Chargers to meet with Virginia S Joey Blount

Weak depth in the secondary needs to be addressed at some point this offseason and day three could hold some value picks.

The Chargers have one of the best safeties in the NFL in Derwin James. That’s a well-known fact. But if there was one big issue that really hamstrung this defense a year ago — aside from the run defense — it’s that some unfortunate injury luck showed just how shallow the talent was in the secondary. By the end of the year, if James or Nasir Adderley happened to miss some time, the Chargers were stuck trotting out the likes of Trey Marshall, rookie Mark Webb, or another free agent recently signed off the street.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the Bolts are doing their due diligence on some safety prospects in this year’s class.

According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Chargers have a top 30 visit scheduled with Virginia safety Joey Blount. The 6’2, 205-pound senior enjoyed a big season to cap off his time with the Cavaliers as he totaled 86 tackles, five tackles for loss, a lone sack, three pass breakups, and a trio of interceptions.

At his recent pro day, Blount put up some eye-opening numbers. He was clocked in the forty at a blazing 4.38 on top of a 38-inch vertical and a 127-inch broad. That type of athleticism has allowed him to find success as the deep safety in single-high looks while also giving him the versatility to play in the slot and in the box.

Blount is not highly-rated among his class peers but he’s most-certainly worth a flier on day three due to the potential his physical makeup and lengthy starting experience gives him over other players. With a plethora of picks between the sixth and seventh rounds, the Chargers have ample opportunities to find players who can round out some of their weaker position groups across the roster.