Even with the NFL draft months away, it is never to early to start looking at some of the many prospects that will be future NFL players. There will be more comprehensive profiles completed, and Big Boards assembled as the draft draws closer, especially after the offseason All Star events and NFL Combine are completed, and more tape is studied. However, this preview series will give a brief view at this point to some of the popular players we will hear about as potential first or second round picks in April, and if they could be a fit for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Barret Carter is not your traditional LOS banger that brings a physical element to the field. The name of his game is speed and athleticism which makes him one of the better coverage linebackers in the class. His body type and play style lend him strictly to an OLB at the next level, but his athleticism can play in a variety of schemes and packages.

Carter displays exceptional speed, burst, and change of direction which makes him a capable man coverage player against TE and RB, but he has enough awareness and speed to play in space and attack the football. With this skill set he is never out of the play, ranging sideline to sideline to make tackles. He also displays an explosive element as a blitzer, and he has the speed to be effective in multiple alignments either around the edge or coming from the inside on stunts.

The biggest negative with Carter is his size, which precludes him from being considered an every down LB. He lacks the frame and strength to take on and shed blockers at the POA. His best fit is probably as a stand up 3-4 Coverage OLB or a weakside 4-3 LB where he can scrape and sift through the backside to make plays and be used as a blitzer. Being used in this capacity will limit his exposure to taking on bigger linemen and lead blockers to be able to make plays and will capitalize on his ability in coverage. With his role on defense being so scheme and position specific, I think he will be a mid to late day two selection. He could fall even further pending the pre-draft process and potentially further if the right team doesn’t materialize on the first two days of the draft.

I do not see him as a fit for the Chargers at all. Even if the team either resigns or replaces Perryman during free agency to fill the run stopping role, the Chargers do not have the scheme or roster to add a smaller rotational coverage OLB. Unless they made him a sub package linebacker because of his coverage ability, which is probably his only fit with the Chargers. If he were to fall into round five or later and the value was to good to pass, I do not see him being drafted by this regime. Good player, bad fit.