The NFL has awarded 33 compensatory picks for the 2016 Draft. This year, for the first time since 2012, the Chargers are getting one.
San Diego was handed a 5th-round comp selection, the 175th overall pick, after losing more free agents than they signed last off-season (typically the NFL will give out a compensatory pick if a team signs fewer impact free agents than it loses).
The Bolts’ entire 8-pick Draft rundown looks like this:
1st Round – 3rd overall
2nd Round – 35th overall
3rd Round – 66th overall
4th Round – 102nd overall
5th Round – 175th overall (compensatory)
6th Round – 179th overall
6th Round – 198th overall (from Minnesota for OL Jeremiah Sirles)
7th Round – 224th overall
Now, in case you’re wondering, yes it is possible to find decent players that late and sometimes compensatory picks do work out. Back in 1996 the Raiders used a 5th round comp selection to take La’Roi Glover. Four years later the Pt. Loma High School and San Diego State star started his streak of six consecutive Pro Bowls.
Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco has been around to see a pair of pretty good comp picks. In 2006 the Colts nabbed Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea with a 6th round pick and two years later they used another 6th rounder on wide receiver Pierre Garcon.
Oh, and there’s also that Tom Brady guy, another 6th round compensation selection by the Patriots.
As for the pick specifically, there are a couple of recent examples of impact players having their name called 175th. In 2012 kicker Blair Walsh was selected by the Vikings. He had become one of the most reliable kickers in the game … until the NFC Divisional Playoffs, when he missed a 27-yard field goal that would have beaten the Seahawks.
Back in 2010 the Panthers took defensive end Greg Hardy at 175. Hardy blossomed in to a Pro Bowl pass rusher with 27 sacks in 32 games … until he went insane and started beating up women and assistant coaches.
On second thought, maybe getting drafted 175th is a bad thing. If only this was next year when comp picks can start being traded.
