5 trade-up candidates for the LA Chargers in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Ryan Harris
2. Roger McCreary - CB - Auburn
The LA Chargers' cornerback room now consists of superstar JC Jackson, Asante Samuel Jr., and Michael Davis. A big improvement already from last year, however, there is always room for improvement, and there are some players who the Chargers could trade up to select in the upcoming draft.
Roger McCreary came into Auburn and was making a significant impact since his sophomore season. Standing at 5'11, which is more on the smaller side, makes up for his small side with his quickness. During his Auburn pro day, he clocked a 4.46 40 yard dash. Combining that along with a close to three-foot vertical will allow him to make up for his smaller size.
With the current corners that the Chargers have, I would not be surprised if McCreary gets positioned in the slot. With his shorter size and his aggressiveness off the line of scrimmage, he would be a perfect fit as a slot press corner. His ability to disrupt a receiver's route and short distance quickness to stay with a receiver will help him immensely in the Chargers scheme.
Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack making up a prolific pass rush is going to make the cornerback's job much easier. Instead of having to cover receivers for around five to six seconds, the pass rush of the chargers should, on average, decrease that time to three to four seconds. This will help McCreary especially as a new player in the NFL trying to adjust to a new style of football.
Where is Roger McCreary projected to go?
Just like Daniel Faalele, Roger McCreary is expected to fall in the late first or early second round. Selecting McCreary in the early second-round spot, if this is the way Telesco wants to go, would be a good addition to what is turning out to be a star-studded Brandon Staley defense, who is building the roster that could go on a big run this year.