Chargers Week 3 Rookie Report: Youngsters fail to shine against JAX

Sep 27, 2022 - 8:02 PM

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After two games where several rookies left their mark, Sunday’s contest against Jaguars came and went without any of the team’s first-year players truly leaving an impact on the game.

It’s been a frustrating start to the 2022 season for many of the team’s top picks as neither third-round pick JT Woods or fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller have seen a single snap on their respective sides of the ball. It’s not often the team’s first and final picks of the most-recent draft are the two seeing the most time among a seven-player draft clads.

I think it’s safe to say there wasn’t much to report on this week in regards to the rookies, but here’s where I stand on all seven entering week four.

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OG Zion Johnson

This was a rough game for the entire offensive line. Unfortunately, Johnson had one of the roughest times in pass protection as he finished the game with a PFF pass block grade of 29.6. The crazier part? That was just the third-worst grade among offensive lineman. Two players were actually worse than that.

Yeah, I know. Crazy.

Johnson also allowed five pressures on the day after allowing just three through the first two games of the season.

The whole team was off, but this offensive line has struggled mightily and I don’t think the issue is simply injuries.

Stock direction: Down

S JT Woods

Woods was active but only played on special teams where he logged 12 total snaps.

Stock direction: Same

RB Isaiah Spiller

Spiller was the only rookie from the 2022 class to be inactive against the Jaguars. The fact that the team’s non-existent rushing production hasn’t persuaded the team to give Spiller an opportunity is baffling but may also say a lot about how the coaching staff feels about Spiller this early in his career.

Stock direction: Down

DL Otito Ogbonnia

Ogbonnia registered just one tackle but also helped log a pair of “stops” by PFF which is there idea of a “failure” by the opposing offense. He also recorded a quarterback hurry and played well on severel short-yardage situations.

He’s been as steady as you can ask for from a rookie fifth-round defensive tackle, even if that’s not saying much.

Stock direction: Up

OL Jamaree Salyer

Salyer saw zero snaps on offense once again, but that may not be the case for long.

The Chargers are faced with putting out the best combination of five offensive line in order to give their team the best chance for success in a post-Rashawn Slater world. The expectation is that Storm Norton will slide in at left tackle, but logic constitutes that as insane after his lengthy sample size where he’s shown a lack of capability on the blind side.

If I had any say at all, you’ve got to at least give Salyer a look, no matter how small it ends up being.

Stock direction: Same

CB Ja’Sir Taylor

Another week, another game where Taylor did not see a snap on defense. He played 16 snaps in defense, however, where he was the team’s highest-graded player in that phase of the game at 71.4.

Stock direction: Same

CB Deane Leonard

Leonard played 16 snaps on special teams just like Taylor. He graded out a bit lower at 57.8.

Stock direction: Same

FB Zander Horvath

Horvath played just three snaps on offense as the team went away from run formations after falling behind early on Sunday. In 16 snaps on special teams, he was the next highest-graded player on the team just behind Taylor.

Stock direction: Same