2019 NFL Draft: Grades for every first-round pick

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame

Grade: B+

The New England Patriots ran right down the throats of the Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs. The Pats were able to run with ease, consistently picking up chunk yardage on the inside and grinding the clock away. That game highlighted an obvious weakness at the defensive tackle position for Los Angeles, leading to the pick of Jerry Tillery in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Tillery is a long defensive tackle who shows impressive power at the point of attack. He can latch on offensive linemen and drive them backward, showing impressive upper body strength and fantastic pad level leading to leverage. He defends the run well on the inside, showing the ability to handle 1 and 2-gap situations.

He also has a quick first step and can create some serious pressure from the interior. Tillery’s bull rush is NFL ready and he also shows a couple of solid counter moves in the pass rush.

Tillery is another defensive lineman who shows an impressive combination of quickness and power. He is unlikely to ever be an elite interior rusher, but he is a solid player who has some nice upside. Good, safe pick for the Chargers at 28 as they fill an obvious need in the middle of their defense.