Los Angeles Chargers Saturday Mailbag: Reflecting on mock draft mistakes

For all your questions and topics regarding the best team in the NFL, welcome to the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday Mailbag!

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night! Whenever you’re reading this, welcome to the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday Mailbag.

As we’re here for another rendition of the mailbag, we have only one question today that we’ll be delving into, but we’d love to cover any more that the readers may have in the future.

How can you get your questions in?

1. Post in the comments section
2. On Twitter to @tjscooter30
3. By email (for longer submissions or multiple questions) at lacbag18@gmail.com

This week’s mailbag is a short one, but a question worth discussing nonetheless. I am very curious to see what any of you have to say in the comments section, and if any of you can be honest to admit any of your mock draft mistakes or player evaluations. Let me know what you think!

Question 1: The offseason has been boring, so I’ve been looking at previous seasons and the kind of drafts we’ve had. Some mock drafts were spot on, but most weren’t (not surprised). Were there any directions you wish the team had gone in years past, and were you completely wrong about any player you were high on? 

I’ll start with a list of players I wanted the Chargers to take in the first round of every draft since 2013 (under GM Tom Telesco):

• 2013: OT Lane Johnson or OG Chance Warmack. Johnson turned into a legit tackle for the Eagles, but was taken fourth overall. Warmack made it to the pick right before the Bolts, but has largely been a disappointment. Chargers pick: OT D.J. Fluker
• 2014: Any cornerback. The Chargers had been mock drafted to take most any corner that fell to them, and they ended up with possibly the best of the bunch. Chargers pick: CB Jason Verrett.
• 2015: RB Todd Gurley, DT Danny Shelton, RB Melvin Gordon. It was no secret the Chargers needed a back, and most mocked either Gurley or Gordon to them. Gurley went to the Rams, and Shelton ended up with the Browns. The former is an NFL superstar and a crusher of my fantasy football playoff hopes, and the latter is just an “okay-to-solid” defensive tackle for now. Gordon is a Pro-Bowl capable back who just hasn’t popped to that elite level. Watch out for him in 2018 behind a nasty line, thought. Chargers pick: Melvin Gordon
• 2016: CB Jalen Ramsey or DE DeForest Buckner. I’ll be honest with you guys: I completely forgot about the guy they actually selected. Ramsey was a safe, elite level pick and Buckner filled a need. Both have done well on their respective teams. Because the Chargers were essentially the first unknown pick in the draft even at three (the first two picks were obvious quarterback selections), I didn’t really read up too much on other players in their range unless they were Day 2 targets. At the NFL season ticket holder Draft Party at Seaworld, I stood there with the entire crowd assuming Ramsey was the pick. What they got was a monster, and possibly the most impactful defensive player from that entire draft. Chargers pick: Joey Bosa.
• 2017: S Jamal Adams or S Malik Hooker. I understand why they took who they did, but I really wanted a safety. Derwin James, selected this year, makes up for it in hindsight, as did the then-free agency acquisition of Tre Boston after the 2017 draft. I am still convinced that Adams would have been the pick if he were there, but was unfortunately snatched one selection before the Bolts. Chargers pick: Mike Williams, WR.

Some of the more (irritating) sets of mock drafts since 2013 have been the “Chargers take quarterback so and so” ones. One year it was Marcus Mariota. Another was Teddy Bridgewater. Last draft was really any quarterback that fell to them, although it would have made sense this year. Six drafts from Tom Telesco later, and the Bolts have taken a whopping one quarterback: Seventh-round selection Brad Sorenson.

Another curious take I see from fans and pundits are drafting players with character issues or questions, something Telesco and the Chargers clearly tend to avoid. Some guys like DT Robert Nkemdiche and DE Randy Gregory were at one point first round mocks to the Chargers, but never came close to their actual draft boards.

As for guys I’ve been absolutely wrong about, here’s a list:

1. Laquon Treadwell, WR
2. Darqueze Dennard, CB
3. Luke Joeckel, T
4. Manti Te’o, MLB

Next: Chances Chargers make it to 16-0?

There’s more, but boy do those stand out in my mind. Te’o was supposed to be a total steal, but never really got it together with the Chargers. As for the other three, it’s been a colossal disappointment from all of them. Good thing I don’t do this for a living.