2023 NFL draft: Chargers grab three stars who led Texas Christian to championship game
The Chargers started with Texas Christian’s top wide receiver and ended with Texas Christian’s quarterback and, in between, took Texas Christian’s return man.
The 2023 NFL draft featured the Chargers going heavy on Horned Frogs.
Asked afterward if there was a common thread connecting the trio, head coach Brandon Staley was blunt.
“Yeah, that they got a really outstanding team,” he said. “It’s the same as the University of Georgia or the University of Alabama, you know, one of the top college programs.”
TCU reached the national championship in January at SoFi Stadium in part because of the play of wide receiver Quentin Johnston, quarterback Max Duggan and return man Derius Davis.
Breaking down the Chargers’ 2023 NFL draft picks and how they might contribute on offense, defense and special teams next season.
Those three ended their college careers that Monday night in a loss to Georgia only to be reunited nearly four months later as Chargers.
A recap of the team’s 11th draft under general manager Tom Telesco and third under Staley:
Feeling needy: Entering with room to bolster their depth at wide receiver and edge rusher, the Chargers grabbed Johnston in the first round and USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu in the second.
Johnston is expected to ramp up the Chargers’ explosive-play capabilities, particularly as an in-cutting receiver who made his mark in college by producing yards after the catch.
“He’s not a build-speed player,” Staley said. “He’s very sudden. The fact that he can score the football from anywhere is very attractive.”
The Chargers addressed their offense Thursday in the first round of the NFL draft, taking Texas Christian wide receiver Quentin Johnston at No. 21.
Staley called Tuipulotu “a rugged, tough player,” noting that he has versatility to possibly play inside on known passing downs.
Tuipulotu comes from a family with strong NFL ties. Among other relatives who have been in or are currently in the league, his brother Marlon is a defensive lineman for Philadelphia.
“He has that ultimate competitive character, the play style,” Staley said. “I think he’s been raised in that environment where football is life and the rest is just details.”
Adding some personality: The Chargers addressed a more subtle — yet still significant — area with their third-round selection of Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley.
A Los Angeles native who attended Crenshaw High, Henley is expected to play immediately on special teams after the Chargers lost core kicking game contributor Troy Reeder in free agency.
A modern draft era record 11 quarterbacks were selected in the first 150 picks of the 2023 NFL draft. You can blame Brock Purdy’s relevance for that.
Henley also brings plenty of personality, his family history including a famous father. Eugene Henley is a renowned street legend and entertainment industry executive who has worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Nipsey Hussle.
“He feels like he put a lot of time and effort into my journey and my processing, and he did,” Henley said. “A lot of credit goes to him. I have to continuously show him that love and respect that he deserves because without him, I wouldn’t be in this position. That includes my mom (Stacey).”
In 2021, Eugene had his colorful life story — he was once a gang kingpin who spent time in prison on drug charges — retold in a six-part FX documentary called “Hip Hop Uncovered.”
“When you meet my dad, just know that he loves to talk,” Henley said, smiling. “His favorite topic is himself. So, for everyone else watching that documentary, it was like, ‘Wow.’ For me, it was like, ‘I heard that. I know. All right, cool.’ It was just more seeing him on TV that was the cool part …
“You know, this guy did a lot of stuff in his past, and gets on me about having a ‘C’ in class? That’s the type of dad that I had. When I look at that documentary, I’m already deep in college and I’m thinking, ‘Hey, man, you were wildin’ back then. I’m over here getting scolded for having a ‘C’ or leaving some trash somewhere?’ ”
Running it back, but with a new guy: Saturday began with the Chargers filling an obvious need, drafting Davis in the fourth round to be their kick returner.
They had interest in re-signing veteran DeAndre Carter before he opted last month to join Las Vegas in free agency.
Davis ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine and was widely considered to be the draft’s top prospect as a returner.
“I’m a party starter,” Davis said. “Hopefully, I can do that for the Chargers. I know I’ll do that for the Chargers.”
Davis won the Jet Award as the nation’s top return specialist last year and ran back six kicks for scores during his college career.
UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He is the 140th player chosen overall.
Another big-bodied receiver? The Chargers picked up some depth along their defensive front in the sixth round with the selection of Boise State tackle Scott Matlock. They might have added a bit more, too.
Twice in college, Matlock entered with the Broncos’ offense near the opponents’ goal line and caught touchdown passes. He was asked about mentioning his receiving skills to Chargers’ offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
“That’s something that I’ll probably joke about,” he said. “We’ll see what he has planned.”
Matlock and Moore already have a connection, both having played at Boise State. Moore threw for 14,667 yards and 142 touchdowns in four seasons as the school’s quarterback from 2008-11.
“That’s the G.O.A.T. right there, as far as Boise State is talking,” Matlock said. “It’s going to be an honor to work with him and just be around him every day.”
On Day 2 of the NFL draft, the Chargers addressed the defense by selecting USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and Crenshaw High’s Daiyan Henley (Washington State).
TCU to the Max: The Horned Frog hysteria ended in the seventh round when the Chargers used the 239th pick overall on Duggan. Staley praised his winning and production at TCU.
“He’s got the right makeup,” Staley said, “a lot of characteristics to work with.”
Duggan will start his NFL career third on the depth chart — behind Justin Herbert and Easton Stick — hoping to eventually develop into a potential No. 2.
Undrafted free agents: Following the conclusion of the seventh round, the Chargers signed these undrafted free agents — cornerbacks Cam Brown (Ohio State), Tiawan Mullen (Indiana) and AJ Uzodinma (Ball State); wide receivers Terrell Bynum (USC) and Pokey Wilson (Florida); edge rushers Brevin Allen (Campbell) and Andrew Farmer (Lane College); safeties Tyler Baker-Williams (North Carolina State) and AJ Finley (Mississippi); running backs Elijah Dotson (Northern Colorado) and Tyler Hoosman (North Dakota); defensive linemen Jerrod Cook (Coastal Carolina) and Terrance Lang (Colorado), linebackers Nathan East (Samford) and Mikel Jones (Syracuse), center Johari Branch (Maryland), tight end Michael Ezeike (UCLA) and tackle Nicolas Melsop (Delta State).
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