Ranking all of the Chargers picks in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Ryan Harris
7. Ja'Sir Taylor - Pick 214
A positional group that was known to be addressed in the draft, the Chargers decided to select three players in the secondary, one of which being Wake Forest captain Ja'Sir Taylor. One of the more talented players on the Wake Forest defense brings a lot of excitement to the defensive back unit.
A very surprising pick in the sixth round, as most mock drafts saw Taylor becoming an undrafted free agent. Maybe Tom Telesco and the rest of the NFL knew something we did not, let's dive into his game.
A very talented defender, as well as some returning skills make him very versatile in where he can play. At 5'10, he displays very quick speed that can be incredibly useful in both the secondary as well as special teams.
Taylor is a very chippy defender, which could get him some very costly penalties, but the aggressiveness itself is a trait that a lot of people like. Brandon Staley values cornerbacks in his defensive scheme, so hopefully what he sees in Taylor will translate to some success on the field in the future.
6. Deane Leonard - Pick 236
I see both Ja'Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard interchangable in this list, as it is hard to judge these late-round selections. The Ole Miss product has blistering speed, just like Ja'Sir, clocking in a 4.39 40-yard dash. He has very good open-field tackling abilities which can translate into limiting big plays by opposing offenses.
Leonard, unfortunately, was unable to haul in an interception during his time at Ole Miss. That could be a concern, but he rebounds his lack of interceptions with having a keen ability to disrupt the receiver when they are trying to bring in a catch. He displays lots of upside, which could be something that Renaldo Hill finds exciting and a great project to add to the secondary room that continues to improve day in and day out.