The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this week, which will bring the 2023 draft class fully into focus, as this is the week of athletic testing, evaluations, and interviews for over 300 prospects.
With the combine ready to set the stage before free agency and the draft, we look at players worth monitoring for the Chargers.
Whether it be players who are options at pick No. 21 or later in the draft, we will pick out some at each position who should test well and generate buzz.
Here are a few linebackers worth keeping an eye on.
Daiyan Henley, Washington State
If the Chargers don’t re-sign Drue Tranquill, they will need more bodies at linebacker. And Henley is a good option if they go that route in the third or fourth round. At 6 feet and 230 pounds, Henley has the speed and range to make plays sideline-to-sideline and downhill. His 33-inch arms give him a great tackling radius and he misses very few tackles. As a former safety, Henley is proven in coverage. And as a former edge defender, he can get home as a blitzer. Additionally, he has special teams experience. Henley finished his first and only season at Washington State with 106 tackles – second in the Pac-12 – adding 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
Dorian Williams, Tulane
Williams is an athletic linebacker with the instincts and physicality in run defense. He has plenty of downhill speed to make an impact as a blizter. Additionally, Williams has a natural feel for coverage with an understanding of route concepts to make plays. A team captain and three-year starter, Williams was productive in college, finishing his career with 316 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 44 quarterback pressures, eight passes defended, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Look for him to test well.
Owen Pappoe, Auburn
Pappoe, the four-year starter, might be the most experienced linebacker in this year’s draft class, finishing his collegiate career with 41 starts. At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Pappoe is undersized with excellent speed and range against the run and in coverage, coupled with sure tackling skills. Pappoe checked in at No. 8 on The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s “Freak List,” where he reportedly posted a 4.32 time in the 40-yard dash. If he comes close anywhere close to hitting that time, Pappoe should rise up draft boards.
