2015 NFL Mock Draft: San Diego Chargers Select DT Malcom Brown at No. 17

With the No. 17 pick in the DBN 2015 NFL Mock Draft, the San Diego Chargers select...

Malcom Brown, DT, Texas

The selection and write-up were made by Crawford_T:

The San Diego Chargers enter the NFL draft with several areas of need. These include O-line, D-line, pass rusher, and RB. By adding Orlando Franklin in Free Agency the Chargers have made it so O-line is not a much draft in the 1st round, the hole at RG can be filled in later rounds as I don't see it as good value here. OLB is also a need, as Melvin Ingram can't seem to stay healthy. All the top pass rusher prospects are off the board however, so the Chargers will hope Ingram can stay healthy and that Attaochu develops, though an OLB will probably be drafted for depth at some point. RB is not a position I will draft in the 1st round, and there are plenty of options for the Chargers in later rounds in this draft class. The other major need for the Chargers is at the Defensive line.

In 2014 the Chargers struggled defending against the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry (29th in the league) and 124.1 yards per game (26th in the league). They also struggled in rushing the passer, getting only 26 sacks all season (29th in the league again). These numbers are not a recipe for success.

This is where Malcom Brown comes in. A big man with surprising athleticism, Brown is also highly versatile, capable of playing just about any position on a defensive front. His athleticism and movement skills make him difficult to single block, and he has shown good vision in tracking ball carriers while engaging O-linemen. While not quite agile or developed enough to be a consistent pass rushing threat, he has shown the ability to be a stout run defender while still making occasional plays in the backfield.

Brown should be able to start immediately, probably a DE in the 3-4 base and DT in the nickel alongside Corey Luiget. While he most likely won’t put up monster numbers, I suspect he will make his presence felt in defending the run early on and will be able to occasionally pressure QB’s up the middle.

I think the Chargers would be foolish to try to part ways with QB Philip Rivers, but that will be a draft day storyline I have my eye on. Not factoring in that option, the Chargers are a difficult team to predict who they will select. That's what happens when your club teeters on playoff contention with a good quarterback, but could still use upgrades at several positions. Brown seems like a good choice.

The Kansas City Chiefs are up next, led by JamesPowell.

2015 DBN Community Mock Draft Results (so far)