The Chargers entered the draft with only three active players on the interior part of the defensive line. They didn’t waste anytime to address the position with the selection of former Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery at No. 28 overall.
Tillery had been a commonly mocked player to Los Angeles throughout the pre-draft process. The linking between him and L.A. had gotten mixed reviews. Some people wanted him, while others didn’t due to questionable decisions that he made early on in his collegiate career, as well as some questioning his love for football.
Regardless, the former Notre Dame product’s tape overpowered any kind of character concerns, as he displayed a player that would be a dominant force up front for the Bolts.
At 6-foot-6 and 295 pounds, Tillery brings a versatile defender with the ability to play the one, three or five-technique. He is very hard to move in one-on-one situations. He plays with good effort, rare movement skills and is strong and long enough to get dispose of blockers. He uses his length to be involved in some plays that he otherwise has no business being in.
The best thing about his game is that when he rushes from the interior, he’s able to push the pocket effectively with his pure strength, which is something the Chargers want in their defensive tackles to get after the quarterback or defend the run.
With the addition of Tillery, the depth chart at the position looks good, but not great by any means. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the team go with another interior defensive lineman in the third or fourth round to shore it up.
