Chargers fans should shift their attention to these prospects
It’s almost a foregone conclusion on who Chargers fans want to select with this year’s 1st round draft pick. That conclusion is left tackle Penei Sewell. Sewell has been wanted by Chargers fans since before we even realized that we would be selecting high enough to have a chance at him. The problem is now that we may have a top 10 pick (as of now) but still might not have a pick high enough as Cincinnati has a very similar need up front and a similar need in protecting their investment of a young quarterback. However with Cincinnati holding the 3rd overall selection and considering Joe Burrow’s season ending knee injury, you might as well turn in Cincy’s draft card already. So close yet not close enough to pull through on getting Sewell. Seems like something Chargers fans can relate too. There is a possibility of a team trading up for a QB in that position but I’m not sure Cincy wouldn’t risk not taking him at 3. Well if not Sewell then who?
Well it turns out there are a few other high quality tackles as well. They might not be the generational talent that Sewell is but still possess enough talent that could translate into multiple pro bowls and most importantly a long term solution at left tackle. There are also a few other options the team could go. Once the offseason starts we will take a much more in depth look at these prospects but for now I want to bring your attention to the realistic options that we may very well end up with and who we should really be focusing on.
Samuel Cosmi left tackle from Texas
Standing at an impressive 6’7″ 309 pounds Cosmi is very nimble for someone his size. Scouts last year said they would like to see if he could add some strength heading into this season and he did just that. Cosmi is an elite pass protector and above average run blocker. His run blocking could very well be better than above average it’s just hard to know as of now considering how the system he is in at Texas is very pass heavy, which would explain why he is an elite pass protector. This is mainly what he has been working at the most the last few years. Many people think he is a better tackle prospect than Conor Williams was out of Texas who has since gone on to be a pro bowl guard for the Dallas Cowboys.
Alex Leatherwood left tackle Alabama
Standing at 6’6″ 315 pounds Leatherwood was considered to be a top 3 offensive tackle in last year’s draft before deciding to go back to school for another year. Leatherwood was first team all SEC in 2019 and is a much more aggressive tackle in comparison to Cosmi who is more of smooth operator. Leatherwood’s aggressive nature makes him more of a balanced prospect in the aspect that his level of run blocking is on par with his pass protection. I was hoping to see Leatherwood improve this season but his play kind of remained at the same level. This is not a bad thing though as he was already a very good prospect who has potential to be a great player in the NFL. However he may be as good as he is going to be already. This isn’t a bad thing however as he is already far beyond any tackle on the Chargers roster already.
Caleb Farley Cornerback Virginia tech
Michael Davis is currently on the last year of his contract and is unknown if the team will opt to resign him. Next season Hayward and Harris will begin the last year of their contracts and considering their decline in play a cornerback could very well be a good play here if the team feels they can still grab a quality lineman. Farley is a big corner at 6’2″ 205 pounds. Farley was originally a wide receiver for the Hookies but after a knee injury in 2017 he returned in 2018 as a corner and in 2019 he was named to the first team all ACC and earned the nickname ” the shadow”. Being named all conference first team at your position after only playing that position for 2 seasons tells me the ceiling is very very high for Farley and I have him as my personal CB1.
Jaycee Horn cornerback South Carolina
Horn is another corner I have rated higher than Patrick Surtain. Horn is another big Corner at 6’1″ 205 pounds. Horn was not only a good cover corner in the SEC he also proved to be a very good run stopping corner, which is a rare trait in the position. Jaycee is the son of Joe Horn who is a former 4x pro bowl wide receiver. This is important because it let us know that Jaycee has been training at a world class elite level since day one with access to the best coaches available. This is apparent from his all SEC selection as a freshman.
Rashawn Slater left tackle Northwestern
Slater is a player who opted out of the 2020 season. Slater is a bit of a wildcard because he had great film against Ohio state and Chase Young in 2019. Some think he may very well be right up there with Sewell as far as talent goes. He will be someone to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses. Some say he is a too 10 pick and OT2 while some others think he is Quinton Nelson potential at guard.
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