LA Chargers: Players to watch at the 2021 Senior Bowl
By Devon Auriemma
Draft season has officially begun as the 2021 Senior Bowl will take place on January 30th. This year’s Senior Bowl is loaded with talent and can be beneficial to a player’s draft stock.
Some of the top seniors in the nation will have one last game to showcase their skills. This is also an opportunity for players from smaller schools to see if they can match up against players from FBS schools.
The LA Chargers will be selecting 13th in this year’s draft and will have a great opportunity to check out some players that they could take in the upcoming NFL Draft. Offensive line is the top priority for the Chargers and there are plenty of linemen who could be worthy of a day one or two selection this year.
Last year, we saw Justin Herbert take home Senior Bowl MVP honors as he started his rise up draft boards and other players will try to replicate that rise in draft stock.
There are many quality offensive linemen that accepted invites to this year’s Senior Bowl. Let’s get to know more about some of the top prospects who are attending this year’s Senior Bowl that could fit on the Chargers.
Players the LA Chargers must watch: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
Leatherwood is listed at 6’6”, weighing 312 lbs. He is a senior for the Alabama Crimson Tide and served as the team’s left tackle, but has experience playing on the interior as well. Leatherwood plays aggressively and hard which can be seen in the run game as he dominates his opponents.
However, his aggressiveness can get him in trouble at times as he can be seen lunging at defenders who then use their speed to get around him. He plays with stiffness in his legs at times which has some analysts concerned about his future as a tackle at the next level and believe he is better suited at guard.
However, he shows good athleticism and has plenty of experience and has had a ton of success in pass protection and in the run game playing for Alabama’s high-powered offense. The Senior Bowl and the rest of the draft process will be huge for Leatherwood and if he can improve his lower body technique, could wind up being a first-round selection.