LA Chargers: Prospects in rounds 1-3 that could replace Thomas Davis Sr.
By Jason Reed
Third-round option: Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
Both Simmons and Queen would be perfect fits for the LA Chargers. Simmons can literally play anywhere on the defense and Queen has been bred to be a strongside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. After these two, the great fits start to fall off, with the best available fit being Jordyn Brooks.
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Brooks is extremely athletic and is a four-year starter at the collegiate level, so he might be more polished than other third-round options in the draft. He was a great field general in college, recording 80 or more sacks in all four seasons and recording over 100 in his senior year.
Brooks is not a perfect fit as a strongside linebacker as he did not display enough in pass coverage in college for the Chargers to be perfectly comfortable with him. However, he can still be an above-average run defender in his first season and the Chargers don’t need him to be an every-down back right away.
The sky is the limit for Brooks with his football IQ and athleticism and if he can just get coached up at the next level and buy into the Chargers’ defensive schemes then he should be able to hold his own as an every-down back after some time.
Until then, the Chargers could use him in dedicated running downs and short-yardage situations, putting him on smaller tight ends or slower running backs in play-action, while running nickel and dime on dedicated pass-coverage situations.
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Even if he is not a perfect fit to replace Davis as the strongside linebacker, he would be an above-average weakside linebacker and could even be a candidate to play the MIKE once Denzel Perryman’s contract is up.