Chargers Draft: 4 players to watch at their pro days on Friday, March 31

KU’s Lonnie Phelps recorded 25 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons.

It’s the final day of pro days before things hit the final stretch into this year’s NFL draft.

With four schools holding workouts, we’ve got a final group of four players that I believe the Chargers should keep an eye on who will hit the field today.

Kansas

EDGE Lonnie Phelps

I really like Phelps in the mid to late rounds of the draft as a high-motor rotational edge rusher who plays with his hair on fire for all four quarters. His size will leave teams wanting more (6’2, 244 pounds) but he proved he still have ideal athleticism after posting a 4.55 40 time at the combine.

Phelps spent three seasons at Miami (Ohio) before transferring to Kansas for a his final year of eligibility. During the 2021 season, Phelps recorded 13.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. This past season, he hit double-digits takedowns once again with 11.5 and added another seven tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

After only participating in the 40 while in Indianapolis, Phelps could help round out his athletic profile and add to his draft stock with a complete workout today.

Kansas State

CB Julius Brents

Brents has been one of my favorite prospects in this draft cycle and I promise it has nothing to do with the fact he spent time at Iowa before transferring to K-State.

At nearly 6’4 and 200 pounds, Brents is one of the most physically imposing cornerbacks in this year’s class. After excelling int zone coverage throughout his time in Manhattan, Brents silenced critics about his shortcomings in man during this year’s Senior Bowl where he was a standout performer all week.

Teams will also love his length and range as he posted a 41.5” vertical and an incredible 11’6” in the broad jump. If he can possibly drop his 4.53 40 time at the combine into the high 4.4s, I’d expect his draft stock to soar even more.

Chattanooga

OT McClendon Curtis

Curtis is one of the few players that has been linked to the Chargers thus far via reports from various insiders. McClendon started 38 total games for the Moccs across several position, including right guard (26) and left tackle (seven).

At 6’6 and 324 pounds, McClendon is a massive guard prospect where he can best utilize his strength and experience. He tested just “fine” at the combine across the board with no real standout measurements but it still earned him a relative athletic score of 7.78 out of 10. For context, a 9.00 is considered “elite.”

As a late-round prospect, McClendon is the versatile depth Tom Telesco has always coveted.

South Dakota State

TE Tucker Kraft

Like McClendon above, Kraft has also reportedly met with the Chargers during the pre-draft process.

The 6’5 and 254-pound Kraft is one of the most complete tight ends in this draft and could end up being one of the biggest steals in the draft should he continue to be overshadowed by others at the position like Darnell Washington, Michael Mayer, and Sam LaPorta.

Similar to former SDSU standout Dallas Goedert, Kraft is well built with satisfactory athleticism and strength. He has ideal toughness as a run blocker and has a knack for slipping into open zones in coverage to make defenses pay for not respecting him enough.

After a complete workout in Indianapolis, Kraft doesn’t need to prove much more to scouts. Besting some of his previous numbers at his pro day will only help his cause, however.