Today was a good day for those of us who don't want to see our San Diego Chargers select Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw in the first round of this April's draft. Upshaw, considered one of the premier pass-rushers in this draft class, failed to impress scouts at Alabama's Pro Day this morning.
Opinions on Courtney Upshaw's workout are sure to be varied, but the productive college defender showed little in the way of speed and quickness during position drills. In many of the drills which required Upshaw to move laterally he struggled with his balance and seemed to trip over his feet. He displayed a minimal burst of speed and his change of direction was only adequate. During bag drills Upshaw displayed great punch and power. Upshaw, whose official 40 time came in at 4.78 seconds, is still likely to be selected in the first round, but his limited speed and lateral movement skills will narrow the number of teams willing to draft him in the top 32 .
This shouldn't come as a surprise to those who have actually seen Upshaw play. Simply put, as impressive as he may appear in a uniform, he looks very stiff when he's out on the field. All indications point to Upshaw possessing a lack of athleticism. Obviously, that doesn't bode well for his future in the NFL
Although Upshaw didn't perform up to expectations today, a fellow Crimson Tide defender solidified his status as mid-first-round pick. Strong safety Mark Barron, the consensus #1 prospect at his position, put together a successful workout despite the fact he just recently underwent double hernia surgery.
Mark Barron had his moments during position drills. For the most part Barron looked very fluid moving about the field, displaying a good change of the direction and the ability to quickly flip his hips transitioning from moving backwards to running forwards. Barron was always on balance and looked very athletic on the field. He needs to improve his backpedal as Barron was a little stiff moving in reverse and the big safety showed little burst in drills and looked more like a one speed player. Considering he underwent double hernia surgery a little more than two months ago it was a solid performance by Barron, who solidified himself as a mid-to-late first round pick.
Keeping in mind that the Chargers haven't had a Pro Bowl talent at strong safety since Rodney Harrison was let go in 2003, and given how the team is dangerously thin at the position right now, Barron just might be the answer in the first round. Barron is the type of a sure tackler in the box the Lightning Bolts could use in a tandem with All-Pro free safety Eric Weddle.
Most mock drafts predict Barron will be available at San Diego's 18th overall pick. Apparently the New York Jets, who own the 16th overall selection, are considered the only team that could get in the way of the Chargers grabbing him.
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