What will the San Diego Chargers do with the #1 pick in this years NFL Draft?

wilheim · Mar 18, 2004

Chargers to work out Rivers, Roethlisberger and Manning
By Associated Press, 3/18/2004 19:53

SAN DIEGO (AP) The San Diego Chargers have scheduled private workouts with the top three quarterbacks available in next month's NFL draft.

The Chargers will work out North Carolina State's Philip Rivers on Monday in Raleigh, N.C.; Miami of Ohio's Ben Roethlisberger on Tuesday in Oxford, Ohio; and Ole Miss's Eli Manning on Wednesday in New Orleans.

The Chargers' contingent will include general manager A.J. Smith, coach Marty Schottenheimer, assistant GM Buddy Nix, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, president Dean Spanos and his son, John, a team scout.

''Its better to have these sessions three days in a row rather than spread them out over time because we get a chance to make immediate comparisons when everything is fresh in our minds,'' said Smith, who is trying to rebuild the NFL's worst team.

Smith said it's still too early to say whether the Chargers will use the No. 1 pick overall or trade down in an attempt to fill their many needs.

The Chargers have already met with Iowa tackle Robert Gallery, considered by many to be the top offensive line prospect in the draft. Smith said he also is contemplating visits with at least two defensive players.

San Diego was 4-12 last season and clinched the draft's top pick for the second time in four years. In April 2000, they traded the top pick to Atlanta, which used it to take Michael Vick. The Chargers picked LaDainian Tomlinson with the fifth pick, but have since seen their playoff drought reach eight years.

wil.

HacheMan · Mar 18, 2004

Cmon Wil........Manning easily.....

wilheim · Mar 18, 2004

Hache, you are probably right, but there is some chance they may trade down. That would depend on whether or not they still think Drew Brees can start in the NFL.

wil.

Fishhead · Mar 18, 2004

The best player in the draft just may be Outland Trophy winner Robert Gallery, OT from IOWA.

HacheMan · Mar 18, 2004

I actually think they are ok with Brees, but they will not take the chance on passing Manning by.........

Fishhead · Mar 18, 2004

Positives: Robert Gallery is flatout the best offensive lineman in the draft. Hes big, powerful, quick, and smart. He is an absolutley terrific pass blocker. His run blocking isn't as good as his pass blocking but its still above average. Gallery is very athletic for an offensive lineman. He must of had years of footwork training because he moves so well on the line. He is very strong and has the ability to pancake just about any defensive lineman.

Negatives: Gallery may be the most complete player in the draft this year. You can scan high and low and not find any major problems with him.

My Take: Robert Gallery blows the other offensive lineman out of the water this year. He is a powerhouse who can move gracefully for an offensive lineman. He was part of possibly the best offensive line in college football at Iowa which really benefited him. Gallery will definetly be a top 5 pick this year and will most likely go to the Giants who have the 4th pick. Another thing that is great about Gallery is that he has no major injury problems in his past.

HacheMan · Mar 18, 2004

Tony Madarich....... I will never believe in using a top 10 pick on an offensive lineman. I believe it is the one position that, if you have the right guy, can teach and let experience turn a player into a fine one. Star RB's, QB's, WR's, and almost every other position, are born with it. When it comes to most other positions, either you have it....or you don't. But I feel an offensive lineman can be built.......

wilheim · Mar 18, 2004

According to John Madden in his book 1 knee equals 2 feet, offensive linemen are the most critical players for any team. He talks about arguments he had with Al Davis who preferred to draft corners ahead of off. tackles. Assuming you have a QB, I tend to agree with Madden.

wil.

Kiss1 · Mar 18, 2004

Maybe they can get Brian Bosworth or trade down a bit and get lucky enough to get Leaf back.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

It's hard being a Charger Fan !

wilheim · Mar 18, 2004

Speaking or San Diego, what the heck are the Chargers doing? That's a question being asked a bunch these days by league personnel as the Chargers purge their roster, the latest to go being wide receiver David Boston. He was traded to Miami for a ham sandwich Tuesday, which rids the Chargers of a bad deal they made last year when everyone warned them about giving that guy big money. In exchange for Boston, they received a corner (Jamar Fletcher) who the Dolphins were likely going to release and a sixth-round pick. Maybe the ham sandwich would have been better. San Diego also has been hesitant to sign players on the market. They added Bengals guard Mike Goff and Seattle middle linebacker Randall Godfrey and a couple of other backups, but that's it. Their offensive line is a mess, their defensive line is a bad and they don't have a quarterback they like yet. They do have the first pick in the April draft, but they may blow that one, too, if they don't take Eli Manning. On the surface, this appears to be a franchise that is blowing the team up and starting over, which makes Manning the obvious choice. If the team is being blown up, coach Marty Schottenheimer might want to get a for-sale sign from the hardware store soon. There's no way he can win with this group. There is some infighting going on inside the San Diego building. Word is the front office didn't want to let defensive end Marcellus Wiley walk, but the coaching staff did and won out. Part of that was because the Chargers are shifting to a 3-4 under new coordinator Wade Phillips and felt Wiley didn't fit that style of defensive end. Maybe not, but changing isn't a good thing for a staff that has one year left if it doesn't win. The bad thing about all this is that running back LaDainian Tomlinson, one of the league's great players, has to sit back and watch this team re-tool around him. By the time they're ready to compete, his body might not have the same pop it has now.

wil.

Kiss1 · Mar 18, 2004

Boston was a cancer here just like in Az. This team is a mess and they whine to the city that there going to pack up and move if SD dosen't build them a new crib .... They cared so much about the fans they passed on the most exciting player in the NFL and shipped our favorite son to Miami.

Good riddens Spano's ... You suck.

theswami · Mar 18, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FISHHEAD:
Positives: Robert Gallery is flatout the best offensive lineman in the draft. Hes big, powerful, quick, and smart. He is an absolutley terrific pass blocker. His run blocking isn't as good as his pass blocking but its still above average. Gallery is very athletic for an offensive lineman. He must of had years of footwork training because he moves so well on the line. He is very strong and has the ability to pancake just about any defensive lineman.

Negatives: Gallery may be the most complete player in the draft this year. You can scan high and low and not find any major problems with him.

My Take: Robert Gallery blows the other offensive lineman out of the water this year. He is a powerhouse who can move gracefully for an offensive lineman. He was part of possibly the best offensive line in college football at Iowa which really benefited him. Gallery will definetly be a top 5 pick this year and will most likely go to the Giants who have the 4th pick. Another thing that is great about Gallery is that he has no major injury problems in his past.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fish-

You are correct sir he's going to my boys the G-Men!! I would LOVE to see Rethlisberger or Manning go to the Giants as a QB of the future behind Collins but there is no way they last that long.

If Gallery works out he will make an immediate impact on the Giants and will serve the team well for years to come. The hardcore fans here in NY are optimistic about this guy but we would love to see the team move up and take a QB.

Railbird · Mar 18, 2004

Manning and Brees are both complete trash

Railbird · Mar 18, 2004

What about these evaluators? what do Schottenhiemer, Spanos and his son know about qbs? Schottenheimer was a fathead linebacker

drunkguy · Mar 18, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> What will the San Diego Chargers do with the #1 pick in this years NFL Draft? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

easy answer...crap it up like they have done with all their other top picks...

WildBill · Mar 18, 2004

The team is still trying to recover from the ultimate mistake...Bobby Beathard. If I were them I would trade the pick and get some depth. A QB that is a two year project won't do them much good. I don't think Brees is the answer, but way too many holes on this team to think one player will turn them around. Trade down about 10 spots and take Roy or Reggie to get a real wideout threat since you just traded away your only decent receiver. After that it should be obvious to the world they have holes in just about every defensive position.

Railbird · Mar 19, 2004

Mike Williams is better than Reggie and Roy. Also, a main reason Mikey went pro was he was getting a few F's on his report card.

Horseshoe · Mar 19, 2004

Mike Williams is better than those two, as Roy for all the hype he gets, is lost at times if you don't keep him constantly in the flow, and the Huskie has all the right numbers, yet rarely takes over a game.

Plus Williams has had but half the stage(playing career) these guys have had thus far, and will lap them in time, when he learns the nuances.

I would move down, and trade the #1 for two #2's if the Bolts.

Henderson is wowing the scouts with his speed in camps, according to ESPN, and is a rising stock.

Having been in the foothills last two years, all one heard was how Roy Williams was expected to bring UT to the promised land, it's as if dominant OL, DL, & LBs aren't needed in Austin.

WildBill · Mar 19, 2004

No way will they trade the top pick for two #2's that is a horrible trade. I said pick Roy or Reggie because I am assuming Mike will be long gone by the 10th pick, about where I figure the Chargers will trade down to. If they only move a few spots then take Mike or Larry, but I doubt they will get much for dropping only a few slots. Going to say the 5th pick probably will earn them only a mid-round selection or a player that another team isn't really set on keeping.

SoCal · Mar 21, 2004

They need to trade the #1 and drop down to get Philip Rivers. Use the extra pick to get a solid WR and an athletic LB for the new 3-4 defense. My sleeper pick for 3rd round is DE out of Western Mich by the name of "Babin". Dude is underrated for the draft, has incredible speed for his size. Would be a nice gamble for the Chargers 3-4 line after having lost Wiley.