The second week of college football is here, which means we are back with another edition of the Scouting Notebook.
The Scouting Notebook will feature prospects to keep an eye on throughout the day. While some may think it’s too early to start talking about the 2024 NFL draft, there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of the Chargers.
Buy Chargers TicketsWith that being said, here are a handful of prospects to watch for in Week 2.
DT Leonard Taylor III, Miami
Beefing up the interior part of the defensive line will likely be on the to-do list next offseason, with Austin Johnson set to be a free agent. If they go that route early on in the draft, Taylor would be a solid option.
Taylor, the 6-foot-3 and 305-pounder, is one of the best at getting after the quarterback in this class, finishing with 26 total pressures and a 16.4% pass-rush win rate last season. He is quick off the line, has violent hands, body flexibility and power to live in opposing backfields.
TE Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
After not addressing the tight end position this offseason, the Chargers are more than likely to next year as Gerald Everett is set to hit the market. Stanford has produced plenty of NFL tight ends, headlined by Zach Ertz, Austin Hooper and Dalton Schultz. Yurosek could be next to join the crop.
Yurosek’s best season came in 2021 when he recorded 42 catches for over 630 yards and three touchdowns. His production saw a slight decline last season, as he only had 445 yards and a score, but the reason for that was a poor offensive line, injuries and a system that didn’t cater to his strengths.
Now playing under new head coach Troy Taylor, Yurosek should return to form and stand out as the prolific pass catcher that he is. Last weekend against Hawaii, he hauled nine passes for a career-high 138 yards. Facing a top-tier program in USC, his draft stock should only rise if he performs well.
CBs DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
James and Pritchett had Senior Bowl invitations in hand when they decided to return to Auburn for this season to play under new head coach Hugh Freeze. That should tell you how firmly both players are already on pro teams’ radars. This summer, both corners got 2nd-3rd round feedback.
They’ll be tasked with a sneakily competitive matchup on Saturday in Berkeley. Cal’s offense has been nothing to write home about for the last few seasons, but the Golden Bears improved last week under new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital. Wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter is a future Sunday player, and how James and Pritchett limit his impact will undoubtedly make a difference in the final score as well. Also, watch for how the corners fit the run – sophomore running back Jadyn Ott is one of the best in the nation.
TE Luke Lachey, Iowa
They always say to scout the player, not the helmet. But when was the last time an Iowa tight end didn’t work out in the NFL?
Rookie Sam LaPorta, a predraft favorite of Chargers fans, looked like the latest success from the Hawkeye program, which has also produced George Kittle, Noah Fant, and TJ Hockenson, among others. Lachey looks to be next in that line – a ferocious blocker with adequate receiving chops.
Lachey won’t post the most eye-popping counting stats, especially not with a reinforced offense that introduced talented transfers Erick All and Kaleb Johnson over the summer. But his impact on the game goes well beyond the box score. Against Iowa State, I’m particularly interested to see him as a blocker. The Cyclones’ 3-3-5 defense routinely causes problems for teams through the air, but Lachey could be the key to unlocking Iowa’s ground game and bringing home the CyHawk trophy.
S Malachi Moore, Alabama
Moore has had a rollercoaster of a college career to this point in Tuscaloosa. Once crowned as the next great Tide defensive back, Moore ceded snaps to Lions second-round pick Brian Branch over the last two seasons and has now lost much of the steam he once had as a prospect.
Reinstalled as a full-time starter this season with Branch in Detroit, Moore has an opportunity to put his name back on the map with a premier matchup against Texas TE JaTavion Sanders, one of the best-receiving threats from the position in the country. Moore is at his best playing a mix of nickel corner and traditional safety, which should only increase the number of looks he gets against the star tight end. If he can shut Sanders down, it may be the launch point for a rise up draft boards.
EDGEs Khari Coleman and Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
The Chargers will likely be looking for a third or fourth pass rusher to fill out their rotation in 2024, with the expectation that one of Khalil Mack or Joey Bosa will be out of LA’s price range.
That rotational player could come from Mississippi, where both Coleman and Johnson earned places on the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl watchlists. The Rebels’ pair of pass rushers also both earned 4th-5th round grades this summer from league scouts. They’ll be tasked with disrupting a Tulane passing attack led by underrated quarterback Michael Pratt, which will also require beating tackle Cameron Wire. Wire is an LSU transfer who is also on both all-star watchlists and received UDFA feedback this summer.
S Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
Richardson returned his fifth season for the Aggies, which came as a surprise to many. Nonetheless, having one of the top leaders and staples on the defense should provide a boost.
Over the last two years, his 29 run-defense stops are tied for ninth among Power Five safeties, while his 18 coverage stops are tied for fourth, according to Pro Football Focus.
A consistent playmaker since his arrival in 2019, Richardson is a physical presence with solid length & tackling ability. While his coverage skills are a work in progress, having his run defense skills would be huge in the backend for the Chargers.
