Every hot summer day that passes is one day closer to the NFL season beginning and the LA Chargers being back in action. There is a lot of excitement around the Chargers that is building off of last season after the front office showed aggression in the offseason.
This is the most talented team that the Chargers have fielded since the mid-2000s as it is fair to say that they are Super Bowl contenders, at least on paper. If the Chargers are going to live up to the hype on paper then they are going to need everyone to produce at a certain level, including the 2022 draft class.
While rookies rarely come into the league and are massively impactful in year one, especially if they are not first-round picks, this draft class can actually still contribute a decent amount to the team's success in 2022.
What to expect out of each LA Chargers rookie in 2022:
Zion Johnson: Undeniably solid play at right guard
Zion Johnson is a lock to be successful as an NFL pro. I would not say that he is a lock to become a Pro Bowler at any point in his career, although his chances are still really high. When it comes to being a successful, above-average offensive lineman, Johnson is a lock.
It would be a massive surprise if Johnson came into the NFL and took a step back as he was the most pro-ready guard in the draft with the highest floor bar none. Johnson was the best guard in the draft class (sorry, Kenyon Green) and you cannot blame the Chargers for taking the best player available at a position of need.
He might not come into the league and be one of the best in the entire league at his position like Rashawn Slater. What Johnson will be is miles better than Michael Schofield as a foundational piece of an offensive line that is built to protect Justin Herbert for years to come.
JT Woods: Around 50% of snaps played, 3 interceptions
JT Woods became the last LA Chargers draft pick from the 2022 NFL Draft to sign his rookie contract on Tuesday and he has a lot of potential not only in his rookie season but beyond for the LA Chargers. It is no secret that Brandon Staley loves defensive backs who are athletic and can play coverage and that is exactly why the team selected Woods.
Cornerback seemed like a bigger need for the Chargers heading into the draft but taking a safety in the third round before taking a corner makes sense if the Chargers utilize him as expected. Derwin James is a swiss army knife on defense but the problem last season was a lack of safety depth.
In theory, drafting Woods allows James' game to open up even more, allowing him to take on the STAR role and not play as many snaps as a traditional two-high safety. Of course, James will still line up as a traditional safety but the defense is much more flexible now.
James is going to play just about every snap unless he is hurt or the Chargers are winning a game big in the fourth quarter. As long as Nasir Adderley stays healthy, he will be playing 85-90% of the defensive snaps as well. All that being said, there is still room for Woods to get about half of the defensive snaps next season, with most of those snaps coming on passing downs.
Woods definitely has some things to learn and has raw aspects of his game but where he thrives is in being a ball-hawk and utilizing his great athleticism. With so much talent around him, Woods is going to get the chance to showcase those ball-hawk abilities and will add a much-needed turnover presence to the team.
Three interceptions may not seem like a lot but for a third-round pick who is playing just 50% of his snaps in year one, that is fantastic. There will be more pass breakups as well.
Isaiah Spiller: True RB2 workload of 100 carries, 25 receptions
Those that follow my work here at Bolt Beat know that I was not the biggest fan of the Isaiah Spiller selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. While I understand why the team did it (they were desperate for an RB2 and Spiller was the best on the board), I still think I would have taken a different approach (I am president of the Ty Chandler fan club).
Obviously, I am rooting for Spiller to succeed with the Chargers and make me eat crow. Rooting against the team I cover professionally (and have liked since I was a kid) just to be right about a take makes no sense. That being said, I am not going to change my take simply because he is now a Charger. It would be a disservice to you, the reader.
While Spiller does add a receiving dynamic that neither Joshua Kelley nor Larry Rountree has, he is too similar to those two in being bigger, less-explosive running backs. Again, I think he will be better than Kelley and Rountree but that is not a very high bar to climb and in my opinion, the Chargers should have targeted a different style of back, like Chandler.
Either way, Spiller is going to get the RB2 reps and he is going to see the field quite a lot. As long as he stays healthy (and isn't playing horrendously) then he should get around 100 carries and catch 25 passes. Brandon Staley really stresses keeping guys healthy late in the season and after such a big year in terms of workload, Austin Ekeler will likely get even more help.
If my concerns about Spiller come to fruition then his production at these high clips will be disappointing. Hopefully, my concerns do not come to fruition and Spiller can pick up around 700 yards from scrimmage.
Otito Ogbonnia: Rotational run-stuffer who plays 25% of snaps
The LA Chargers completely rebuilt the defensive line from the ground up and focused on adding players on the interior that could stop the run and keep teams from getting high-efficiency third-down attempts against the defense. A small part of that rebuilding phase was drafting UCLA's Otito Ogbonnia in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ogbonnia may eventually blossom into someone who could make an impact on passing downs as well and he did show some flashes at UCLA of being able to do so. UCLA misused Ogbonnia so horribly at times and Staley is not going to make that same mistake.
That being said, in year one Ogbonnia is going to saddle up as a rotational player for the Chargers to throw out there on occasionally early downs as well as short-yardage/goal-line situations. Playing a quarter of the defensive snaps in 2022 is probably his ceiling.
Jamaree Salyer: A spot start here or there
Jamaree Salyer was a steal by the LA Chargers in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft as he had some of the best pass-blocking numbers in all of college football last season. However, there is still a reason why he fell this far in the draft and it is because of his poor run blocking in college, which won't translate well as a guard.
That is something Salyer has to work on and something he should undoubtedly improve on with time at the NFL level. However, as exciting as his pass-blocking is, I do not think is he ready to start for the Bolts in 2022. The best version of the Chargers next season is one that has Salyer as a great depth option, not someone who is starting either at left guard or right tackle.
Eventually he will get his chance to shine. Let's not rush it and hinder his development.
Ja'Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard: Special teams roles
The LA Chargers took back-to-back cornerbacks late in the 2022 NFL Draft and fans should not expect them to play much on defense in 2022. Of course, there will be times in which Ja'Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard do play, but they are merely depth options.
The cornerback depth last season was atrocious and Brandon Staley wanted to ensure that he could draft guys that at least fit his mold for what the position should be. As a result, the team drafted two guys who are very athletic and can make plays on the ball but are raw and need developing at the NFL level.
In year one the Chargers are going to utilize the athleticism possessed by both Taylor and Leonard on special teams, likely on kickoffs. If just one of them can make a big play on special teams that results in a takeaway it would be a massive W for the Chargers.
Zander Horvath: Replacing Gabe Nabers
The Chargers picked Zander Horvath for a reason: so no other team could work up a UDFA deal with him. The team's last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is a freakishly athletic back who can do everything Gabe Nabers can do and more at the fullback position.
Fullback may not be as important today as it once was but some of the best offensive teams in the league still utilize a fullback in their offensive. The Chargers certainly utilized the H back a lot last season with Stephen Anderson doing a good job in that role when Nabers was injured.
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Horvath will most likely replace Nabers and be that hybrid fullback that can line up anywhere in the backfield, whether it be as a traditional lead fullback or as an H back.