NFL Draft 2014: Could the Chargers draft Philip River’s successor this year ?
By Joel Burdeos
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
San Diego, CA- Could the San Diego Chargers draft Philip River’s successor this year ?
Now before we continue this discussion, let me make this clear. The Chargers will not be selecting a Quarterback in the first round of this years draft. Realistically the Chargers won’t draft a quarterback in the first four rounds, but if there is a solid project quarterback prospect available in rounds 5-7 shouldn’t they take a look at drafting someone who could realistically succeed Philip Rivers one day ?
Philip Rivers isn’t going anywhere and is expected to continue to be an elite quarterback for at least 3-5 more years, but when that day does come and Rivers decides to hang it up who do the Chargers currently have to succeed Philip Rivers. Currently veteran Kellen Clemens is the Chargers backup and 2013 seventh-round draft pick Brad Sorensen is the Chargers third string quarterback. While the Chargers do view Sorensen as a intriguing developmental prospect, I’m not sure Chargers fans or even the Chargers themselves view him as a possible successor to Philip Rivers.
San Diego Chargers General manager Tom Telesco did not rule out selecting a quarterback in this year’s draft in an interview with Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.
"“It’s something you keep your eye on because you never know,” Telesco said. “It’s probably not in the front of your mind, but it’s in the back of our mind all of the time. That’s why we evaluate every position like there’s nobody on our roster.“The same process we do with every other position, we do with the quarterbacks, all the way from August until now. Because you never know when that need may be there, and you never know what might happen in the draft.”"
In Williams Chargers draft preview of Quarterbacks the Chargers may consider, he proposes in the Fourth round the Chargers could select Georgia Quarterback Aaron Murray. In the Fifth round the Chargers could select Virginia Tech Quarterback Logan Thomas, or San Jose State Quarterback David Fales in the Sixth round or Washington Quarterback Keith Price in the Seventh round.