SB Nation User Blog: Wonko

Scouting the Bowl Games Part 2

Wonko — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:27:30 -0000

I continue my series on college bowl games by covering the Christmas weekend slate of bowl games including our own Poinsettia Bowl. The first set of bowl games basically told me this: Ryan Matthews is a pretty solid RB, but probably not worthy of a 1st round pick because of lack information about how he does in the passing game and some ball handling skills that result in fumbles and that Rutgers OT Anthony Davis is so good that he will definitely be off the board when we pick. Without further ado, here's the upcoming bowl games and then the scouting reports after the jump.

Poinsettia Bowl: Utah vs. California

Hawaii Bowl: Nevada vs Southern Methodist

Little Caesers Bowl: Marshall vs. Ohio

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Pittsburgh vs North Carolina

Emerald Bowl: Boston College vs. USC

Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Clemson

I'm going to focus mainly on players that will probably go in the 1st or 2nd round. I'm going to focus on positions that might interest the Chargers, which means lots of front seven players, offensive tackles and running backs. I might mix in other positions, but I'll give a reason if I do. I'm also just using all draft eligible players, which will include some Sophomores and Juniors who may end up staying in school. I probably won't mention a top of the draft guy, unless I really want to say something about him or I think there is a slim chance he could slip or we could trade up. Okay, on to the players:

Nawa'akoa Misi, DE, Utah, Senior - I see some places where his first name is listed as Koa, but I think have a diacritical mark in your name is awesome. Just ask a Star Trek character. Anyway, he falls under the category of generic mid round pass rusher. He fits the size of a 3-4 OLB at 6'2 256. He should get after Cal QB Kevin Riley.

Tyson Alualu, DT, California, Senior - Another cool name. He's a DT for Cal, but at 6'2 291 lbs he's a DE to the Chargers. See if he can get after the passer or stop the Utah rushing attack. If he's a playmaker, then he could be a guy the Chargers look at in the middle rounds of the draft.

Michael Tepper, OT, California, Senior - Looks like we're done with the cool names. This big boy is a late round sleeper, but definitely has size at 6'5 317. He's a better pass blocker than run blocker and is smart enough to pick up stunts well. Sounds like something the Chargers like (i.e. big guy who can pass block). He's been injury prone, so he's a guy that we might be able to sneak onto the PS despite drafting him. It's worth noting that he'll probably be going head to head with Koa Misi, so that should be a nice test.

Various Nevada Players, Seniors - Okay, this is cheating, but all Nevada has is a bunch of potential late round/UDFA guys that play positions we kind of need. So here's there names, positions heights and weights: Jon Amaya, S, 6'0, 193; Alonzo Durham, OT, 6'2 301; Michael Bethea, ILB, 6'1, 231 and Alonzo Durham, C, 6'2, 300. Nevada's a good team, I expect one of these guys to at least be quality role player in the NFL, I'm just not sure who (although it could be senior RB Luke Lippincott, 6'0 214, who will miss the game with a toe injury).

Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh, Freshman - Dammit, I'm cheating again. This guy won't be draft eligible until 2012, but chalk this up as if I had told you to watch fellow Panther Larry Fitzgerald in his freshmen bowl game (Where he made two one handed catches and piled up the yards) because this guy is fun to watch. He is so shifty that you'll find yourself saying "wow" as guys miss him. He's fun, but we'll have to wait a couple years before seeing if he can be in the blue and gold (better figure out a trade now that can get us a top pick in 2012). I also highlight him because there was no one else worth pointing out from Pitt (or SMU, Marshall and Ohio for that matter).

Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina, Junior - He's small for a 3-4 OLB, but if he bulked up a little he could be rangy ILB for the Chargers and there's a lot of people out there that think we need to find one of those. He grades out as a first round pick so he's probably a nice talent to watch. Also, you'll be able to tell how many UNC fans there are by the "Bruuuuce" chants.I wouldn't bet on him joining the Chargers next year, but if he declares he's probably going in the second half of the first round.

Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina, Junior - Another top talent for the Tarheels. He's 6'2 303, so he could bulk up and play the nose or he could be a DE in the 3-4. He's got a high enough grade to signal that he's a possibility for the first round, but could slide to the second. I've seen more than more scouting report that just raves about this guy, so he could be a Larry English type where half the talking heads think he's a steal in the late first and half think he was a reach.

Aleric Mullins, Cam Thomas, Earl (E.J.) Wilson, DL, North Carolina, Seniors - UNC is loaded on the defensive line. All these guys come in as 6'3 big boys (306, 321, and 374 lbs respectively). Mullins is considered a mid round pick and the other two are late rounders. Their bowl game, all star game, and combine performances will help to separate these guys to find out who is benefiting from the others and who belongs in the NFL. Basically, just watch the Tarhee front 4 and take note of who is making some big plays (they'll need them to keep the ball away from Pitt's next 1st round pick WR sophomore Jonathan Baldwin and to stop the aforementioned Dion Lewis and talented backup freshmen RB Ray Graham).

Mike McLaughlin, ILB, Boston College, Senior - Mid to late round grade and stands at 6'0 247. Fits the mold for 3-4 ILB, but I'm not sure if he's got the range we want. We'll see if he can do anything to slow down the USC hydra at RB or make some plays covering the USC TE Anthony McCoy.

Taylor Mays, S, USC, Senior - We seem to be set at safety with Mays' former teammate Kevin Ellison and Eric Weddle, but I've been touting this guy for a while so why stop? He's 6'3 236 and supposedly he's going to run an insane 40 time. If you youtube him you'll find a ton of big hits, including one on a Penn State WR in last years Rose Bowl. This guy is going to make some NFL team real happy. His draft status has been slipping since the USC defense doesn't look as good without Maualuga (Bengals), Matthews (Packers) and Cushing (Texans) who were all 1st round picks last year, which seems unfair to me. I love this guy, but he'll be gone by the time we pick and probably doesn't fill a need for us. He'll do his best to put some hard licks on BC's star sophomore RB Montel Harris.

Everson Griffen, DE, USC, Junior - I think that even though he weight 272, he could slim down and play OLB in the 3-4. He already plays "standing up" sometimes in the USC's defense and he reportedly runs like a LB, which is a good sign for someone making the transition. I'm not sure that fills a need for us, since Griffen grades as a late first, early second round pick. Still, he's a playmaker on USC's defense and probably worth watching. He did get arrested over the summer for disturbing the piece in Nantucket.

Micah Johnson, ILB, Kentucky, Senior - He's 6'2 256 lbs and, I believe, was already mentioned by a BFTB member as a guy they like to become a Charger's ILB in the future. He's grading as a mid to late round pick and the scouting report for the game said: Micah Johnson is an instinctive downhill thumper, however, he lacks prototypical range and struggles to play in space, which does not bode well against the speedy and elusive...

C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson, Senior - I love C.J. Spiller. He does it all. He's a great return man and an explosive running back. He's also a really good receiver and can poss block. The only knock on him is size. He's 5'11 196 lbs, which is a little small for an NFL back. So what? Just let him run for touchdowns and work on keeping him healthy as much as possible. They don't take away the points you scored before you get hurt.

Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson, Senior - Another pass rusher ticketed for the end of the first round. He's a finesse rusher who uses his length and quickness to gain the edge. He's also really light for an NFL DE at 6'4 245 lbs so he's probably going to a team in need of a 3-4 OLB. I doubt it will be the Chargers, but everyone loves watching sacks right?

Padres Acquire Dusty Ryan

Wonko — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:40:11 -0000

Padres Acquire Dusty Ryan

He's a backup catcher. I seem to recall he's a decent albeit unproven one. It's not flashy, but it could be a solid pickup. At least we have a backup catcher candidate now. We acquired him for a PTBNL and cash considerations.

Ryan, 25, hit .257/.359/.455 in 235 Triple A plate appearances this year. Heading into the season, Baseball America spoke of Ryan's "prodigious raw power" and "plus-plus arm," but considered his receiving skills a work in progress.

Scouting the Bowl Games Part 1

Wonko — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:40:46 -0000

I'd been thinking about doing a FanPost on some of the college guys I've been looking at this year as potential future Chargers. I decided on just focusing on players in bowl games and give a little bit of info on each one. The bowl games kind of snuck up on me though and I'm a little late, which is a shame because Fresno State has a RB that I want people to check (I'm sure ESPN will replay the game late night sometime, try and catch it then)

Here are the Bowls for the opening weekend (plus Tuesday):

New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. Wyoming

St. Petersburg Bowl: Central Florida vs. Rutgers

New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee State

Las Vegas Bowl: Oregon State vs. BYU

Ryan Matthews RB, Fresno State, Junior - Scouts, Inc (a members-only service provided by ESPN) rates him as a 87, which means a high 2nd round grade. The Chargers have been known to use their 1st round picks on guys that Scouts, Inc grades as 2nd rounders (Cason, English) most likely because their evaluation methods are slightly different. Matthews is LT's size and can be a physical runner utilizes the stiff arm to great effectiveness. The knock on him is that he's a liability on 3rd down. I see this as something that can either be worked on or he could be paired with another back. Another knock is that he's not as explosive as a couple of the other RBs in this draft. He'll probably be a nice value for a second round pick, but maybe the Chargers will think that his 3rd down issues are overstated and grab him in the first. I've been watching the bowl game a little already, and I like his running style. Todd McShay from Scouts, Inc is on record as saying he thinks Matthews will declare.

Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers, Junior - Scouts, Inc has him rated as a 93, which makes him a bonafide 1st round pick. He's a big boy at around 6'5 325 lbs. I don't really know that much about him, but I have seen at least one early mock draft that had the Chargers picking him. We'll have to watch the game and see how he does.

Ryan D'Imperio ILB, Rutgers, Senior - He's not the prospect that first two are. He's only got a grade in the 40s, which makes him a late round option, but he is ranked #10 among ILBs. He's about 6'1 244 lbs. He's been described as a leader and coach on the field. Seems like a high character guy. Remember even guys that are late round picks make plays at the college level, so he's worth keeping an eye on.

Torell Troup DT, Central Florida, Senior - My token UCF player. He's got good measurables for a DT at 6'3 315, but he's most likely a UDFA. We always need DL and he could be a guy that ends up on someone's practice squad (maybe even ours).

Calvin Wilson OT, Southern Miss, Senior - Like Troup he's not much of a prospect, but he's a ginormous human being. He's 6'5 361 lbs. Again, he's most likely a UDFA, but if you're watching the game, take a peek (as if you could miss him)

Sean Canfield QB, Oregon State, Senior - I know what you're thinking. A QB? Wonko's gone mad, Rivers isn't going anywhere. I know that. But, Canfield is worth watching. First, he's from Carlsbad, second, I've heard a couple draft gurus drooling over this guy. He could be someone who starts in the NFL someday. He's 6'4 214 lbs so he's got the right measurables for a QB. His completion % stands at 70% right now, he's thrown 21 TDs to 6 INTs and thrown for over 3000 yards this season.

Dennis Pitta TE, BYU, Senior - There's a chance Chargers may draft a backup TE in this draft. He's 6'4 246 lbs, which is kind of small for the Chargers tastes (based off of Manu, Wilson, and former Chargers draft pick Scott Chandler). He's got a 74 grade, so he could go as high as the 3rd round, so he's got some good qualities that may interest the Chargers.

Jan Jorgenson DE, BYU, Senior - At 6'2 256 lbs he's too small to be a DE for the Chargers, but he's a good size for an OLB in the 3-4. Chargers are always on the lookout for pass rushers and this guy might be there for them at the end of the draft or a UDFA.

Chargers Doctor Under Investigation

Wonko — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:54:53 -0000

Chargers Doctor Under Investigation

This article definitely makes it sound like Charger's doctor David Chao (you've probably seen him, he's the Asian guy who comes out when a Charger's player gets hurt) is in serious trouble. I read the entire article and it sure makes me feel like he's guilty of, well, something.

The Uncapped Year Is Coming

Wonko — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:06:18 -0000

On Sunday, ESPN.com broke a story: NFL to pull plug on $100 million revenue sharing. Many of started to speculate what this could mean for small market teams that already have trouble filling seats in their stadiums. Hidden in that story is that the NFL is planning and pretty much relying on 2010 to be an uncapped year. One of the side effects of the uncapped year is that players who used to require 4 or 5 years of service time to be eligible for free agency when their contracts run out will now need 6 years of service time. This affects the following Chargers who under the old rules were scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2010: Vincent Jackson, Shawne Merriman, Marcus McNeill, Darren Sproles, Charlie Whitehurst and Tim Dobbins. Sproles, Merriman and Jackson all have 5 years of service time and McNeill, Whitehurst and Dobbins have 4 years following the 2009 season. The only way this happens any differently is if the CBA is re-negotiated before the 2010 free agent signing period, but I get the feeling that the NFL doesn't really want that to happen. I'll put it at 80-90% chance that 2010 goes uncapped at this point.

This also impacts other teams. The following quality players will also fail to reach unrestricted free agency in 2010:

QB Jason Campbell, Washington

RB Jerious Norwood, Atlanta

RB Leon Washington, New York Jets

RB Lendale White, Tennessee

WR Miles Austin, Dallas

WR Braylon Edwards, New York Jets

WR Lee Evans, Buffalo

WR Brandon Marshall, Denver

TE Owen Daniels, Houston

TE Tony Scheffler, Denver

K Stephen Gostkowski, New England

P Sam Koch, Baltimore

OG Deuce Lutui, Arizona

OG Eugene Amano, Tennessee (Rancho Bernardo High alum)

OG David Baas, San Francisco

OG Logan Mankins, New England

OG Stephen Neal, New England

C Chris Spencer, Seattle

DT Tony Brown, Tennessee

DE Ray Edwards, Minnesota

DE Johnny Jolly, Green Bay

LB Thomas Davis, Carolina

LB Elvis Dumervil, Denver

LB Chris Gocong, Philadelphia

LB Thomas Howard, Oakland

LB D'Qwell Jackson, Cleveland

LB Kirk Morrison, Oakland

LB Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay

LB Demeco Ryans, Houston

CB Marlin Jackson, Indianapolis

S Brodney Pool, Cleveland

S Dawan Landry, Baltimore

S Roman Harper, New Orleans

S Reed Doughty, Washington

Why the Broncos Losing to the Redskins is Even More Important

Wonko — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:27:00 -0000

Let's play the what if game. What if the Chargers beat the Broncos on Sunday? Well, then they are in sole possession of first place and, as the saying goes, "Control Their Own Destiny." That means they would win the division if they won all their remaining games and the Broncos won all their remaining games. However, as much as I love the Chargers, I'm not sure I see them finishing the season on an 11 game winning streak. So, what else could happen?

What if the Chargers lose a game (following a victory over the Broncos) and the Broncos win all of theirs? Well, then the two teams finish in a tie at 12-4.

First tie-breaker (we all know this) is head-to-head. No help there since in this scenario they split the series.

Next up, divisional record. Chargers are current 3-1 and with a win over the Broncos would be 4-1. A loss to the Chiefs would be a problem in this scenario since the Broncos will finish 5-1 in the division if they win all their games except the Chargers game. So, the Chiefs can't be the Chargers 1 loss if the Chargers and Broncos both finish 12-4.

Next up, common opponents. This is where the Redskins game is important. Every opponent on the Chargers schedule is also an opponent of the Broncos except the Titans and Dolphins (the Broncos have the Colts and Patriots). Since we already know that the divisional records would be the same in this scenario (5-1), then that leaves 8 common opponents. Currently, the Chargers are 2-2 in these games with 4 left to play (Browns, Cowboys, Bengals and Redskins). The Broncos are 3-3 in these games with 2 left to play (Giants and Eagles). The 2 Chargers losses are to the same teams that Broncos lost to (Ravens and Steelers), but since the Broncos lost to the Redskins it providers an opening. So all the Chargers would need to do is beat the those 4 teams (Browns, Cowboys, Bengals and Redskins) and they would win the tie-breaker in this scenario.

So the one team the Chargers can afford to lose to if they beat the Broncos and win all but 1 of their remaining games? The Tennessee Titans.

I will point out that if the Broncos lose to the Colts and win all their other games and the Chargers lose 2 of their remaining games and neither loss is to the Titans so that they both finish 11-5, then the Broncos win the division. This is because at least one of those Chargers losses would either include the Chiefs (lose the divisional tie-breaker) or it both losses are to common opponents (and the Chargers would lose the common games tie-breaker with a record of 4-4 to the Broncos' 5-3).

The fourth tie-breaker is conference record. Basically, the Chargers would lose this tie-breaker if they lost to the Bengals or Browns and the teams finished tied (and, obviously the Broncos don't have any non-Colts losses). The Broncos loss to the Redskins actually works against the Chargers here since it was a non-conference game, but we are really getting into some odd scenarios here.

The best way to think of it might be this. If the Chargers beat the Broncos, then any non-Titans loss by the Chargers needs an accompanying non-Colts loss by the Broncos if they are going to finish in a tie. Or, maybe the best way to think of it is: Don't finish in a tie. Easier said than done.

Any questions?

Raiders finally moving on - Russell Benched

Wonko — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:49:37 -0000

Raiders finally moving on - Russell Benched

Doesn't really concern the Chargers at this point. But, I know a fair number of people have wondered how Russell could still be the starting QB in Oakland. Good luck, Gradkowski, here's a helpful tip: Don't throw it to Heyward-Bey or better yet, just don't throw the ball, period.

Chiefs’ Bowe suspended 4 games

Wonko — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:12:08 -0000

Chiefs’ Bowe suspended 4 games

Just when you thought the Chiefs couldn't get any worse. As a reminder, the Chargers play the Chiefs on Nov. 29, which would coincide with the 2nd game of the suspension. Also, I have to wonder if the Chiefs knew this was coming when they claimed Chambers.

Giants Bench CC Brown

Wonko — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:05:55 -0000

Giants Bench CC Brown

Aaron Rouse will take his place. Rouse was much maligned in Green Bay a couple of years back, but probably not as much as CC Brown (of course it was Green Bay and not New York). The one interesting thing about Rouse is that he's tall. Almost as tall as VJ and Floyd and definitely taller than Gates and Naanee.

Chargers receive 24-hour extension

Wonko — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:48:11 -0000

Chargers receive 24-hour extension

Just like Jim Steeg said, this game is a little tougher sell because of the outdated reputation for Raiders games at the Q.