE and pass rush OLB, both of what the Chargers are wanting to draft. 11 of the 17 teams are evaluating D-line, 9 of the 17 teams that pick before the Chargers haven’t been looking into linebackers. 7 of those 9 have said they want a pass rushing linebacker.
We can only hope that the dominoes fall our way this year. We cannot afford for AJ smith to have to revert to a safe back up pick. the Chargers need to strengthen this number 1 defense. We want good to become great, but for the Chargers and fans sake we need AMAZING!!!