1. Nasir Adderley
Think about how excited you are that the LA Chargers drafted Asante Samuel Jr and the fact that the selection was a no-brainer. Now imagine if Samuel gets hurt his rookie year and does not play much and then returns in year two and is, quite frankly, awful.
That is exactly the situation with Nasir Adderley. Recency bias can make it hard to remember but it was a celebration when he was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The thought of what he could do alongside Derwin James with his ball-hawking abilities was extremely promising.
Many expected the Chargers to take a safety early in the 2021 NFL Draft as having a three safety rotation was huge for Staley’s defense with the Los Angeles Rams. The Bolts eventually took a safety, but not until in the seventh round.
The team still does need some depth at the position but this showed extreme confidence in Nasir Adderley to blossom after a tough third year and reach his ceiling. With how good he was in college and Staley’s track record, it is not a stretch to say that we will see a whole new Adderley in 2021.
Just think about it. He was banged up his rookie season and then did not get a proper offseason nor preseason the following year. Most of the 2019 draft class has struggled thus far in the NFL (not just for the Chargers, for every team) and that is a big reason why.