With The Sixteenth Overall Pick In The 2009 BRB Interactive Mock Draft, San Diego Selects...

Are a hard team to draft for, they really don’t have many “positions of need” just a whole bunch of average and injury prone positions that got them drafting where they are. Many people are picking them as Super Bowl contenders this year, despite them not doing literally anything durring the offseason to improve their team from the one that posted the .500 regular season record. Many people consider it a do or die year as well since Tomlinson may be leaving soon, which is why there are 2 rb’s on the board here.

Their true positions of need are at Safety and Guard, and unless Jenkins somehow slips past the top 15 teams there is no one worth taking in the mid first round in either of those positions. RB will be a position of need soon, but you don’t usually “groom” a running back on a bench the way you would a QB so it seems silly to take one now. I think defensive end is the best bet here, they lost Iggy Olshansky to free agency and didn’t sign anyone to replace him, but I really don’t see that end being Tyson Jackson either, his draft position still feels too inflated to me but who knows.

I voted for Mauluaga just because he’s a great athlete and the chargers need good ILB’s with the 3-4, but even that doesn’t make much sense to me here. Merriman should be back next year and Stephen Cooper is a tackle vacuum at the LILB slot, so they really don’t have any need for another ILB unless it is for depth and insurance on Merriman. Honestly if I had my vote back I would probably switch it to Jackson.

They lost Igor Olshansky, who, while below average, was their starting LDE in their 3-4 D. The lost the Chris Canty sweepstakes, and now are looking for another 3-4 DE. Ryon Bingham is a career backup, but at only 27 they might give him a shot to play, and would want to try a late rounder for competition, as playing 5 technique is a remarkably difficult transition for most DE’s. It would probably take a while for Tyson Jackson to learn the position and see the field, but I think he would be the best long term investment.

Knowshon Moreno/ Beanie Wells would be a terrible pick. Having 30+ million invested in RB’s? That would be …. unwise. Even if you think LT2 is gonna hit the bricks, you don’t spend that much money on running backs. Besides, bringing in a first round back when you have LT and Sproles tells LT you are gonna get rid of him, so it kind of makes a non-issue into an issue.

Ziggy Hood is took short to play 5 and too small to play 0. Not an option for the Chargers.

Cushing could be an option if they feel he is a more dynamic player than Maualuga, but I think Rey will be a very good 3-4 ILB, and Cushing will be a pretty good 4-3 SAM or even a 3-4 OLB.

It comes down to this for the Chargers. Best investment long term? Tyson Jackson. Immediate impact? Rey or Cushing. Violence? Rey. Athleticism? Cushing.