Are you ready for some football?
With the NFL Draft in all its glory the past few days at Radio City Music Hall in New York, it was easy to forget that it’s still baseball season. (And if you’re keeping track, fellow San Diegans, the Padres are three games under .500 and in fourth place in their division, even though the team just won three out of four from the Miami Marlins.)
So focusing on the San Diego Chargers might not be a bad thing. The team came out of the draft with six new players.
"Things fell the way we liked it,'' Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said.
Telesco's refrain was the chorus sung in every NFL city. No general managers ever have a bad draft, and if they did they wouldn't admit it.
The Chargers needed help defending the pass, and that's why Texas Christian cornerback Jason Verrett is house hunting in San Diego after being the team's first-round pick.
Texas Christian University? First round? The last time the Chargers played that daily double LaDainian Tomlinson came West, and young man, that was the start of the good old days.
But Verrett is no Tomlinson. Few are. If the Chargers nabbed a solid starter for 10 years – in contrast to Tomlinson, a first-ballot NFL Hall of Famer – they'll do cartwheels.
Verrett could kick up his heels as well, and no one would worry about him touching the ceiling. Verrett is a lot of things, but he isn't tall. He's the shortest player taken in the first round, just maybe hitting 5-foot-10 if wearing lengthy cleats and having a bad hair day.
But Verrett compensates for his height by being precise in getting in the way of receivers. He's often guarding taller, leaping receivers, but he has a knack for making sure when they come down the ball doesn't ride with them.
For the second straight year, Telesco moved up in the second round. He rode the draft elevator to the No. 50 slot, smitten with linebacker Jerry Attaochu.
Attaochu exited Georgia Tech as its all-time leader with 31.5 sacks. If duplicating that production in the NFL, Telesco's grab will be grand.
Notre Dame's Chris Watt was the third-round pick, and it’s hard to get excited about a guard. But there's no one more important wearing lightning bolts than Philip Rivers, and if Watt keeps the quarterback from harm's way, God bless him.
The rest of the Chargers' draft consists of players who'll more likely miss than hit. That's not to say gems aren’t found in later rounds, but usually it's the guys up front that count.
Still, the Chargers will welcome Arkansas State defensive tackle Ryan Carrethers, Arizona State running back Marion Grice and Baylor wide receiver Tevin Reese.
Especially Reese.
The Chargers' version of Mr. Irrelevant – the draft's last overall pick – is fast. Real fast. He was a blur on Baylor's field – of his 25 touchdown catches, 22 went for at least 40 yards. He also was a track star.
The lack of a deep threat is among the Chargers' shortcomings. So if Reese can stretch defenses and challenge Rivers to heave the ball as far as he can, just maybe Reese sticks.
Reese does have the best nickname of the six fresh Chargers. He's called "Sweet Feet," and there has to be an endorsement deal in there somewhere.
For now, let the Chargers advertise their new players. From Verrett to Reese, Telesco has executed his second draft for the Bolts, and time will tell – especially once the football season really starts – if he keeps his moniker "Tom Terrific."
Fans, however, may come to like the name “Sweet Feet” better.
