San Diego Chargers Roster Breakdown: Running Backs

Is Ryan Mathews on the verge of a
breakout season?

Charger Madness will be featuring position breakdowns for the entire team over the next several posts. Today we will be breaking down the running backs.

Losses: Mike Tolbert

Additions: Le'Ron McClain, Edwin Baker, Michael Hayes, Mohamed Marah

Returning: Ryan Mathews, Jacob Hester, Curtis Brinkley

Projected Starters: Ryan Mathews (HB), Le'Ron McClain (FB)

By and large, the Chargers will have a good ground game this year. Perhaps one of the most underrated acquisitions for the Chargers in free agency was Le'Ron McClain. Here is a player by player breakdown of the Chargers running backs as they now stand.

Ryan Mathews: Mathews is a player who seems to be right on the edge of doing some great things. He does have injury issues, but he has potential to be great. With the departure of Mike Tolbert, Mathews is going to have more of a lone wolf role this year. I expect McClain, Hester, and company to all get some carries, but the team will be asking for more from Mathews. He enters the season as the firm starter for the Chargers. A 1200 yard season sounds reasonable. Throw in around 40-50 catches again, and he should be a serious threat for the Chargers.

Le'Ron McClain: McClain is set to be the starting fullback for the Chargers and will be blasting holes for Mathews to run through. McClain can hold his own carrying the ball and will most likely see more carries the closer the team gets to the goal line.

Jacob Hester: Hester is a true team player that came back at a reduced price and role to stay a Charger. He will still see some carries but will be most valuable on special teams. He will be the backup to McClain at fullback and can contribute on the ground in a pinch.

Curtis Brinkley: At the moment, Brinkley is the backup to Mathews. He did well last year during limited carries, but he is clearly the backup. I look for him to have a chance to once again step in for a game or two due to Mathews propensity to get injured. All in all, he is a decent backup for the team.

Edwin Baker: Baker was the final pick for the Chargers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He excelled in pass blocking and is a tough and hard runner. While he doesn't have the best top end speed, he can contribute in  a number of ways. He may be a special teamer this year, but he has a chance to knck Brinkley down the depth charts.

Mohamed Marah: Marah is most likey a camp body at this point. The team is already set at fullback, so there seems to be little need to keep him around. The thing about Marah that may keep him around is his defensive experience, which could translate well into a solid special teams performer. He played fullback his first two years of college before switching to defensive end. He is a versatile player. Players like him are always a question mark. It really just depends on his potential and how the Chargers use it.

Michael Hayes: This is another intriguing prospect brought in for the Chargers. Hayes had great success while at Houston, but some wonder how much of that was from the passing game being so dangerous. I tend to think that he is a good player, at least collegiately, but he is not a hot commodity in camp. He will have to fight his way onto the roster, but he may end up as a practice squad player.

Grading the San Diego Chargers Draft

With the draft officially wrapped up, it is time to take a look at just how well the Chargers did. This will include both an overall ranking and a ranking for each pick.

Round 1, Pick 18: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina (B+)

I am really not sure about this pick. If he is as talented as everyone says he is, then great for the Chargers. My biggest concern is how he handles the transition to OLB. I know that he has played it some in the past, but he is used to playing with his hand in the dirt. I hope that his cover skills are decent, because I really don't want to see a first round pick used on a situational pass rusher. That being said, I do believe that he can contribute to the pass rush. I would like to see him get in and make a difference. We will just have to wait and see how he does. The only thing that is certain is that there is going to be some serious pressure on him to contribute from day one, especially considering the way he fell on draft day.

Round 2, Pick 49: Kendall Reyes, DE/DT, Connecticut (A)

Reyes flew under the radar a bit, but he has serious potential. Any time a team can grab a versatile lineman like Reyes, it is a good thing. He has the size to move in and play DT in a pinch or in nickel schemes, but projects as a defensive end. With Cesaire and Castillo both aging or coming off injury, Reyes should be a factor for the Chargers as a rotational player who eventually starts opposite Corey Liuget. He didn't record a high number of sacks in college, but that isn't that important in a 3-4 scheme. He has the ability to handle double teams but also possesses the agility to split the double teams.

Round 3, Pick 73: Brandon Taylor, SS, LSU (B)

This was an area that the Chargers needed to address and they did. Taylor needs to develop his coverage skills, but he does bring a physical presence to the defense and the position. He was the quarterback of LSU's defense. This wasn't a very deep class at safety, so we will see how this pick pans out. There isn't a huge amount of pressure for him to be effective from day one, especially with Atari Bigby already on the team. It will be interesting to see what the team plans to do with Stuckey now that they have Taylor and Bigby.

Rounds 5-7 Reactions for the San Diego Chargers

With the draft finally wrapping up, here is a look at the Chargers draft picks from rounds 5-7.

5th Round, Pick 149: Johnnie Troutman, G, Penn State

Troutman is a big guard from Penn State who plays strong. I will say that he was ranked lower than several available guards according to several evaluators. Still, he seems to fit the mold of what the Chargers want in a lineman. I don't see him being a serious challenger for the LG spot, but he should provide some extra pressure.

7th Round, Pick 226: David Molk, C, Michigan

Molk is another classic Big Ten lineman who should add quality depth to the Chargers offensive line. Brady Hoke changed the culture at Michigan, bringing a tough and physical nature back to the program. Molk is an intelligent lineman who has great footwork. He doesn't have the best physical abilities, but you don't win the Rimington Award for no reason. The Chargers may have struck gold in the 7th round.

7th Round, Pick 250: Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan State

Just when the draft was set to end, the San Diego Chargers addressed one of their biggest remaining needs. Edwin Baker has been a productive back for the Michigan State Spartans. Baker isn't a flashy runner, but he is a good threat coming out of the backfield and is already a good pass blocker. Baker should find his way onto the field on third down and maybe on special teams.

All in all, the third day of the 2012 NFL Draft seems like a successful day for the Chargers. They added key depth on the offensive line and the backfield.

Chargers Fans, Say Hello to Ladarius Green

With the 110th pick of the NFL, the San Diego Chargers have selected La. Lafayette tight end Ladarius Green. Green has a big 82 inch wingspan and rarely drops passes. At a lanky 6' 6'', 236 pounds, Green can become a hybrid type tight end who can line up both on the line and outside. He clocked in at a 4.53 in  the 40 yard dash, so he has speed to matter, even more than some of the wide receivers. Green should make Rivers happy with his ability to go up and get the jump ball. With time to learn from Antonio Gates, Green could develop into a dangerous weapon for the Chargers. Green is a quality addition to the Chargers who can learn from one of the best, contribute immediately, and eventually become a starter.

Day 3 Starts Now

The 3rd day of the 2012 NFL Draft is underway. This day can make a team's season spectacular. This is the time to find gems late, think Tom Brady in the 6th round. San Diego still needs some pieces and could really use some quality depth. Injuries have decimated this team the last 2 seasons. This is where a team really develops the back half of their roster and finds project players. I look for the Chargers to add a running back, maybe a Robert Turbin type back. Adding some more depth a cornerback and on the offensive line. The Chargers, barring trades, have a pick in both the 4th and 5th rounds and two picks in the 7th. They traded their 6th round pick to the Miami Dolphins to move up from 78th to 73rd in the 3rd round. Stay tuned for reviews of each new Charger.

San Diego Adds LSU Safety Brandon Taylor

The San Diego Chargers have traded up to the 73rd pick to take LSU safety Brandon Taylor. Taylor had 71 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and 2 interceptions for the Tigers last year. Taylor will bring a physical nature to the position and is an intelligent player. Bigby was brought in to be a short term solution. Taylor slipped down some boards and should be a good investment for the Chargers.  The Chargers swapped third round picks with the Dolphins to move up from 78th and also packaged a 6th rounder (183rd).

San Diego Chargers Select Kendall Reyes 49th Overall

The San Diego Chargers have selected Connecticut DT/DE Kendall Reyes. Reyes was a team captain for the Huskies. The Chargers will play him at DE. Expect him to rotate in with last years first round pick Corey Liuget and to eventually take the place of either Jacques Cesaire or Luis Castillo. People have wondered about his consistency at times, but he should be a good addition to the team. With Cesaire, Castillo, Garay, Martin, Liuget, and Thomas, the Chargers may just have a great defensive line. Reyes didn't put up a ton of sacks, but that isn't a huge deal for a 3-4 end. He has enough flash to split the double team and has great strength to bull rush his opponent. All in all, a very solid pick.

With the 18th Pick, the San Diego Chargers Select Melvin Ingram

Say hello to the newest member of the San Diego Chargers. With the 18th pick, the Chargers selected South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram. Ingram was a player who was supposed to go much higher according to some mocks who was there at 18. My biggest concern about Ingram is how do we play him? Can he be an every down linebacker or will he end up a situational pass rusher. I am just not sure how to rate this pick. For the time being, I am just going to have to trust A.J. yet again. I have no problem eating my words. With Shea McClellin going to the Bears just one pick later, coupled with the immediate need for improvement in the pass rush, the pressure will be on Ingram to produce from day one. Welcome to the NFL.

San Diego Chargers Draft Picks

With the draft just a handful of days away, here is a look at all of the picks that the Chargers have.

Round 1: 18th
Round 2: 49th
Round 3: 78th
Round 4: 110th
Round 5: 149th
Round 6: 183rd
Round 7: 226th
Round 7: 250th

With these picks, San Diego is in a prime position to trade down in the first round, either to a team looking to get back into the first round or someone looking to move up a few spots to lock up a player like Alabama safety Mark Barron or Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd.