LA Chargers: Reasonable predictions for 2020 defensive rookies
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers drafted two defensive players in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, it was expected that the LA Chargers would draft certain defensive positions, and quite frankly, the team did not do what the fans expected them to do heading into the draft.
The most notable position that the Chargers did not draft was cornerback, cemented the team’s confidence in Michael Davis and Brandon Facyson over in the second outside cornerback position alongside Casey Hayward.
Safety was not viewed as a massive need either with Derwin James and Nasir Adderley getting healthy and the team being confident in Rayshawn Jenkins. However, Tom Telesco had to continue the streak of drafting Notre Dame players and drafted safety Alohi Gilman.
The most shocking thing that the Chargers did, though, was trading back into the first round for Kenneth Murray. While a trade-up was not completely off the table heading into the draft, it was not something that was forecasted and if the Chargers drafted a first-round linebacker many thought it would be Isaiah Simmons with the sixth overall pick.
It wasn’t, and then when the Chargers traded back into the first, many thought it would be another coverage linebacker in Patrick Queen. Instead, the Chargers drafted Kenneth Murray — a hard-nosed, run-stuffing, traditional inside linebacker.
Murray and Gilman are the only defensive players that the Chargers drafted and while there is potential room for undrafted free agents on the defense, these two are going to be the rookies that every Charger fan is watching.
And just as we did with the offensive rookies, here are our reasonable expectations for Murray and Gilman in their rookie seasons.