San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Draft Wrap-Up
May 1, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers first round draft pick Melvin Gordon speaks to the media at Charger Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
First round, pick #15: RB Melvin Gordon III, University of Wisconsin
As asked for by me and numerous other San Diego Chargers fans, University of Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon was drafted by the Chargers in the first round.
Gordon rushed for 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns on 343 carries (7.5 yards per carry) in 14 games (184.8 yards per game). MG ended up breaking NCAA, Big 10 and Wisconsin records all over the board. In 2014, Gordon became the NCAA’s fastest player to reach 2,000 yards rushing in a season after doing it on 241 carries and also became Wisconsin’s leader in rushing yards (2,587) and games of over 200 yards (6) in a season.
At the combine, the 6’1″, 215-pound Gordon lived up to expectations by running 4.52 40-yard dash, 4.07 20-yard shuttle and 11.0 second 60-yard shuttle times and by jumping 126.0 inches in the broad jumps (all tops among running backs).
Scouts comment on Gordon’s impressive bursts out of the backfield as well as underrated agility and lightning-quick feet. As seen in Gordon’s tape, the Wisconsin native can move his body with the best of them.
According to CBSSports.com’s Dane Brugler, Gordon “Has the natural balance to bounce off contact without losing momentum with a physical nature to break arm tackles. Lowers his pads and keeps his legs pumping to generate deceiving power. Hits top speed in a flash to quickly get to the second level and beyond.”
Also, when you look at his highlight video, you can see how fast the guy can run. He is so.quick. It is no wonder why he was a track star in high school.
But, now that Gordon is officially on the team, the Chargers are now prepping for mini-camps and OTAs to see Gordon’s true potential.
While there are four backs on the current squad, I think that Gordon will prove himself as the pure starter on this team. Maybe no right out of the gate during week one, but later on in the season.
I believe that Danny Woodhead has still got it, but not as much as he once did when he was with the Patriots. He will most likely be the passing down back and the back on screens passes out wide. Woodhead has a better receiving ability than Gordon, while Gordon has better rushing ability than Woodhead.
What is weird to note about the pick is what Telesco stated to the media nay a couple of months back regarding the Chargers backfield.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken, Tom Telesco stated in a press conference a couple of months back, “I like the backs we have right now, I really do. … I like our guys.”
Maybe Telesco was attempting to downplay the Chargers need for a premiere back in 2015. Perhaps TT is thinking of a four-back scheme. We will see as the season nears, but we can expect an immediate impact from Gordon and a virtually renewed Chargers running game in 2015.
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