Chargers: The best prospect for each draft need that could fall to the Bolts
By Jason Reed
Best-case cornerback for the LA Chargers: Andrew Booth Jr.
Yes, Ahmad Gardner is the more popular name and is someone who is seemingly the best-case scenario for the LA Chargers. Personally, I have Gardner edging out Booth as a prospect but Booth is someone who fans could get just as excited about, especially since he has a better chance of falling to 17.
Most big boards have Gardner in the top 10 and his stock is only going to go up with the NFL Combine. With no injury concerns (which is what led Derwin Jams to fall to LA) it is really hard to see a top-10 cornerback falling all the way to 17. Stranger things have happened, but corner is such a valuable position that they usually don't fall for no reason.
I am effectively giving Gardner a zero-percent chance of falling to 17. I would love to be wrong and eat crow.
Booth would still be a great addition to the Chargers and would help Brandon Staley realize his vision of this defense and the secondary. The team needs much more depth and versatility at cornerback to accomplish what Staley wants to accomplish and Booth directly helps that.
Booth is not someone who is going to come in and be a top-level CB1 right away. Heck, the Chargers may still be operating without a true, elite CB1. However, he is someone who excelled in man coverage at the college level, is very athletic and is physical. He does need to improve his tackling, especially after what we saw last season with the Chargers, but his struggles in tackling were not from a lack of physicality like some players.
While Clemson did not use him as a versatile chess piece, he has the skillset to move around the secondary alongside Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. and truly play into Staley's vision.