Grading a team’s draft class is mostly subjective, but there are advanced metrics that provide deeper insight into whether a team had a successful draft.
The Los Angeles Chargers, for one, received nine grades of B+ or better from some of the top draft analysts. Additionally, Pro Football Focus (PFF) released an article on the biggest draft hauls by Wins Above Average (WAA), with the Chargers ranking 8th in the NFL.
What is WAA?
Here’s PFF’s explanation on what WAA means:
“Wins Above Average (WAA) is designed to help cut through that subjectivity. It estimates how many wins a player is worth above an average college football player, offering a standardized, data-driven method of assessing performance. The metric combines a player’s PFF grades across various facets of play with the relative value of each facet to winning football games. The result is a first-of-its-kind metric that enables cross-positional comparisons and offers predictive insight into a player’s future value.”
While WAA provides a useful snapshot based on positional value and snap volume, it’s not a definitive measure of which team “won” the draft. Teams with more picks at premium positions tend to rank higher. Also, PFF states that “WAA reflects a player’s on-field performance and value from last season in college — it’s not a projection, but a summary of what they’ve already put on tape.”
Inside the Chargers’ 8th-Ranked Draft Class By WAA
The Chargers’ overall draft class received a 1.948 WAA grade, with fifth-round tight end Oronde Gadsden II receiving a 0.51 grade. Gadsden was labeled as a Day 3 impact rookie by SI.com’s Daniel Flick, filling a huge need for the Chargers.
“The Chargers traded up 16 spots to select Gadsden, who has NFL bloodlines and projects favorably as an oversized slot receiver. The 6’5”, 243-pounder has 33 3/8-inch arms, and his catch radius and ball skills make him a friendly target for quarterback Justin Herbert. Los Angeles was commonly linked to early-round tight ends, but it waited until the fifth round—and Gadsden has the pass-catching skills to produce early.”
The player with the highest 3-Year Grade was none other than first-round pick Omarion Hampton. Already in the Offensive Rookie of the Year mix, Hampton posted PFF rushing grades of at least 90.5 over the past two college seasons and ranked second in yards after contact. With one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, expectations are high for his rookie season.
Overall, the Chargers are bringing in a ton of high-value draft picks who’ll likely contribute early on. Tre Harris looks to form a dynamic duo with second-year wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Jamaree Caldwell will look to fill the void left by Poona Ford, and the rest of the class will have an opportunity to prove they deserve a bigger role than most expect.
For some context, the teams listed above the Chargers in WAA are the Cleveland Browns (3.203 WAA), New York Giants (2.941 WAA), Philadelphia Eagles (2.514 WAA), Indianapolis Colts (2.231 WAA), San Francisco 49ers (2.142 WAA), Pittsburgh Steelers (2.081 WAA), and the Tennessee Titans (1.948 WAA).
Chargers’ Draft Class Lands in Top 10 Based on Unique Metric