Could Glenn be the answer at right tackle?

Two years ago San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith traded up in the first round to select Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews. Moving up that much to select a running back usually means the team thinks of him as a future superstar. Thus far, Mathews, while showing flashes, hasn’t lived up to the hype. He hasn’t shown he’s capable of being anywhere close to what LaDainian Tomlinson was for the Chargers from 2001 through 2007. To be fair, however, Mathews hasn’t been running behind a very good offensive line, to put it kindly. One has to wonder why Smith would make such a move for Mathews when San Diego's offensive line was a below-average unit.

If the Chargers want to return to being a championship-caliber team, they need to fix the offensive line and improve the running game. The last two seasons have shown that quarterback Philip Rivers can’t win games by himself. He needs a running game to complement the passing attack and make the offense more balanced and complete.

Two positions in need of desperate upgrades along San Diego’s offensive line are left guard and right tackle. After today’s workouts at the Scouting Combine, one prospect, Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, seems as though he could be a fit at either spot.

Measuring in at 6-5, 345 pounds, Glenn killed it on the bench press and 40-yard dash tests. With 36-inch arms, he put the 225-barbell up an impressive 31 times, and despite being one of the heaviest offensive linemen in Indianapolis, he posted an official time of 5.15 in the 40. A performance such as Glenn’s today, combined with productive college career—in which he started a total of 49 games at guard and tackle—could make him the ideal selection when the Chargers are on the clock at pick #18 in the first round. Given his size and athletic ability, some are warming up to the belief that Glenn will be an outstanding right tackle in the NFL.

Here’s what Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports Shutdown Corner wrote about Glenn today:

After a quality performance at the Senior Bowl, Glenn may have alleviated enough concerns to add his name to the top 20 overall as a draft prospect -- especially for teams that require a right tackle who can maul at the point of attack and still show enough agility to pass protect.

Right tackle would seem to be the best fit. As Glenn said, he's "just naturally a wide, girthy person," and I'd feel sorry for the defensive end who tried to take him head-on. "People try to bull rush me, but I'm pretty good at sitting it down. I just have a big, wide frame, so it's not a problem for me."

Recently, I wrote that Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams should be the Chargers’ first-round pick in April. I’m starting to like Glenn a lot, though, and wouldn’t mind seeing A.J. Smith grabbing the Georgia offensive lineman instead. If Glenn can’t cut in as a right tackle in the NFL, he could move inside and play guard. He sounds like a safe pick with great reward.

Cordy Glenn highlights I


Cordy Glenn Highlights II