New to the forum, just thought I’d introduce myself

So this year we will see the Bolts wearing the 1960 uni (with the numbers on the side of the helmet) 3 times. Once again Oakland, once against Denver and once against KC. In addition we will see the Chargers in the alternate powder blue 2 other times to bring the Chargers season to 5 powder blue games!

BTW there is a reason the Broncos don’t break out their throw back unis very often…
http://www.nflshop.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3541061&cp=3541059

It is a 50\50 shot at best that those picks actually make an NFL roster, especially this roster probably the most talent laden in the entire league.

Lets focus on the top 2 picks, these guys were picked because someone thought they could help us win this year.

Larry English looks like a good football player. The way he moves and his body type remind me of Lamar Woodley, hopefully he plays like him. They clearly took him because A) they do not know for sure how Merriman will come back this year from injury and B) if they will be able to sign him long term. This is an insurance policy against both those things. Also, you can never have enough good edge rushers when you play a 3-4 scheme, so I like it.

Vasquez will have as good a chance as anybody to start week 1. Obviously with Goff gone there is an opportunity there and I like his chances of taking advantage and working his way into the starting lineup. He would be part of a great interior line with Dielman and Hardwickif he is the “nasty mauler” he is made out to be.

Looking at the big picture, this is one of the top 2-3 teams in the league with or without any draft picks. If Merriman comes back at full strength and our key players can stay healthy all year and through the playoffs we are favorites to win the Super Bowl. These guys hopefully can help that cause.

Truth be told I feel like they were all risky picks with tremendous upside and Smith has a habit of winning on those kinds of picks.

I feel like Martin and English will both play a big role this season and Vasquez has great potential to be a guard for a number of years.

i really don’t feel too good about the USC guy but safetys have a way of coming out of nowhere, especially a guy who could get lost in the star studded USC defense.

Larry English:
Athletic guy, apparently class act and very intelligent. I think he can step in this year and be just as effective as Shaun Philips. Philips is a stud when he is opposite Merriman but becomes barely above average when he is the main pass rush threat. With the reports that Philips has been charged with punching a security guard in the face and possibly facing legal charges I would like to see the Chargers cut him or trade him away, it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble. The fact of the matter is that our defense revolves around Merriman and if he’s healthy this year we will be in much better shape, if not we are in trouble and while English will help it is unlikely he will come in and set the league on fire like Merriman did.

Louis Vasquez:
I feel like you’re dead wrong on this guy. I watched a bunch of Tech games last year and he is a beast. It is a lot easier to learn to run block than to pass block and this guy is a stud pass blocker, I believe he’ll be starting by mid season.

Vaughn Martin:
Not so sure about this pick. He seems excited about playing right on the line of scrimmage (in Canada the DL starts a yard away from the OL) but I think it is going to be tougher for him than he thinks. He is a huge guy though so hopefully he can learn to use his weight to his advantage and be groomed to take over at nose tackle.

Tyrone Green:
Faced tough competition so he should be a decent backup Guard/Center.

Gatrell Johnson:
I don’t see how he makes the roster with the RBs we already have. Remember last year we traded up to get a bigger RB in Jacob Hester and he just started playing well at the end of the year. Plus we still have Sproles, Michael Bennet, and L.T.

Brandon Hughes:
Not too speedy but I think he can be effective in Nickel and Dime packages because he can line up right on top of a receiver and hold them up at the line, something I feel we haven’t done nearly enough.

Kevin Elison:
Probably my main disagreement with you, on the condition that he is healthy. He was a monster on the field when he wasn’t having knee problems, the big problem is that he has had multiple knee surgeries over the years. Hopefully with a top of the line medical staff we can keep him on the field, and if so I expect he’ll be an impact player for us in some way or another.

Demetrius Byrd:
I don’t really get this pick. It is HIGHLY unlikely that he would have been drafted so I think we could have easily got him as a free agent if they really wanted him. He definitely has wheels, so if he makes a full recovery he may be able to make the team. I would have preferred to see us take a WR with the pick we took Johnson on and if they felt we really needed an RB taken him here.

So there’s another look at our draft class, and not one written by my Dad while Daniel left his name logged in at my parent’s house!

i am felling terribly pessimistic today so I apologize that this comment will read as if my Dad wrote it)

So what did we get?

Larry English DE/OLB
A replacement for when Merriman takes his show to Dallas, DC or NY.

Louis Vasquez OG
A guard who has never blocked a run play.

Vaughn Martin DL
A defensive end/tackle from a Canadian college (different football rules there) who only completed his junior year.

Tyrone Green C
An SEC center.

Gatrell Johnson RB
A mtn west short yardage running back (think about the prospect of being classified as a short yardage running back when your competition is the Aztecs?)

Brandon Hughes CB
A 5′ 11” 183 lb corner back who didn’t have the hands to play WR.

Kevin Elison- The 7th best defensive player from USC. That’s right, 6 other players from USC’s starting defense were taken ahead of this guy. As were two players from offense and the Trojan’s kicker.

Demetrius Byrd
A speedy WR who just got out of ICU after being in a car wreck a week ago.

of the 8 picks I do expect English to be a contributor this season. It could be really fun to have an extra pass rusher especially if they work packages where he, Merrmian and Phillips are on the field at the same time.

I expect Vaughn Martin to be a part time player on defense for 6 seasons.

I expect the Vasquez and Green to get playing time in a couple of years. Possibly.

And maybe in the 2010 season we will see Byrd on special teams and possibly grow into a Kassim Osgood player.

Ellison, Hughes and Johnson will never play a down in the NFL. might help on the practice squad though.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517233,00.html

This has nothing to do with chargers but it confused me pretty bad and I don’t know where else to post it.