2011 NFL Draft: San Diego Chargers Draft Needs and Strategy

San Diego Chargers 2011 NFL Draft picks: No. 18 (first round), No. 50 (2nd), No. 61 (2nd), No. 82 (3rd), No. 89 (3rd), No. 183 (6th), No. 201 (6th), No. 233 (7th)

Traded: Fourth, fifth, and seventh round picks

Team needs: DE, WR, SS, OT, LB

The San Diego Chargers, at this point, are probably wishing they hadn't traded away three of their draft picks for this year's NFL Draft. With the needs this team has to fill they could use every pick they could get.

Their biggest need right now is at the defensive end position, something ESPN's Mel Kiper thinks they will fix by drafting Muhammad Wilkerson, a defensive lineman out of Temple, with the 18th overall pick in the draft. He's someone who fits what the Chargers will be looking for and he is a guy who brings outside pressure from the defensive end position.

Fix that glaring need with Wilkerson, assuming he is still available, and they can move on to other issues they will need to take a look at. While a wide receiver is something this team will need to add in this draft, I'm not exactly sure they will do it in the second round no matter what Kiper has on his board.

The Chargers' defense needs a lot of help so there is no reason they should not draft a safety or a linebacker with their 50th pick in the second round. According to Bolt Hype, they believe a guy who could be a solid choice in the second round is Martez Wilson a 6'4" 250-pound linebacker out of Illinois.

However, if you ask Ernie Padaon of Bolt Beat he seems to believe defensive ends J.J. Watt and Cameron Jordan should be the first two picks the Chargers should be looking at. Only problem with those two players is neither may be off the board before the 18th pick rolls around for San Diego.

A great regular season team needs to find a way to become a great post season team, something the Chargers haven't been able to figure out how to do. This year's draft could be a good starting point and a good place to find the young players who could affect this team's future.

Players I like for the Chargers:
Muhammad Wilkerson, DL, Temple
Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland
Titus Young, WR, Boise State
Marcus Cannon, OT, TCU
Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
Edmund Gates, WR, Abilene Christian


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