NBC 7's Derek Togerson offers advice for NFL fans in this commentary.
The Chargers have a certain set of issues they need to address before the start of the 2015 NFL season. It’s nice to address as many of those problems as possible during the NFL Draft, specifically the early rounds of the NFL Draft.
After the first round, Bolts fans were ecstatic. Melvin Gordon takes care of one of the Bolts’ biggest issues, giving San Diego the threat of a running game. After that, judging from reaction on Social Media (and there was plenty of it), an alarmingly large portion of Bolts fans were upset at the team's two selections on Friday.
It appears we all kind of forgot something that's very important to remember during the NFL Draft:
With only very few exceptions, people who work in the front offices of professional football teams know more than we do. They also know more than just about all the draft analysts employed by just about all the major networks and just about all the blogs in the universe.
I know, mock drafts are fun and we all fall too far in love with them (myself included). So when we start to see the Bolts taking players who are not, “rated as highly as other players,” we kind of get indignant. Why did the Chargers take Denzel Perryman and Craig Mager when other guys with higher draft grades at other positions of need (namely the lines) were available?
It’s because Tom Telesco knows more than we do. Perhaps he doesn’t think Pittsburgh offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings is anywhere near as good as most TV folks do. He’s not alone, seeing as how the widely projected first rounder will still available when the fourth round starts on Saturday.
Perryman adds depth to a position, inside linebacker, where the Bolts only had three guys under contract. Mager is a defensive back who the Chargers say will stay there, even though he has the physicality to play at safety. So why, when they took Jason Verrett in the first round last year and just re-signed Brandon Flowers to a new contract and have decent depth with Steve Williams, Jimmy Wilson, Patrick Robinson, Chris Davis, Richard Crawford and Greg Ducre … why would they add another corner?
Because they didn’t see any more defensive linemen or offensive linemen they thought worthy of being drafted that high.
Telesco has a Draft board, and was not about to reach for a “need.” He trusted the board and played the hand he was dealt.
“You don’t control the Draft. The Draft controls you,” said Telesco on Friday night after making the team’s 2nd and 3rd round selections. “That’s, a lot of times, what happens. There may be a certain way you want to go but if there’s not a player you have evaluated in that spot there’s nothing you can do about it so you’ve got to stick with your board. These players fit the characteristics we’re looking for. We think they make us a better football team and we’re happy to have these guys. I think they’re going to have long careers here.”
That’s a darn good an honest explanation of Friday’s events. And no, all you Chargers fans upset about what you’ve said are “wasted picks,” the board he’s talking about is not a Ouija Board.
