The on-field portion of the NFL Combine begins on Thursday, marking the start of the testing circuit that propels some prospects into the stratosphere while ruining the stock of others. To prepare, we at Chargers Wire are previewing players from every position.
With the quarterback position, Los Angeles, obviously, will not be in the market until maybe later in the draft. Justin Herbert is unquestionably the face of the franchise, but both of last year’s backup options are pending free agents.
Jake Haener, Fresno State
I’m still not really sure how to evaluate Haener’s draft stock because of his size and lack of top-tier arm strength. The comparison often thrown around for the Fresno State signal-caller is Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke, who went undrafted and bounced around alternate leagues before latching on as a backup in Washington and eventually earning starting opportunities.
I don’t think Haener will suffer that same fate, though, and after looking like one of the best quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl earlier this month, I’m tempted to say that a team will pull the trigger early on Day 3 to shore up their backup situation. That team would likely not be the Chargers, but if Haener is still around in the fifth round or later, I’d start thinking about it. That’s the same range LA took Easton Stick at in 2019.
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd
Both of the late-round backups Tom Telesco has selected in his tenure as Chargers general manager have come from FCS schools: Stick from North Dakota State and 2013 seventh rounder Brad Sorensen from Southern Utah. There are no FCS quarterbacks at this year’s combine, but Division II’s Bagent is the lone small schooler who will be in attendance.
Another Senior Bowl attendee, Bagent had an up and down week as he adjusted to playing against top-level competition for the first time. That’s likely not going to help his draft stock, but his arm talent and ability to extend plays prove that there’s something to work with. For the Chargers, whether or not they think he has the mental makeup to run scout team consistently will likely be the sticking point. Expect Bagent to be a later round or high priority free agent add if he goes undrafted.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Playing just down the street at UCLA for the past six seasons, the Chargers are undoubtedly already familiar with Thompson-Robinson. After a strong showing at the Shrine Bowl in January, it’s possible that DTR’s stock is too high to justify a buy for LA. At the same time, his film shows a player who still struggles to hit throws consistently and needs to clean up his mechanics.
What works in Thompson-Robinson’s favor as it pertains to the Chargers is that I’d expect him to be among the best testers at the position, assuming that he (or anyone else) goes through the majority of the on-field drills. With the picks of Easton Stick and Justin Herbert, Telesco has favored athletic specimens at the position, and DTR could be the latest in that line. With the mobility to cosplay as some of the stars of the AFC on scout team and six years of experience in a Power 5 conference, Thompson-Robinson is an intriguing backup option for LA.
