As a special teams player (primarily), Darren Sporles will need to dazzle in the preseason in order to warrant a roster spot. It's not likely Sporles will carry the ball much during the regular season, so for him, its all about making his mark on special teams as a punt returner.



When asked about Sproles chance to contribute in areas aside from return duties, Coach Turner responded:

He needs to have an impact as a returner, and if he has an impact as a returner then there is a place to use him in a number of other areas. He's made some explosive plays out here in these camps. You get him with the ball in space and its real exciting. So he certainly can create some great matchups in the passing game.

Also in the mix for the punt return job is rookie Craig Davis, who returned some punts towards the end of his senior season at Louisiana State. But Norv Turner hasn't decided yet if Craig Davis is a better fit than Sproles or a number of different players competing for the job:

I really like the way he catches the ball. Again, we'll see him in the preseason. He did it the second half of the season there at LSU and he was an explosive player doing it. He looks to have very, very, sure hands. Now again, catching the ball out here when you know they're running by you and catching it in game when they're running into you...it changes. Some guys handle it real well, and some guys don't.

To me, it sounds like there might be a question of mental toughness on the part of Davis. Like Coach said, the preseason will give us a better indication. In the meantime, there are other guys who are in the mix to return punts and they will be given an opportunity to prove their worth to the team.

I've seen some guys be great catching it in practice, and struggling in games. So we'll have time through the preseason to let those guys compete for that position.

With the punt return job still up in the air (it's all but guaranteed that Michael Turner will return kicks. He was amazing there last season.) its crucial for Darren Sproles to retain that job. If he can't show that he can be a dependable and explosive player returning punts, then he has no chance of staying with a team that has better backup running backs in Michael Turner, Tyronne Gross, and Andrew Pinnock.

And as for Craig Davis, his main value to the team is in the passing game. Its a plus that he has shown talent for multiple duties, but he is going to primarily counted on to contribute as a receiver.

Don't forget about Antonio Cromartie and Cletis Gordon. Although both are cornerbacks, they have show in the past that they are explosive runners with the ball in their hands and they have both received reps in special team drills.


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The careers of Anthony Gonzalez, Sidney Rice, Dwayne Jarrett, and Steve Smith will forever be linked to Craig Davis' in the eyes of San Diego Chargers fans. AJ Smith and his group of scouts made the determination that Craig Davis was going to be a better fit for the team than Gonzalez, Rice, Jarrett, or Smith would. While it is certainly too early to tell, it will be interesting to see who among the group emerges as elite players.

The this exclusive BoltHype feature, we'll track the progress each player makes throughout the season. Today we'll begin our look at former USC Trojan and current Carolina Panthers wide receiver, Dwayne Jarrett.


For some insight into Dwayne Jarrett's progress thus far, I've enlisted the help of Carolina Panthers beat writer, Pat Yasinskas of the Charlotte Observer. Here is what he had to say:

It's tough to give you much because they're only a couple days into camp and
he's not had much of a chance to do anything. But here's my best: The
Panthers are bringing Jarrett along slowly, letting Keary Colbert and Drew
Carter work with the first team until the rookie learns the offense. But
Carter and Colbert aren't legitimate starters and the team expects Jarrett
to claim the starting job by the end of the preseason.

Note: This post will be updated throughout the season so be sure to check back!


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In the BoltHype 'Getting Better' feature, the staff will take an in-depth look at the different units among the team to determine areas in the Chargers' game where improvement would be welcome. For example, in today's feature BoltHype will break down the wide receivers and will highlight areas that the staff would like to see increased production.

Good teams can always get better. Take the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers want to get better in their wide receiver corp and have committed high draft picks to the position.

In 2005, Vincent Jackson was taken with the team's second round pick. Jackson was viewed as a developmental prospect with huge upside. We saw flashes of potential greatness last year, and many feel VJ is poised for a breakout season in 2007.

The Chargers were not totally satisfied with their group of receivers, so they again looked to upgrade the position. In 2007, Craig 'Buster' Davis was tabbed in round one. The team saw Davis as a polished receiver who could come in and contribute immediately on offense and special teams as a returner.


The San Diego Chargers are unique in that their passing attack does not feature a go-to wide receiver. Instead, the passing offense under former coordinator Cam Cameron, was filtered through Antonio Gates (71 REC, 2007) and LaDainian Tomlinson (56 REC, 2007) first, and any remaining balls were trickled down and spread out among the wide receivers. With Norv Turner taking over the play-calling duties in 2007, not much is expected to change.

What will be different, however, will be the roles that Vincent Jackson and Craig Davis play in the offense. Norv has expressed that he sees plenty of room for improvement on the team, and particularly in the passing game. In Vincent Jackson, he would like more consistency:

“We just need to him to continue to grow,” Head Coach Norv Turner said. “We need him to have more consistency. I think he’s working hard on that. Vincent is a big-play receiver. He did that a year ago. We can get him the ball underneath and let him run with it. Those are the kinds of plays that you have to have great consistency on.”

As for Craig Davis, he will contribute immediately as a returner and will get his fair share of receptions.

“Like all young players that come into the League, he’s going to have to learn, but we feel Craig is a complete receiver,” Turner said. “He has great hands. He has great run-after-the-catch ability. That’s something we felt we could add to our football team. He’s mature. This is another young guy who’s certainly going to contribute and have an affect.”

What is of most interest to me is that both Jackson and Davis posses the ability to gain yards after the catch (YAC). Both players are tough and physical and have big-play ability. The can make plays with the ball in their hands and can break tackles. If there was one thing that absolutely annoyed me about Keenan McCardell and Eric Parker, it was that they were too easily tackled. Rarely did turn a short pass into a big gain. And it was all too often that they were tackled with the first contact from a defender.

Keenan McCardell is no longer with the team. Vincent Jackson is likely become the Chargers' primary receiver, a position that McCardell had in 2005. Eric Parker had the most catches among wide receivers on the team in 2006, but that will surely change in 2007 with the addition of Craig Davis and the emergence of Vincent Jackson.

I'd like to draw a relevant comparison between Wide Receivers Santonio Holmes, Eric Parker, and Craig Davis. Holmes, you'll remember, was the Pittsburgh Steelers' first round pick a year ago. Taken with the 25th pick in the first round, Holmes brought a diverse skill set to the Steelers with his dual abilities as a receiver and returner.

As a rookie, Holmes paid immediate dividends. Below are his stats compared to Eric Parker's stats in 2006:

Receiving-

Santonio Holmes (5'11" 189lbs)
16 games, 49 rec, 824 yds, 16.8 avg, 7.0 yac, 41 1st, 2 td

Eric Parker (6'0" 190lbs)
15 games, 48 rec, 659 yds, 13.7 avg, 2.9 yac, 35 1st, 0 td

Punt Returns-

Santonio Holmes (5'11" 189lbs)
16 games, 26 pr, 264 yds, 10.2 avg, 65 long, 1 td

Eric Parker (6'0" 190lbs)
15 games, 37 pr, 331 yds, 8.9 avg, 50 long, 0 td

Looking at the above stats, its clear that Holmes is much more dynamic than Parker. Holmes' YAC numbers and average punt return are markedly better than Parker's. And considering that the rookie Santonio Holmes put up better numbers than the veteran Eric Parker gives me hope that our rookie Craig Davis can provide the Chargers what Holmes provided the Steelers.

Craig Davis has a very similar set of skill to that if Santonio Holmes. I expect that Davis will assume punt return duties from day one, and I would hope that his numbers are closer to what Holmes did than Parker.

As for YAC, I feel that Jackson and Davis are going to help the team get further down the field by breaking tackles, catch and runs, and jukes on the initial defender.

Jackson and Davis are different type of players, but both can help the team on offense. While neither may become a true number one like other teams around the league have, they will nonetheless provide Philip Rivers a good mix of talent and abilities, and both will help the offense be more productive in the passing game.

“I like different styles of receivers,” Smith said. “We like to have a mixture if we can to give your coordinator several guys; all talented with different shapes, sizes and expertise. It’s diverse. We’ve got the big guys. We’ve got speed guys. We’ve got receivers who run good routes and catch the football. I think we’ve got good football players at the wide receiver position.”

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This is how championship teams are built; You maximize every possible draft pick available to you, taking players that (depending on who you ask) could have gone much higher than where you took them.

AJ Smith and his front office team are extremely good at maximizing the value of their draft picks. In 2006 and 2007, they selected seven players who at some point in their college career or post-college career carried a first-round grade.


2006 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick 19: Antonio Cromartie, CB
Round 2, Pick 50: Marcus McNeil, OT
Round 3, Pick 81: Charlie Whitehurst, QB

2007 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick 30: Craig Davis, WR
Round 2, Pick 37: Eric Weddle, SS
Round 3, Pick 96: Anthony Waters, LB

2007 Supplemental Draft

Round 4: Paul Oliver, CB


Obviously Antonio Cromartie and Craig Davis carried first round draft grades if the Chargers saw fit to take them with their first picks. Had Cromartie stayed in school for another season and played at a high level, he would likely have been a top 10 pick in the 2007 draft.

Marcus McNeill was one of the best offensive linemen in all college football for four years. Teams were worried about a back condition which is why he fell to the second round. McNeil has since gone on to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie in the NFL.

Charlie Whitehurst was one of the top Quarterbacks in ACC history. He had an up and down senior season, but there was some instability on the team and in the coaching ranks at Clemson so he is not fully to blame. Whitehurst at one point in his college career was projected to be a first round pick.

Paul Oliver was the top rated defensive back in the nation after completing his senior year in high school. A top cornerback in college, Oliver was academically ineligible to return to Georgia. Had be played another season at the level he is capable of, he would likely have been a first round pick in 2008.

There wasn't a true consensus as to whether or not Eric Weddle was projected as a bona fide first rounder, and that is solely due to his slightly less-than-elite athleticism. However, scouts league-wide were unanimous that the team who lands Weddle in the second round would be getting a steal. The Chargers did just that, and took him at pick 37. That is only 5 picks away from the first round, and there were a number of draft scouts that felt Weddle had a first round grade. His love for the game and ability to make plays across a variety of positions helped elevate his stock and if the Chargers had two picks in the first round of the 07 draft, they would have just as easily taken Weddle in the first.

Like Antonio Cromartie, Anthony Waters declared for the NFL draft following a college season in which he did not play due to injury. Waters was one of the best linebackers in the college ranks when healthy. Ask anybody who watched him play and they will tell you he is certainly a first-round talent, especially if you are a team that needs a starting inside linebacker. Fortunately for the Chargers, they just needed depth and landing Waters in the third round to play a backup role is the epitome of a steal.

The Chargers and AJ Smith are becoming what Ozzie Newsome built the Baltimore Ravens into; A Super Bowl team filled with extremely talented players acquired almost exclusively through the draft.

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Its become somewhat of a recent trend in the NFL where teams are featuring two-back rushing attacks and a more opened up pass attack. Teams are throwing it around a lot, and this means the wide receiver position has become something to focus on when it comes to compiling your fantasy football draft board.

Michael Fabiano from NFL.com knows the Chargers will have one of the most potent offenses in the league, but he isn't too enamored with the Bolts' wide receivers fantasy potential:

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Keenan McCardell's release has opened the door for Vincent Jackson, who is now the team's top wide receiver and a terrific sleeper candidate for fantasy football owners. Eric Parker is the current No. 2, but he'll receive competition from rookie Craig Davis. Neither is worth more than a late-round flier in larger formats. Malcolm Floyd and Kassim Osgood are in the mix for the fourth spot, but neither has draft value. Antonio Gates will be the first tight end taken in almost all formats.

Who will emerge as the team's go-to guy? It's totally up in the air at this point. Vincent Jackson is the default number one right now. While Jackson is clearly the most physically gifted and has tremendous upside, Malcolm Floyd is the more talented and natural pass catcher. The Chargers spent a first round pick on Craig Davis, so there is certainly nice mix of youth and talent in the group.

The Chargers passing offense and the 49ers passing offense that Norv Turner ran last year is very similar. There is a nice distribution of catches among a number of players. The running back catches lots of balls in both offenses, and neither team featured a 1000 yard receiver. The main difference is that the Chargers were more efficient and generally had better production among a similar number of opportunities.

Bottom line? Don't expect any wide receiver on the Chargers to be a 1000 yard guy. Its just not a very likely scenario with Antonio Gates, LaDainian Tomlinson, and a nice mix of similarly talented young wide outs all on the roster.

If you look back to the 2005 season, the team featured an 1100+ yard Tight End (Gates), as well as a 900+ yard receiver (Keenan McCardell). So why would I claim that in 2007, its pretty unlikely a receiver reaches the magically 1000 mark?

In 2005, Drew Brees had an amazing 500 attempts passing...and the team went 9-7. The team had to play from behind at times, and did not do a great job of controlling the game. Also, in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons, 2005 was the lowest rating for the Chargers starting QB. So for a receiver to get to 1000 yards, Philip Rivers will need to throw the ball in excess of 500 times this season.

Is it possible that Rivers is unleashed to that extent? Sure. Manning, Brady, Brees...those guys throw it more than 500 times a season. But neither of those QBs have, or are, the best player in the game. And neither of those QBs has the best tight end in the game. With the way the Chargers are built, its the LT and Gates show and the wide receivers just need to help take the pressure off of those guys.

I'll get some better insight when seeing the guys practice, but at this point I can confidently predict that because of the excellent dispersion of talent on offense, I can't foresee a wide receiver on the roster gaining 1000 yards receiving in 2007.


san diego chargers

Look, I am satisfied with the San Diego Chargers' draft class right now, because I think we addressed all our major needs and did so with some talented players who have great character. I like the speed we have in Craig Davis, I like Eric Weddle's versatility and instincts, I like Anthony Waters' size and aggression, I think our tight ends Chandler and Naanee bring some things to the table, and I think Brandon Siler could be a steal from the seventh round. Like I said, I'm happy with what we were able to do in the draft.

But I look at some teams and the class they drafted and I have to drool a little bit when I imagine what their players would look like in Bolts. And one in particular has me a bit jealous. Even though I never thought in my life I would ever be jealous of the San Fransico 49ers, they were able to put together an extremely impressive draft.

San Francisco Rd Sel# Player Pos. Ht. Wt. School 1 11 Willis, Patrick ILB 6-1 240 Mississippi 1 28 Staley, Joe OT 6-5 302 Central Michigan 3 76 Hill, Jason WR 6-0 210 Washington State 3 97 McDonald, Ray DT 6-3 281 Florida 4 104 Moore, Jay DE 6-5 276 Nebraska 4 126 Goldson, Dashon FS 6-2 202 Washington 4 135 Cohen, Joe DT 6-2 313 Florida 5 147 Brown, Tarell CB 5-11 192 Texas 6 186 Clayton, Thomas RB 5-10 218 Kansas State

You could take the 49ers draft class, and swap them with the Chargers draft class, and there wouldn't be any argument from Charger fans. I mean, look at what the niners did...the positions they addressed, and it would seem that they stole AJ Smith's draft notebook.

In the first round, the Niners took the top Linebacker in the draft in Patrick Willis, and they traded up to get a top Offensive Tackle in Joe Staley. Willis would have looked fantastic in Bolts, and Staley could have been groomed to take over right tackle from Shane Olivea if (when?) Olivea moves inside to guard.

Jason Hill is a deep-threat wide receiver, exactly what the Chargers were looking for in the draft. Ray McDonald would have been great depth at defensive end, playing behind Luis Castillo.

Speaking of defensive end, Jay Moore would have been some more great defensive end depth behind Igor Olshansky. Goldson is a free safety, and while it would have been much later in the draft than fans would have preferred, getting a safety who would eventually start was a prioirty for the Chargers, and the 49ers drafted one who will be given that opportunity.

Joe Cohen is a defensive tackle who could have been groomed to play nose guard behind all-pro Jamal Williams. Tarell Brown brings nice size for the cornerback position and was a bit overshadowed in his career playing at Texas. Thomas Clayton had a nice senior bowl and is a power runner who could have been a nice eventual replacement for Michael Turner.

Looking at the 49ers, they run a very similar system to the Chargers with their attacking 34 defense and their offensive system implemented by Norv Turner. They need similar players to what the Chargers have, and so it is no surprise that they were scouting many of the same players the Chargers were. While they drafted much higher in each round than San Diego did, it is still fun to imagine what players around the league would fit in San Diego perfectly.


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I've been thinking about what this season has in store for the offense, and there are a couple of things I think are going to happen, or at least have a good chance to happen.

The first is that Philip Rivers is going to pass for 4000 yards. His handcuffs will be removed, and he is going to have the most talented group of receivers in San Diego since I can remember. Norv Turner is going to experiment all offseason with ways to use his weapons, and we will see new things in terms of players running different types of routes.


Gates will be moved around more; not just in motion, but in where he lines up on the line of scrimmage. He'll act as a slot receiver at times, he'll work the sideline and get deep, and he'll of course chip block and release.

Vincent Jackson could be more of a deep threat, but he could just as easily line up like a tight end. Malcolm Floyd has shown he can get down the field, and certainly new rookie Craig Buster Davis has deep-threat speed. Davis can also release from the slot, and he'll be given the opportunity to take a reverse like Keenan McCardell did in his time here.

Of course Tomlinson will also get out into the flats more often because Norv Turner is going to find ways to get both of his top running backs on the field at the same time in LT and Michael Turner. Since Tomlinson is so dangerous when catching the ball out of the backfield, its likely that in cases where Turner and Tomlinson are on the field, it will be Tomlinson playing the role of a receiver and Turner as the pure running back.

The Chargers will also be using their tight ends not named Gates. Legedu Naanee and Scott Chandler are natural receivers who have, because of their body frame and size, have converted to tight ends / H-Backs. These guys are big, athletic, and excel at running routes and catching the ball. Where they will need to improve most as NFL players is their blocking abilities. I certainly expect to see Naanee and Chandler catching plenty of balls in preseason games. Whether or not that happens during the regular season, we will wait and see.

One thing is for certain, and that is that Norv Turner has arguably the most explosive offense he has ever had the opportunity to coach, and because of the talent level at so many positions on the offense, he'll have the unique opportunity for experimentation. No other offense in the NFL has the variety of elite weapons like the San Diego Chargers.


san diego chargers

The San Diego Chargers public training camp dates have been released, and needless to say, the team of BoltHype Bloggers will be there to provide as much coverage of practices as possible.

The 2007 Training Camp will be held at Charger Park in San Diego. Chargers Park is located at 4020 Murphy Canyon Road, just west of I-15 between Aero Drive and Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

There are always good reasons to go to a Chargers practice (if nothing else, you get to see the best team in the NFL against the best team in the NFL...get it?) and this year is no different. There will be battles on both sides of the ball, as cornerbacks like Antonio Cromartie and Drayton Florence battle to secure a starting job. And among the safeties, rookie Eric Weddle and veterans Clinton Hart and Bhawoh Jue will be competing to prove they deserve a spot alongside Marlon McCree. And if McCree is still out with injury, then someone will need to prove they can be an adequate replacement.

At Wide Receiver, first round pick Craig Buster Davis will want to show the fans why the Chargers felt he was the best player on the board at pick number 30. He will try to play his way into the base offense.

Darren Sproles will want to prove he is the primary kick returner, but Turner and Cromartie will offer fierce competition as all three of those players have a different set of game-breaking abilities.

And of course the superstars will be there like LT, Gates, Rivers, Merriman, and Lorenzo Neal.

So come out to practice if you can, and in case you are unable to make the trip out to San Diego, make your way onto BoltHype.com and check out the camp reports!

When: July 28 - August 22, 2007
Where: Chargers Park
Come and cheer on your Chargers as they prepare for the 2007 NFL Season. Due of the lack of available parking, select practices are open to the public and FREE of charge.

* Saturday, July 28, 20072007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Sunday, July 29, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Monday, July 30, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Tuesday, July 31, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Wednesday, August 1, 2007 7:00-9:20 PM Night Practice
* Thursday, August 2, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Friday, August 3, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Saturday, August 4, 2007 10:00-1:00 PM Qualcomm Stadium (Fan Fest)
* Tuesday, August 7, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Wednesday, August 8, 2007 7:00-9:20 Night
* Friday, August 10, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Tuesday, August 14, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Thursday, August 16, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Tuesday, August 21, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM
* Wednesday, August 22, 2007 3:30-6:00 PM


The 2007 Training Camp will be held at Charger Park in San Diego. Chargers Park is located at 4020 Murphy Canyon Road, just west of I-15 between Aero Drive and Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

san diego chargers

Dwayne Bowe ended the Chiefs' three day minicamp with ice on his leg. Coach Herm, whats up with Bowe's leg?

"He actually got what you call – or what I tell my daughters is - a boo-boo. He has a little boo boo. He’ll be fine."

So does the leg explain the hands? I mean, he's been dropping some balls in practice.

"He’s a guy that is very excitable. He wants to make things happen and he was probably pressing. I could see that. But you could see that he could do very, very well and that’s why we drafted him. There are some things you know that when you watch him you go, ‘wow.’ He’s got a chance to be a very good football player."

Dropping passes was a knock on Bowe coming out of college, so this is not a good sign if you are a Chiefs fan. I know its still early but he isn't even in full pads running around the field, with defensive backs ready to explode on him like a heat-seeking missile. That's okay, because as Coach Herm put it, he's got a 'chance' to be a good player.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, things are going swimmingly for Bowe's former LSU teammate, Craig 'Buster' Davis. While Davis too battled an injury in practice, for the most part Coach Turner seemed very impressed.

"Craig Davis, in the three practices he was in, was outstanding. He's got great hands...strong hands. He's got great speed and he's a strong route runner."

Hmmm...Davis has great hands, you say? And he's faster than Dwayne Bowe? Tell me, why exactly was Bowe drafted ahead of him? Oh yea, it's because Bowe looks better in shorts.

Read - Q&A With Herm Edwards

Let me present an argument for why Craig Davis was not a reach, and just about all statements will be backed up by facts. So lets get right in to it!

There were 9 wide receivers taken in the first two rounds. 6 of those receivers came off the board in the first round alone. At pick 30, Craig Davis was the highest rated receiver left on the Chargers' board, so they pulled the trigger. Two picks later, the Super Bowl Champs Indianapolis Colts took Anthony Gonzalez to wrap up the first round.

Both the Colts and Chargers are renown around the league for being excellent drafters; their rosters are stacked with Pro Bowl caliber players, a majority of which were drafted onto their respective teams, not brought in as free agents.

So why is it that 'experts' feel it necessary to harp on the Chargers' pick of Craig Davis 30th overall? Some claim that the Chargers reached, and I'm here to set the record straight.

Lets look at some things which support AJ Smith's decision was the right one for the team, both in value and need:

First, we can see that it wasn't just the Chargers that passed on Dwayne Jarrett and Sidney Rice (I would have loved Rice, but that has already been talked about).

The Colts passed on those players and took Anthony Gonzalez instead. It would be safe to assume that the Colts would have taken Craig Davis over Gonzalez if he was available, and here is why I can confidently make the claim that Craig 'Buster' Davis is a better player than Anthony Gonzalez:

Level of Competition

There was only one defensive back taken in the first three rounds out of the Big 10 conference. That player was local product Leon Hall - Cornerback, Michigan (by way of Vista, CA). An elite player certainly, he was the long representative of Big 10 secondary on day one of the draft.

On the other hand, SEC defensive backs were well represented in the first three rounds.

Two Safeties went in round 1; LSU's LaRon Landry and Florida's Reggie Nelson. In round 2, Chris Houston - Cornerback, Arkansas came off the board. And in round 3, Corner Johnathan Wade of Tennessee was taken.

Reflecting on the first three rounds of the draft, you can make a strong argument that Craig Davis faced far better competition in the Southeastern Conference than Anthony Gonzalez did in the Big 10 Conference.

Production

Looking at both player's final two seasons, Davis was more productive in less games. While Gonzalez had a big touchdown year last season, Davis was more consistent and improved every season.

Craig Davis-

91 Catches, 1395 Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 23 Games

Anthony Gonzalez-

79 Catches, 1107 Yards, 11 Touchdowns, 25 Games

Keep in mind that it has already been established that Davis faced tougher secondaries, and both Gonzalez and Davis were on teams with higher-profile receivers. Both Davis and Gonzalez had a teammate taken above them in the first (Tedd Ginn & Dwayne Bowe).


Measurables

Craig Davis (LSU Pro Day)-

6'1", 207 lbs, 4.44, 36.5 inch vertical, 10-1 broad jump

Anthony Gonzalez (NFL Combine)-

6'0", 193 lbs, 4.44, 38 inch vertical, 10-3 broad jump


While Gonzalez is a slightly better leaper, Davis is bigger and stronger and just as athletic. And as an added bonus, he will be an immediate contributor on Special Teams as Punt Returner.


There is a number of factors involved in the drafting of NFL prospects, and things like character, versatility, pro-readiness, and upside are all extremely important when ranking players. In all categories mentioned, including team need, Craig 'Buster' Davis was the perfect pick for the Chargers. So now that that's been settled lets move on people!

+cough+ Todd McShay +cough+

The following piece was written by Ivan Abrahim, also known as RipTheJacker

ESPN

"When it's all said and done; Davis grades out as a second-tier wide receiver in the 2007 class with enough speed to warrant consideration in Round 2."

CNNSI

"A natural receiver with top physical skills, Davis has shown a lot of improvement the past three seasons. Offers potential as a number two wideout at the next level if he gets stronger and is able to stay healthy.

PROJECTION: Middle Second Round"

Todd McShay, Scouts Inc.

"Davis had no business going in the 1st round over guys like Steve Smith, Dwayne Jarrett and Anthony Gonzalez, and had a better chance of going in the 3rd round than the 1st round"

If you go by the media's perception of the draft, then yes, Chargers GM AJ Smith 'reached' for Craig Davis. But going by AJ's past track record, who are you going to trust? AJ Smith, or Mel Kiper and the other draftniks?

Every year the so-called 'experts' release their opinions on players and seem to think that NFL GMs should be drafting according to their rankings. If that was the case, then last year guys like Ko Simpson would of gone in the first round instead of the fourth (the round where he was actually taken).

Since most NFL fans don't follow college football as religiously as they do the pros (not making this up, just look at the viewing numbers), they read the scouting reports and go by what Mel Kiper and Scouts Inc. think. An fan's opinion on a player will largely come from whatever Mel Kiper's and friends opinions are.

Interestingly enough, you never hear 'the heads' admit they made a mistake when a player drops way further than he was projected. Instead of admitting they overvalued a player that every GM in the NFL passed on at least three times, you hear about what a great pick it was and how that particular team got a real steal. Why does every player have to fall into the category of 'steal' or 'reach'?

So it isn't surprise to hear people complain "Why did we take player A in the first round? We could of taken taken him in the second and filled another need in round one!"

But AJ Smith said it best:

“Time will tell. But I absolutely love it when the talking heads make a prediction. It's a media frenzy. Who's giving these opinions on where players rank?”

If AJ Smith and Buddy Nix think that Craig "Buster" Davis was worthy of being the 30th overall selection in the draft, and that Davis is better pick than Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith and Sidney Rice, then im going to take Smith's word for it no matter what the talking heads say.