Power Ranking Number 3: San Diego Chargers

True the San Diego Chargers have some players that are thinking about long hold outs in wide receiver Vincent Jackson & offensive tackle Marcus McNeill that could last until the tenth week of the season. But the Chargers still do have on of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Phillip Rivers and one of the best tight ends in Antonio Gates. With Jackson most likely holding out for a long time wide receiver Malcom Floyd will have to step up and become the number one receiver and former first round pick Buster Davis will have to show that he isn’t a first round bust. The Chargers drafted running back Ryan Mathews in the first round this year and expect a lot out of him running the football and also will use him in the passing game and they still have do everything back Darren Sproles.

On defense the Chargers play a 3-4 defense and hope that outside linebacker Shawne Merriman signing his offer sheet and comes out and had a lights out season, but there is still a possibility that he could get traded something before the seasons starts. If that happens that is why last year in the first round they drafted outside linebacker Larry English to along with the other outside linebacker Shaun Phillips. With the trading of cornerback Antonio Cromartie that means that former first round pick Antoine Cason starts this year opposite Quentin Jammer. The Chargers had a hard time stopping the run last season and are counting on rookie Cam Thomas to be an anchor at the nose tackle spot since they lost Jamal Williams to the Denver Broncos.

The Chargers are a very talents team and also play in one of the weaker divisions in all of the NFL in the AFC West so they should win the division again this season with no problem and then it is on to the playoffs where the last few seasons things haven’t gone they way the Chargers expected them to. The Chargers are hoping the Jackson, McNeill and Merriman don’t hold out into the season, but if they do they have people they fell can replace them, but it does hurt their depth. But expect the Chargers to be in the Super Bowl hunt no matter if those three are with them or not.

Southern Illinois Karim not a sleeper anymore

Southern Illinois running back Deji Karim came into the NFL Draft process without a lot of fan fare, but he is one of the fast rising players as we lead up to the NFL Draft. He was one of the NFL Draft sleepers when he first arrived in El Paso, TX for the Texas vs. the Nation game, but he is a sleeper no more.

Karim this past season rushed for 1,694 yard and 18 touchdowns averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 212 yards and 1 touchdown averaging 12.5 per reception. He was invited to play in the Texas vs. the Nation game, but was given an invite to the NFL Combine.

“At first it was a disappointment (not to get invited to the NFL Combine), but I knew I had to do something at my Pro Day to open their (NFL scouts) eyes,” said Karim.

Karim did just that at his Pro Day, where he, out jumped the best running back in Indianapolis by two inches in the vertical jump (43 inches). Karim measured in at 5-8 1/2, 209 pounds and ran the 40 yard dash in 4.40 seconds, the short shuttle in 4.33 seconds, and the three-cone drill in 6.95 seconds. He measured a 10-foot-3 inch broad jump and did 19 reps of 225 pounds.

“I start training down in Florida even before the Texas vs. the Nation game, and it really helped me their and also get everything out of my ability to have a great Pro Day,” said Karim.

After his performance at the Texas vs. the Nation game and his Pro Day, people started to take notice of him and he end up having personal visiting with a number of teams including the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Indianapolis Colts.

But despite all the post season success that Karim is having he knows he can still improve.

“I need to work on my blocking, I have the effort but I need to improve on my technique,” said Karim. “I also need to work on my vision at the second level when I’m running the ball.”

With Karim being one of the fast risers on every teams draft board soon we will all find out what team he goes to.

S Mike Newton, Buffalo: Pro Day Star

Buffalo safety Mike Newton had a great pro day to open up the pro day schedule that NFL Scouts, GM and Head Coaches will be attending in the next month leading up to the NFL Draft. Newton who has started since his red-shirt freshman year was 5-10 197 pounds, ran a 4.46 and a 4.48, 40 yard dash, which would have been second for all safeties at the NFL Combine. He had a 41 inch vertical jump again which would have been tied for second among all safeties at the NFL Combine with USC Taylor Mays. He had a 10 foot broard jump, ran a 6.94 3 cone drill, a 4.17, 20 yard shuttle. The only thing that he didn’t do as well was the 225 bench, which he only had 9 reps.

There where 12 teams at the work which where the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and the Atlanta Falcons. He was also asked to defensive back drills by the Packers, Eagles, Bills, Browns, Jets and Saints.

New York Jets at San Diego Preview

Can the New York Jets come up with another win? They have played some great football these last three weeks to allow them to get to San Diego, both on offense and defense and will need another great game against the Chargers if they want to move on to the AFC Championship game.

The Jets have keep the game plan very simple they want to run the football with running backs Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene and not ask rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to have to go out there and win the game. The Jets have one of the best if not the best cornerback in the NFL in Darrelle Revis and he will be asked to match up with San Diego’s best wide receiver Vincent Jackson and shut him down. The problem is that the Chargers have a lot of weapons in the passing game, including tight end Antonio Gates, wide receiver Malcom Floyd and running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles.

The game is going to come down to can the New York Jets defense stop the Chargers offense and quarterback Philip Rivers, I don’t think that will happen and see Rivers as being the difference maker in the game as the Changers move on the AFC Championship game.