The Los Angeles Chargers are a team on the cusp of making some real noise in the AFC. They have a star quarterback in Justin Herbert, who is protected behind a solid offensive line and surrounded by excellent weapons. While Los Angeles can keep up with the best of them in the scoring department, slowing down opposing offenses did prove to be a challenge.
When taking a look at the Chargers defense, it is hard to imagine why they experienced the struggles that they did. There are star pass rushers in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. J.C. Jackson was a huge signing in free agency last year to pair with Asante Samuel Jr. In Jackson’s absence because of injury, Bryce Callahan and Michael Davis stepped up. As the last line of defense, Derwin James is a star at safety.
Despite all of that talent, the Chargers were incapable of stopping the run. They were 28th in rushing yards allowed and dead last allowing 5.4 yards per carry. Shoring up the defensive front would go a long way to helping that, but Los Angeles was very quiet in free agency.
A majority of their time this offseason was spent restructuring contracts. The only player they signed from another team was Eric Kendricks, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. But, the 2023 NFL Draft will present the Chargers a chance to address those needs.
In Todd McShay’s recent mock draft, that is exactly what he predicts will happen. With the No. 21 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, McShay has the Chargers selecting Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey.
Kancey is undersized for the defensive tackle position, but it is hard to knock him too much for that when looking at his production. Over the last two seasons, Kancey racked up 14.5 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss, using his elite explosiveness and burst to his advantage.
His upside as a pass rusher at the next level makes him a very intriguing prospect. Head coach Brandon Staley has experience getting the most out of pass-rushing defensive tackles, as Morgan Fox has had career seasons playing under Staley and he played a part in Aaron Donald turning into arguably the best player in the NFL.
Kancey ran the fastest 40-yard dash time for a defensive tackle at the NFL Combine since 2006 at 4.67 seconds. That kind of athleticism is unheard of and impossible to teach to an interior defensive lineman.
Figuring things out against the run is the Chargers’ No. 1 need, and Kancey may not be a huge help in that regard, at least at the start. But, the pass-rushing talent and power in his game despite being undersized are tough to ignore.
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