Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Chargers Draft Prospects: Duke Ihenacho

Duke Ihenacho is a player who has certainly turned some heads while at San Jose State. He has spent time at both linebacker and safety and brings a good skill set. Could the Chargers be willing to take a pass on players like Harrison Smith and Mark Barron?

Position: SS
Weight: 213 lbs.
Height: 6' 0''

Pros: Duke Ihenacho is a player who has experience at both linebacker and safety, just like Notre Dame prospect Harrison Smith. Ihenacho is very aggressive when coming up against the run and has a long lean frame. He has the ability to time snaps and get a good jump on opponents which makes him a backfield menace.  Duke has high enough speed to handle working in the secondary but the mentality to play linebacker and make the big hit. he is a smart and productive player who was an All-WAC player at both linebacker and safety.

Cons: His aggressive play can cause him to overract and be caught out of position, especially on good play fakes. He doesn't have great agility and may be a liability in man coverage at this point in his career. His top end speed isn't anything too impressive, but he should make a difference.

San Diego really needs a thumper who can come up and provide run support. The AFC West figures to feature a deep running game yet again, so the Chargers need all the help they can get. Could he be the physical force the Chargers have been looking for since the departure of Rodney Harrison?

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