Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Picking up draftable players as rookie free agents following the NFL Draft is like having extra draft picks. The San Diego Chargers took full advantage of this following the draft and added maybe their best crop of undrafted free agents in years.
One player who has a great shot to not only to make the roster but make an impact on the field this season is undrafted rookie defensive tackle Kwame Geathers. Geathers has great bloodlines, with his father and uncle playing successfully in the NFL in the 1980s and two brothers currently playing in the NFL. Geathers started 14 games for the Georgia Bulldogs last season, recording 40 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 1 sack. Most experts believed Geathers would be drafted in the mid-to late rounds, so the Chargers could have gotten a steal.
At 6-foot-5, 342 pounds, Geathers could develop into a shape-eating nose tackle for the Bolts. He has a monstrous frame, long arms, and carries his weight well. He has good quickness off the snap and has the strength to take on opposing offensive linemen.
In training camp, Geathers will definitely need to work closely with the coaching staff to improve his technique. He needs to improve in his hand usage and work on keeping his pad level low so that he doesn’t get pushed around. Geathers may be raw, but has the tools to be successful in this league and could make an impact as early as his rookie season.
The Chargers like using a rotation along the defensive line to keep their guys fresh, meaning there will be plenty of playing time to go around. Following the departures of veteran nose tackles Aubrayo Franklin and Antonio Garay, the only veteran nose tackle on the team is Cam Thomas. Geathers’ main competition to make the team is fellow undrafted rookie Byron Jerideau, but the team could even keep both.
Geathers has an excellent opportunity to showcase his talents in training camp and preseason. If he works on improving his technique, he should be able to reach his potential and become a great nose tackle for the Bolts.
Kevin Chan is a San Diego Chargers writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
