The Chargers have put in effort to shore up the linebacker room with the retention of Denzel Perryman and signing of Thomas Davis, but it appears they’re not done with addressing the position.
Los Angeles recently met with former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson on a pre-draft visit.
General manager Tom Telesco made the point that the position will get a lot of attention this offseason. But after the acquisitions of Davis and Perryman, it’s questionable whether or not they will address it early on, especially with the other positional needs.
Even though it’s not as pressing as offensive tackle, defensive tackle or free safety, Los Angeles could still elect to take one early on with injury concerns in mind. If that’s the case, the reason to take one within the first few rounds is valid because this year’s linebacker class is not quite enticing as prior years.
Wilson is a traditional, explosive three-down linebacker who fits suits today’s NFL. He can close running lanes, flow sideline to sideline, and generate tackles for loss. His understanding of man and zone coverages is something that’s coveted, especially in a pass-happy league.
If L.A. felt like he was their guy, the team would most likely have to grab him before the second round because he’s graded out as a top-60 player.
Here is Chargers Wire’s 2019 NFL draft profile on Wilson.
Wilson is a capable middle linebacker. He’s at his best playing in space, off the line of scrimmage, and chasing the football. Wilson has short area quickness to defeat blocks and burst to close to the ball. His lateral agility allows him to make plays both inside the tackle box and on the edge. He continues to impact the game in multiple ways each week. He can play in coverage, showing to be one of the best in this aspect of the game at his position, and on special teams.
Wilson has natural playmaking instincts when combined with his athleticism, it puts him constantly around the football. Wilson is an aggressive player that shows no hesitation attack running backs. At the next level, he’ll need to do a better job of showing consistency. Making the jump from his sophomore to junior season, Wilson didn’t grow much development wise. He must reign in his aggressiveness a bit, especially with his pursuit angles and making tackles in the open field, too.
