Chargers Draft: 5 players to watch at their pro days on Friday, March 24

Mar 24, 2023 - 5:39 PM

We’ve made it through another week of pro days and just like every other day this week, we’ve got some good ones on tap for today, including Boston College and Penn State.

Below are five players that the Chargers should be interested in who will hit the field today.

Boston College

WR Zay Flowers

I’d be wrong not to include a receiver who has been mocked to the Chargers over and over again thus far in the draft process.

Flowers is an electric player with the ball in his hands and while he doesn’t have elite speed, he’s fast and shifty enough where he’s one of the more dangerous receivers in this draft when it comes to gaining yards after the catch.

I believe the Chargers may need to go elsewhere in the first rounr, but no one would complain about Flowers being added to this offense.

Kentucky

RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Rodriguez is built very similar to former Kentucky back Benny Snell in that they’re thick through the upper body with plenty of strength through their lower extremities. But also like Snell, Rodriguez lacks much pizzazz as a runner where he will choose to run through you than around you 10 out of 10 times.

He’ll likely never see starting snaps at the next level, but there’s a place for him as team’s battering ram in those clutch situations where one is needed.

Rodriguez did not run or jump at the combine so he has great shot to improve his draft stock with some good numbers today.

Notre Dame

OL Jarrett Patterson

Patterson is a versatile lineman with the ability to play all three interior positions. He’s not super athletic which will hurt his stock when it comes to which schemes he fits in best. He’s likely a day three pick this year but I like him for the Chargers because of the whole “ Went to Notre Dame and also played in the Senior Bowl” combination.

While he’s got great size at 6’5 and 306 pounds, he has very short arms (31 5/8”) which immediately knocks him down quite a few pegs in regards to certain thresholds that franchises hold for their offensive lineman.

Honestly, improving on any of his numbers would be great for his draft stock, but as of now he’s likely a mid-day three selection.

Old Dominion

TE Zack Kuntz

Koontz was a rather unknown name at the NFL Combine this year but he made sure everyone knew his name after he put together one of, if not, the best athletic testing performance by a tight end this year.

At 6’7 and 255 pounds, he leapt an incredible 40” in the vertical and was absolutely moving with a 4.55 in the 40. Add in a 6.87 in the three-cone drill and you have yourself one hell of an athlete at his size. For context, that 6.87 would be elite for a pass rusher, nonetheless a tight end.

He certainly raised his draft stock in Indianapolis and likely solidified himself as a solid day three pick where he will land with a team who can develop his untapped potential into a great player down the road.

Penn State

S Ji’Ayir Brown

Brown is a fiesty defender who may be short in stature but he makes it up as a fearless missile running around the field to disrupt opposing offenses. His 4.65 in the forty is pretty bad for someone of his size but his lightning-rod style of play really carries any physical shortcoming he may have.

With his ability to cover the slot, in the box, and as a deep single-high safety, Brown is going to be an awesome chess piece for an NFL team who loves their defensive backs fearless and willing to mix it up in the run game.

Today, I’m looking to see how much time he can shave off his 40 time, but regardless, I like Brown’s tape enough that his final 40 time won’t hold much value with me. He’s a baller.