Where Chargers’ 2021 undrafted free agent class ranks among rest of NFL
The NFL draft is behind us, and all of the talks have been primarily surrounding around the nine selections made by general manager Tom Telesco. But left out have been the undrafted free agents that he signed.
The Chargers inked 10 undrafted free agents to a contract after the draft. How does the haul stack up to the rest of the league?
NBC Sports’ Thor Nystrom ranked Los Angeles’ UDFA class and reviewed some of the signees, followed by showing how all 32 organization’s signings stacked up against one another.
L.A. ranked No. 9 in the AFC and 19 out of all the teams in the league.
Here is what Nystrom said:
In 2020, five of the top-nine teams in Rick Gosselin’s NFL special teams rankings made the playoffs. The Chargers finished dead last. The Chargers used UDFA to continue fixing the league’s worst special teams unit, work that’s been going on all offseason. The most overt of those signings were K Alex Kessman and LS Ryan Langan.
The Chargers would love for Kessman to put them to a decision on Michael Badgley, who converted just 24-of-33 field goal attempts last season. Badgley can no longer be trusted deep, which means his time as an NFL kicker is running out — all nine of his misses were from beyond 40 yards.
When firing a coach or breaking up with a girl, you always go for the opposite the next time around, and so it was with the Chargers’ signing of Kessman, whose 12-of-18 hit-rate (66.6%) on 50-plus yard field goals set an NCAA record. Kessman will tango with not only Badgley, but offseason signee Tristan Vizciano. With a new staff, it’s best-man-wins.
LAC’s other signings were made primarily with special teams in mind as well. Oklahoma State LB Amen Ogbongbemiga, the team’s most talented UDFA prospect, took over 500 special teams snaps in college (and made almost 200 tackles overall the past two seasons between his defensive and special teams work). He’s going to make the Chargers for the bump he’ll give the coverage unit alone.
Whereas I think Ogbongbemiga is a special-teamer early who could develop into a starter later, S Ben DeLuca and WR Eli Stove are both strictly special-teams propositions. But if you’re hellbent on improving those units, you mine as well bring in hungry kids willing and able to gun, cover and return.
Lastly, the Chargers weren’t able to address a need for iDL depth in the draft. So they took a couple fliers on Forrest Merrill and Jared Goldwire. Merrill is a squatty ‘80s throwback you ain’t movin’, Goldwire is his counterpoint, a long-limbed, stretched-out 6-foot-5, 293-pounder that tries to keep his distance with length.
I recently put out an article that lists the four undrafted free agents that I believe will make the 53-man roster.
Note: Eli Stove was waived by the Chargers.
Los Angeles has had a good amount of success finding diamond in the rough players, so if some of the players that I mention don’t make it, there is still bound to be a couple that do after their showings in training camp and preseason action.
