Everything seemed to be shaping up the Los Angeles Chargers' way. They were able to trade back in the second rounding, netting a pair of Day 3 picks from the New England Patriots to replenish their depleted late-round draft stock.
Then, as player after player went off the board, it seemed as though Emmanuel Pregnon, the fan-favorite at guard in the second round, would still be on the board when the Chargers' turn finally came at 63. Instead, Los Angeles chose Jake Slaughter, who played all of his snaps at center in his senior season at Florida.
In one sense, Slaughter makes sense for the Chargers. He's projected to have versatility between guard and center at the NFL level. Although he lacks elite size at either position, he has the fundamental soundness to be, at the very least, an effective backup. For a team who's seen the ramifications of neglecting the depth of their offensive line, it's a relatively safe pick.
But Slaughter came into the draft with a fourth-round grade, according to Lance Zeirlein at NFL.com, who described him as a backup-caliber prospect. Even if the Chargers felt Slaughter was their guy, taking him in the second round was a reach no matter how you spin it.
"He’s consistent at finding and sustaining his outside zone blocks. He works to neutralize opponents on downhill blocks but is unlikely to move pro bodies around. He has the feet for gap control in pass pro but will struggle some against pure bull rushers. What he lacks in traits he makes up for with awareness and football IQ, which gives him a chance to become an NFL backup." Lance Zeirlein, NFL.com
Chargers' Jake Slaughter pick is confusing in more ways than one
When it gets to a certain point in the draft, it's advisable to simply take the players that appeal to your organization no matter the cost. The second round isn't always that point.
Needless to say, "a chance to become an NFL backup" is not a ringing endorsement from one of the foremost draft experts. Zeirlein clearly believes in Slaughter's fundamental skill-set, but it's clear that the analysts weren't seeing the upside the Chargers ultimately did.
The projections don't stop there, however. Slaughter was ranked 90th on Pro Football Focus's Big Board. Even Dane Brugler, who had Slaughter ranked as the top center in the draft, labeled him with a 3rd-4th round grade.
The only way this pick makes sense is if Slaughter is slated to take starting duties away from Trevor Penning at left guard. If they believe he can make the switch there, it's a reasonable selection. But he never played a single snap at guard in all five of his seasons at Florida.
There's definitely reason to be happy with this pick, especially assuming Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz got their guy. But it's also reasonable to wonder if they couldn't have waited until later in the draft to get him, especially given what the pre-draft consensus seemed to be among analysts.
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