Will Branch be targeted by Chargers?

The San Diego Chargers have a number of positions in need of considerable upgrades this offseason. Perhaps the biggest improvement required is at the outside linebacker spot opposite Shaun Phillips.


In a previous piece for this blog, I mentioned Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw, South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, USC’s Nick Perry, Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus, and Troy’s Jonathan Massaquoi as potential pass-rushing prospects the Chargers could target in the upcoming draft this April. In the next couple months I’ll be writing about some others, starting with Clemson defensive end Andre Branch today.


Branch made first-team All-ACC in 2011 after leading the league with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for losses. At 6-5, 260 pounds many believe he has the athleticism to transition from a 4-3 defensive end in college to a 3-4 pass-rushing outside linebacker in the pros. He possesses some effective pass-rushing skills and the ability to drop into coverage. Most mock drafts have him going in the second round. The Chargers own the 49^th overall pick in that round.


Perhaps Branch’s best performance was in the Tigers’ convincing 23-3 win over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg last October. During that game Branch terrorized the Hokies’ offense, as he finished with three sacks and 11 tackles, five of which were made in the backfield.


On that night Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney described Branch as “a man on a mission. He was just winning the matchups, it was that simple. He was relentless…”


That type of dominant effort is certainly craved in San Diego.


Classic Videos


For this edition of the blog I’d like to take you back to the Chargers’ 1992 Wild Card playoff victory over the division rival Kansas City Chiefs. San Diego dominated the Chiefs by a 17-0 score that day, as Chargers running back Marion Butts ran for 119 yards and a score, while the defense sacked Kansas City quarterback Dave Krieg seven times and intercepted him twice.


Ironically, the Chiefs’ head coach during that embarrassing loss was Marty Schottenheimer, who later went on to coach the Chargers from 2002 through 2006. Schottenheimer holds an impressive regular-season winning percentage, but that never translated to postseason success, as he posted a 5-13 record in the playoffs. Lightning Bolts fans know all about that; he lost both of his postseason games as Chargers head coach to inferior teams.


1992 Playoff Win