https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason

Chargers' 2022 Draft Class Report Card: How Each Rookie Performed in
Year One

How did the Chargers' rookie class fare during the 2022 season?

Nicholas Cothrel
3 hours ago

The Chargers' 2022 season has come to a close with the team finishing
the regular season with a 10-7 record, reaching the playoffs for the
first time in four years. However, the Chargers were unable to close out
a 27-point lead over the Jaguars, ultimately dropping the game 31-30
after once holding a commanding lead.

With the season in the books, here's a look at the Chargers' draft class
report card based on how each rookie performed in year one:

Round 1, Pick 17: RG Zion Johnson

Grade: B+

Johnson, the team's first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, made all 17 starts
at right guard, playing 1,184 offensive snaps. Johnson experienced his
ups and downs as most rookies do, but his potential is abundantly clear.
Johnson thrived in run blocking, posting a PFF grade of 69.5. As a pass
blocker, he did't fare as well, logging a 52.6 PFF grade. By the
season's end, he allowed five sacks, seven quarterback hits and 40
pressures to cap off his rookie year. The Chargers have expressed their
satisfaction for Johnson's ability in what they ultimately believe he
can develop into in the near future.

Round 3, Pick 79: S JT Woods

Grade: D

Woods was a project when the Chargers selected him with their first pick
on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, and he still remains a development. Woods has
blazing speed, whose calling card is operating in the deep part of the
field. However, his tackling ability has caused him troubles, limiting
the time he saw on the field as a rookie. Woods played just 31 defensive
snaps, primarily serving as a special teams contributor this past
season. Adding strength to his frame and working on tackling
fundamentals will be key factors in Woods taking the next step in his
development.

Round 4, Pick 123: RB Isaiah Spiller

Grade: C-

Spiller's evaluation of his rookie season isn’t an easy one. When given
an opportunity, he showed encouraging signs as a rusher. It also
appeared he took positive strides as a pass blocker, something he
struggled doing at Texas A&M. However, he had a difficult time seeing
snaps on a regular occasion, being buried on the depth chart and often
was a healthy scratch on game days. Spiller appeared in six games,
handling 16 carries for 41 yards and three receptions for 13 receiving
yards.

Round 5, Pick 160: DL Otito Ogbonnia

Grade: B

Ogbonnia's rookie season was cut short following a patella tendon
rupture in Week 10. Prior to his devastating blow, Ogbonnia's snap count
on a per game basis had started to increase and he began really coming
on strong. He finished the year playing seven games, logging 14 tackles
and one quarterback hit, but Ogbonnia showed why the coaching staff was
so optimistic about him, particularly in what he offers as a run-stuffer.

Round 6, Pick 195: OL Jamaree Salyer

Grade: B+

Salyer, given his draft slot and how much he contributed as a rookie,
was tremendous this season. Initially drafted as a guard, Salyer
switched to tackle, the position he played in college, following Rashawn
Slater's torn biceps injury. Salyer took over the starting role at left
tackle in Week 4 and didn’t look back, exceeding any prior notions that
led to him being a Day 3 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. In totality,
he logged 989 offensive snaps, allowing five sacks, 10 quarterback hits
and 46 pressures. Salyer didn’t commit his first sack until the seventh
start he made, keeping Herbert upright in the pocket for the first month
and a half. General manager Tom Telesco said at his end-of-season press
conference that Salyer has earned the opportunity to start in the NFL,
but was noncommittal regarding the position he would line up at in 2023.

Round 6, Pick 214: CB Ja'Sir Taylor

Grade: C-

Taylor began the year exclusively as a special teams player, but as the
season went on, he carved out a role for himself. His first defensive
snap didn't come until Week 11, but he finished the year with 188 on the
season. Down the back-half of the schedule, Taylor made three starts and
split time with Asante Samuel Jr. when the Chargers wanted stronger
support against the run on the field. Taylor is a fundamentally sound
tackler, but did have his breakdowns at times when dropping back in
coverage. Taylor also offers position versatility, having the ability to
play along the boundary and inside at nickel cornerback.

Round 7, Pick 236: CB Deane Leonard

Grade: N/A

Leonard's rookie campaign is a difficult one to grade since he played
just four defensive snaps. His main contributions came on special teams
in which he totaled five tackles and one forced fumble.

Round 7, Pick 260: FB Zander Horvath

Grade: C

Horvath, the Chargers' final pick, initially looked to have a role in
the receiving game early on, before his production declined. Horvath
caught a touchdown pass in each of his first two NFL games of his rookie
campaign, but caught just two additional passes from Week 3 to the end
of the season. Horvath is a versatile player, offering steady support as
a blocker and core special teams player in addition to his pass-catching
ability.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:24:17 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason
>
>
> Chargers' 2022 Draft Class Report Card: How Each Rookie Performed in
> Year One
>
> How did the Chargers' rookie class fare during the 2022 season?
>
> Nicholas Cothrel
> 3 hours ago
>
>
> Round 6, Pick 195: OL Jamaree Salyer
>
> Grade: B+
>
> Salyer, given his draft slot and how much he contributed as a rookie,
> was tremendous this season. Initially drafted as a guard, Salyer
> switched to tackle, the position he played in college, following Rashawn
> Slater's torn biceps injury. Salyer took over the starting role at left
> tackle in Week 4 and didn’t look back, exceeding any prior notions that
> led to him being a Day 3 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. In totality,
> he logged 989 offensive snaps, allowing five sacks, 10 quarterback hits
> and 46 pressures. Salyer didn’t commit his first sack until the seventh
> start he made, keeping Herbert upright in the pocket for the first month
> and a half. General manager Tom Telesco said at his end-of-season press
> conference that Salyer has earned the opportunity to start in the NFL,
> but was noncommittal regarding the position he would line up at in 2023.
>

I'd give Salyer an A- given how difficult the role he had to step into was and how well he performed relative to expectations. Since they drafted him as a guard, and Zion was mostly solid at RG, I'd say it's a no-brainer to cut Feiler and slide Salyer in at LG. If they re-sign Pipkins to start at RT, that would give them a pretty solid o-line of Slater/Salyer/Linsley/Johnson/Pipkins. Only concern then would be the depth, with Sarell as the swing tackle and presumably Jaimes as the backup guard/center. Would like to see a couple of draft picks and/or cheaper free agent signings to improve the depth.

Michael

phlash74 <phlash74@msn.com> writes:

> On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:24:17 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason
>>
>>
>> Chargers' 2022 Draft Class Report Card: How Each Rookie Performed in
>> Year One
>>
>> How did the Chargers' rookie class fare during the 2022 season?
>>
>> Nicholas Cothrel
>> 3 hours ago
>>
>>
>> Round 6, Pick 195: OL Jamaree Salyer
>>
>> Grade: B+
>>
>> Salyer, given his draft slot and how much he contributed as a rookie,
>> was tremendous this season. Initially drafted as a guard, Salyer
>> switched to tackle, the position he played in college, following Rashawn
>> Slater's torn biceps injury. Salyer took over the starting role at left
>> tackle in Week 4 and didn’t look back, exceeding any prior notions that
>> led to him being a Day 3 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. In totality,
>> he logged 989 offensive snaps, allowing five sacks, 10 quarterback hits
>> and 46 pressures. Salyer didn’t commit his first sack until the seventh
>> start he made, keeping Herbert upright in the pocket for the first month
>> and a half. General manager Tom Telesco said at his end-of-season press
>> conference that Salyer has earned the opportunity to start in the NFL,
>> but was noncommittal regarding the position he would line up at in 2023.
>>
>
>
> I'd give Salyer an A- given how difficult the role he had to step into
> was and how well he performed relative to expectations. Since they
> drafted him as a guard, and Zion was mostly solid at RG, I'd say it's
> a no-brainer to cut Feiler and slide Salyer in at LG. If they re-sign
> Pipkins to start at RT, that would give them a pretty solid o-line of
> Slater/Salyer/Linsley/Johnson/Pipkins. Only concern then would be the
> depth, with Sarell as the swing tackle and presumably Jaimes as the
> backup guard/center. Would like to see a couple of draft picks and/or
> cheaper free agent signings to improve the depth.
>
> Michael

A productive starter in the 6th round at a position of need.
How can that not be a solid A?

I could see quibbling if he was a 2nd round pick, and maybe even
consider quibbling in the 3rd round, but for the 6th it is a clear
solid A to me.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 2:05:50 PM UTC-8, Eddie Grove wrote:
> phlash74 <phla...@msn.com> writes:
>
> > On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:24:17 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >> https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason
> >>
> >>
> >> Chargers' 2022 Draft Class Report Card: How Each Rookie Performed in
> >> Year One
> >>
> >> How did the Chargers' rookie class fare during the 2022 season?
> >>
> >> Nicholas Cothrel
> >> 3 hours ago
> >>
> >>
> >> Round 6, Pick 195: OL Jamaree Salyer
> >>
> >> Grade: B+
> >>
> >> Salyer, given his draft slot and how much he contributed as a rookie,
> >> was tremendous this season. Initially drafted as a guard, Salyer
> >> switched to tackle, the position he played in college, following Rashawn
> >> Slater's torn biceps injury. Salyer took over the starting role at left
> >> tackle in Week 4 and didn’t look back, exceeding any prior notions that
> >> led to him being a Day 3 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. In totality,
> >> he logged 989 offensive snaps, allowing five sacks, 10 quarterback hits
> >> and 46 pressures. Salyer didn’t commit his first sack until the seventh
> >> start he made, keeping Herbert upright in the pocket for the first month
> >> and a half. General manager Tom Telesco said at his end-of-season press
> >> conference that Salyer has earned the opportunity to start in the NFL,
> >> but was noncommittal regarding the position he would line up at in 2023.
> >>
> >
> >
> > I'd give Salyer an A- given how difficult the role he had to step into
> > was and how well he performed relative to expectations. Since they
> > drafted him as a guard, and Zion was mostly solid at RG, I'd say it's
> > a no-brainer to cut Feiler and slide Salyer in at LG. If they re-sign
> > Pipkins to start at RT, that would give them a pretty solid o-line of
> > Slater/Salyer/Linsley/Johnson/Pipkins. Only concern then would be the
> > depth, with Sarell as the swing tackle and presumably Jaimes as the
> > backup guard/center. Would like to see a couple of draft picks and/or
> > cheaper free agent signings to improve the depth.
> >
> > Michael
> A productive starter in the 6th round at a position of need.
> How can that not be a solid A?
>
> I could see quibbling if he was a 2nd round pick, and maybe even
> consider quibbling in the 3rd round, but for the 6th it is a clear
> solid A to me.

Fair, I should have said A- at worst, but you're correct - for a 6th round pick to suddenly have to step in as the starter at the most critical position on the line, replacing an injured All-Pro caliber tackle, and perform as well as Salyer did is a solid A if not an A+.

Michael

phlash74 <phlash74@msn.com> writes:

> On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 2:05:50 PM UTC-8, Eddie Grove wrote:
>> phlash74 <phla...@msn.com> writes:
>>
>> > On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:24:17 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> >> https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason

>> >> Nicholas Cothrel
>> >> 3 hours ago
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Round 6, Pick 195: OL Jamaree Salyer
>> >>
>> >> Grade: B+

> Fair, I should have said A- at worst, but you're correct - for a 6th
> round pick to suddenly have to step in as the starter at the most
> critical position on the line, replacing an injured All-Pro caliber
> tackle, and perform as well as Salyer did is a solid A if not an A+.
>
> Michael

I do think it was A+, but I didn't want my post to be at all arguable.

I can't respect anyone who would rate it a B+.
Toss the article in the bit bucket.

Here is the 6th round for 2022. I wonder if this link will be reused?
It's a sloppy organization not to include the year in the url.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/draft/round/6

There were 42 picks, which I guess means 10 compensatory picks. Who knew?
The only name besides Salyer that I even recognize is Matt Araiza.
Of course, I recognize him for the worst of reasons.

The 49ers had 3 picks, and despite having watched every snap and
listened to most of the weekly press conferences, if I ever heard any of
their names I promptly forgot them. Let's check the 2022 season via
profootballreference. As far as I can tell:

Nick Zakelj 12 offensive snaps, 21 special teams snaps
Kalia Davis never played
Tariq Castro-Fields 6 defensive snaps, 13 special teams snaps

That's 3 picks for a combined 52 snaps.

Eddie

phlash74 wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 1:24:17 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> https://www.si.com/nfl/chargers/news/chargers-2022-draft-class-rookie-season-report-card-nfl-offseason

>
> I'd give Salyer an A- given how difficult the role he had to step into was and how well he performed relative to expectations. Since they drafted him as a guard, and Zion was mostly solid at RG, I'd say it's a no-brainer to cut Feiler and slide Salyer in at LG. If they re-sign Pipkins to start at RT, that would give them a pretty solid o-line of Slater/Salyer/Linsley/Johnson/Pipkins. Only concern then would be the depth, with Sarell as the swing tackle and presumably Jaimes as the backup guard/center. Would like to see a couple of draft picks and/or cheaper free agent signings to improve the depth.
>
> Michael
>

I agree with you about next season's starting OL, assuming they re-sign
Pipkins. And you're right, right now Sarell is the backup at tackle and
James at guard. [Correction: I just checked, and Sarell is a free agent.
He was signed as an UDFA in 2021 and has been with the team for two
years but apparently under one-year contracts.]

Norton is a free agent and undoubtedly won't be brought back, since they
refused to play him even though they kept him on the 53-man roster
throughout the season.

I have no idea if Jaimes is any good since he didn't play either.

I actually hope they can get more experienced backups than those two.
Sarell was passable but just barely, really.

--Robin