Pickin’ Bolts: Rams-Titans Trade – Chargers Implications
Credit: AP Photo
Well that clears things up a bit.
The Tennessee Titans traded away the #1 overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams. Along with swapping first round picks, Tennessee also got 2 second round picks (#43 and #45) and a third (#76). They also get the Rams’ first and third round picks from next year. Tennessee gives two late-round picks back to Los Angeles in this draft. This gives Tennessee 6 selections within the first 76 picks. Now this draft isn’t known for its elite top-tier (Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey, and Myles Jack refute that sentiment) but for the incredible depth in the second tier.
Wow. Wow. Wow. pic.twitter.com/2CAjFhAPgX
— NFL (@NFL) April 14, 2016
Most draft experts will tell you that there 8-10 top players and after that it falls off a little bit. But NFL scouting types have also said that you can get the same player at #50 that you can at #11. And my “falls off a bit” comment isn’t to say those aren’t good players. They are. They’re very good players. That is one of the reasons why this was such a good deal for Tennessee.
The thing holding this draft class’ rating down is that Wentz and/or Goff do not rate as highly as some previous QBs (in particular Luck, Winston, and Mariota).
While Tunsil, Ramsey, and Jack are all probably higher rated overall prospects than Wentz or Goff, you don’t trade up to #1 overall for any reason other than to draft a QB. Now supposedly the Browns are still considering trading out of #2 but they really need a QB. Will they move down to #7 or #8 and hope to draft Paxton Lynch? Either way, QBs are going to be drafted #1-2.
So with QBs going off the board 1-2 the Chargers, in all likelihood, will draft Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil is generally regarded as the #1 player in the draft (a few have Ramsey ahead of him) and while Chargers defense wasn’t very good last year it was dramatically better after rookie Denzel Perryman took over as a starting inside linebacker. The main reason the Chargers lost so many games the past two seasons was because they couldn’t give Rivers time to throw the ball and they couldn’t open lanes for their RBs.
While they still need a center, I don’t think this team can or will pass on the top tackle in the draft. And keep in mind, Tunsil isn’t just the top tackle in this draft, he’s arguably the best tackle to enter the draft since Joe Thomas.
I think the Chargers will still explore trading out of #3 especially if teams are starting to fall in love with Paxton Lynch, but in all likelihood they will stand pat at #3 and draft Tunsil.
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