San Diego Chargers: Best option with the 17th pick?

The San Diego Chargers need a running back, may have a quarterback controversy, and have holes around the defense. What do they do with the 17th pick in the NFL Draft? Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

TODD:

With the 17th pick of the first round in the 2015 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select…?

Quarterback Philip Rivers is apparently souring on the San Diego organization. This is…not good. If Rivers were to actually be dealt (via Grantland), it would certainly flip the Chargers’ whole plan on its head. But let’s assume Rivers is going to be in SD for at least next season. Where does the team turn then?

Ryan Mathews is a loss in the backfield that could preview the Chargers selecting a round-one running back. It doesn’t happen often in the league anymore, but there are at least two RB prospects in the discussion for the first round.

San Diego also has further needs along both lines. Protecting Rivers (or a new quarterback if the situation arose) is paramount, and the team also struggled terribly in the running game on both offense and defense because of poor line play.

Who do you take?

A) Malcom Brown
B) Todd Gurley/Melvin Gordon (choose your preference)
C) Ereck Flowers

The running backs will grab the headlines here for sure, but the linemen have their place as well. Brown is perhaps the best interior defensive lineman in this draft, right up there with Danny Shelton. He is a run blocker extraordinaire, something San Diego needs. Flowers, meanwhile, is in that second tier of offensive linemen but has a bit higher upside at tackle compared with a few other players.

Or should the Chargers just take one of the two backs? Gurley is the explosive runner coming off an injury but who possesses the better all-around game. Gordon is the 2,000-yard rusher who cannot be stopped, unless he needs to catch a pass. Both have their drawbacks, but both could be special.

Dec 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) hand off to running back

(43) against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

DAN:

Oh, you devil, tempting me with promising running backs so early in the draft. The position has certainly gotten harder to project, as college numbers get cloudy fast, depending on offensive systems. San Diego should do well to exercise caution with the 17th pick. This is boom or bust territory.

Since picking first overall in 2004, the Chargers have drafted at or around pick seventeen every season. Their average draft position since 2004 has been pick 19, drafting as far back as 30th and as high as 11th. Overall San Diego has done well at this spot, grabbing several star players including Ryan Mathews. Yet the last four years have been far less kind, as the team went DT, DE, OL, DB and still has holes at those positions.

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I know I must pick from the four players you noted, but first a wildcard. The Chargers future with Philip Rivers is unclear and his backup is Kellen Clemens, formerly of the Jets. He is a serviceable backup. All of this puts a quarterback into play if I’m San Diego at 17. Brett Hundley will likely be available, a local kid out of UCLA with a lot of upside. It may be too early to draft Hundley, but snatching him up to learn behind Rivers is a nice play longterm.

As for the more pressing need on a team aiming for the playoffs, the Chargers must address the defense once again. They are in a win now position, with Rivers and Antonio Gates aging out of the league sooner than later.

The team ranked 26th in run defense last season, while coming in at 9th overall on defense in the league. Talk about one huge hole on an otherwise strong unit. Malcom Brown is the pick for San Diego at seventeen. They desperately need a standout on the defensive line and Brown’s run stopping abilities will serve this team well.

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