The Chargers entered the draft with not that many needs compared to a lot of other teams in the league. They left the event with two players that should become instant starters right out the gate, and the rest will be more beneficial down the road.
For some people, they were surprised that Los Angeles didn’t select more impact players. But it’s kind of difficult to do so when the roster is already stacked at nearly position. There will be some opportunities for those who don’t get a starting job to contribute early on, even if it’s just special teams.
With that, we ranked which rookies will have the greatest impact, starting from No. 1 and working our way down.
FS Nasir Adderley
Even though Adderley wasn’t the Chargers first round pick, it doesn’t mean that he won’t have the biggest impact Year 1. We gave the nod to the former Delaware over defensive tackle Jerry Tillery simply because the need for a true free safety was more glaring, and Adderley brings everything and more to the professional level.
Adderley should have no problem starting right off the bat even though general manager Tom Telesco said that the spot is “wide open,”. The Bolts also have Jaylen Watkins and Rayshawn Jenkins at free safety who will be in competition, but Adderley should win with ease given his more superior talent over the two players.
Adderley is a high-impact player who is athletic, smooth and quick, that plays with good footwork, range, ball and tackling skills. He should thrive primarily as a centerfielder, but look for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to use him all over the field where he can unlock his full skillset and former cornerback traits to flourish.
DT Jerry Tillery
The Chargers, who were not all that deep at the defensive tackle position in terms of talent prior to the draft, needed an instant boost. Tillery has all the physical and athletic skills to be a terror up front.
At the moment, Justin Jones is listed as the team’s starting three-technique, which comes as no surprise. Tillery should have no problem earning that starting role right out the gate, especially knowing that he will be 100 percent in July from a shoulder injury that he sustained last season.
There are some technical things that he will have to work on in camp, but his strength and movement skills for a man of his size are second-to-none. It’s hard not to envision a starting defensive line Week 1 that consists of Tillery, Brandon Mebane, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.
DT Cortez Broughton
This may come as a surprise because Broughton was taken in the seventh-round, but he offers much more value than where he was selected in the draft.
His experience might make him more NFL-ready than the average seventh-rounder, given that Broughton spent five years in college and turns 24 in early September. But his skillset alone, is NFL-worthy as he possesses the upfield quickness and upper/lower body power to be a force in the trenches.
With Los Angeles being thin at the defensive tackle position, Broughton should have no problem earning playing time early on. It’s unlikely that he will be a starter in 2019, but look for him to be be a key rotational player this upcoming season.
OT Trey Pipkins
The Chargers had a need to fill in the right tackle position after Sam Tevi strugged immensely in 2018. The team drafted Trey Pipkins in the third-round, but it’s doubtful that he will be the plug-and-play right tackle this upcoming season because they’re confident enough of Tevi to bounce back in his third year.
Instead, the team views Pipkins as left tackle Russell Okung’s eventual replacement when he is no longer on the team anymore. Pipkins could surprise, but it’s tough to think he’s going to be ready to step into the rotation early this season since he needs quite a bit of development and will have to get caught up to the speed of the NFL.
If Tevi does have his struggles or gets hurt, Los Angeles would likely lean on another option first, such as Forrest Lamp who will start off at guard but has the ability play tackle, if needed. Or, they could kick Michael Schofield out to right tackle, as well.
But if they feel comfortable enough with Pipkins and his growth, he might get a shot at a starting job by the end of the season.
LB Emeke Egbule
The reason why we gave the nod to Egbule over Drue Tranquill is simply because he won’t be as lost in the depth chart as Tranquill, who has quite a few players ahead of him. Egbule will only be playing behind Uchenna Nwosu at the OTTO, leaving more opportunities to see the field.
Egbule has a great blend of size, length and athletic ability to be scheme-versatile, too. He lined up off the ball, showcasing fluidity in coverage and he played on the line of scrimmage as a pass rusher, displaying a quick first step to get to the quarterback.
Sure, he might not be the starter, but he should earn some playing time early on and more if Nwosu were to go down to an injury. He will start his professional career as a strong special-teams player.
LB Drue Tranquill
Tranquill will have quite a bit of competition in front of him at the linebacker position. With three key players coming back healthy from injuries sustained and the signing of Thomas Davis, the former Notre Dame product will certainly have his work cut out in training camp.
The great thing about Tranquill is that he can play multiple linebacker positions for the Chargers. But his biggest impact is going to come after this season, especially with some contracts coming up. Nonetheless, he is still going to contribute on special teams and in sub-packages on occasion.
QB Easton Stick
With the arrival of Stick, it only means that Cardale Jones’ tenure with the team is over. He may not even replace Philip Rivers when he decides to hang up the cleats and is not going to dethrone Tyrod Taylor for the No. 2 spot.
Stick may become a long-term backup down the road, but he’s nothing more than a No. 3 quarterback who could be used as a gadget player every once in awhile like Saints’ Taysom Hill.
