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As the de facto No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, with the two teams that traded up ahead of them all but certain to take quarterbacks, the San Diego Chargers have their pick of the position players in this year’s class at No. 3 overall. While needs must be factored into the equation a little bit when evaluating potential draft picks, reaching for a player just because a team needs help at a certain position is a big no-no. That’s why the Chargers considering Ronnie Stanley at No. 3 would be a huge mistake.
There is even some sense that the Chargers are considering Stanley (as well as Tunsil) with the third overall pick
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 26, 2016
Don’t get me wrong; Stanley has the skills to develop into a starting left tackle in no time, and a decent one at that, but the Bolts can have any of the top position players they want. Why in the world would they settle for a player most teams consider to be the second-best tackle in this class, let alone where he ranks on the overall big board?
While it has been generally assumed that Laremy Tunsil is the draft’s top tackle, I’ve talked to several GMs who have Ronnie Stanley higher
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 26, 2016
While certain GMs grading Stanley higher can carry some weight, a lot of that has to do with Laremy Tunsil having some off-the-field baggage that some teams may not want to deal with. It’s possible the Chargers are one of those teams, but if that’s the case, why reach for a guy you could have by trading down a few spots?
There’s no doubt the Chargers should get some interest in their pick on draft night, given that the Dallas Cowboys are considered threats to take Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 and many other teams love the Ohio State running back. Top picks like this can make or break a franchise. Throwing away the opportunity to maximize value on what amounts to the top pick in the draft of position players is just the wrong call for Chargers GM Tom Telesco to make.
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