WCG Mock Draft- San Diego (#30)

#30 - San Diego - Dwayne Jarrett, WR, University of Southern California

Team needs:  S, WR, LB
Overall pick/round: 30 (1), 62 (2), 93 (3), 96 (3), 129 (4), 167 (5), 172 (5), 240 (7)

1st Round Outlook
S: The Chargers have a need at Strong Safety, one who is capable of playing both the run and pass opposed to just an in-the-box type guy like they have had in past years.  With the release of the Cough Syrup Bandit (aka Terrence Kiel) the list of Safeties on the Depth Chart include Bhawoh Jue, a Free Agent pickup from Green Bay after the 2004 season and Clinton Hart.  Neither are the type that the Chargers envision in their secondary, though Hart does have a nose for the ball.

WR: The Chargers opted to cut ties with Keenan McCardell, so one of their early choices will likely be spent on a receiver opposite of Vincent Jackson.  Many feel the Chargers need to find a burner who will get stretch the field, but anyone who paid close attention to the tail end of this past season can tell you that isn't the problem. Over the final 5 games of the season (including the playoffs), Vincent Jackson had 6 catches of over 20 yards, 5 of which went for over 30 yards including a couple of passes that went for over 45 yards. Jackson will provide the deep speed for the Chargers offense. What they are really in need of is a reliable set of hands to go opposite him.

Given that most of the high-impact Safeties have been snatched up already, the Chargers opt for Dwayne Jarrett.  Jarrett isn't the one that many soothsayers say the Chargers need, but instead they find someone to move the chains between the 20s, then find paydirt in the Gold Zone (as San Diego calls it) as he did 41 times in his shortened college career.  He will add to the list of behemoth Gold Zone targets for Phillip Rivers as Jarrett will be the Chargers' small receiver at only 6'4" 220.  His size is deceiving as Jarrett creates separation from defenders out of quick and precise breaks out of routes and has the hands to finish the job.  In a way, the Chargers best WRs last year were Jackson and Antonio Gates.  Gates?  Yes, technically a TE but he often lined up outside to create defensive mismatches.  With Jarrett in the fold, you now have a WR that isn't afraid to go over the middle, and knows how to block and shield defenders with his big body like a TE.

Drafter- Electrogasm

On the clock- Chicago Bears (chad)