Bolts Bolster Offensive Line

Chargers add a center in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft

Since losing Nick Hardwick to injury the Chargers have had a revolving door at the center position. The two guys they have on the roster, Chris Watt and Trevor Robinson, were unimpressive during the last two years.

So in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft the Bolts addressed the interior of their offensive line, selecting USC center Max Tuerk, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound technician.

Scouts love Tuerk's patience and ability to block on both running and passing plays. He's a high-effort guy who is often downfield in the second level on run plays. He also has the ability to see where a defender is coming from and use the proper leverage to contain him on passing plays, using what one talent evaluator called "huge, strong hands" that can latch on to rushers and delay their progress.

Believe it or not, Tuerk is considered "undersized" by many scouts, who say he has a bit of a lean frame. The concern is he could get pushed around by NFL-sized defensive tackles.

The Chargers need all the help they can get to unlock the running game that has ranked 32nd and 31st the last two seasons. Protecting quarterback Philip Rivers, who was sacked 40 times in 2015, is also of the utmost importance.

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