CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
SAAHDIQ CHARLES
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
6-foot-4
320 pounds
20 years old
BIG PICTURE
Even though Saahdiq Charles ended as a champion at LSU, it doesn’t mean he didn’t have some trials during his three-year career. Charles dealt with shoulder issues early on with the Tigers and was suspended six games as a junior for an unspecified rules violation. He’s played mostly left tackle but dabbled at right tackle (and sparingly at guard). His analytics don’t wow, but if he can get healthy and stay out of trouble there may be potential here.
COMBINE NOTABLES
5.05 40-yard dash (T-6th)
VIKINGS COMPATIBILITY RANKING
2.5 out of 5. Charles may fall into Day 3, which could mean a value flier for the team that takes him.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Charles is a plus-athlete with good bend and agility but the lack of core strength could linger as a concern early in his career. He needs to play with better snap quickness and body control to help him control both the first and second phases of run blocks. He’s not a waist-bender, but he does play too far forward in both run and pass blocking and defenders took advantage of that. Charles has a corral mentality in his pass sets even though he shows decent sustain and mirror once he gets locked in. His ability to recover is a big saving grace in his favor right now. He lacks desired tackle size and is still a work in progress, but he has enough traits to warrant consideration as a swing tackle with guard potential.”
Joe Marino, Draft Network: “LSU offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles’ mobility, fluidity and experience in five-man protections make him an appealing developmental option for teams that run a spread offense that also likes to get their offensive linemen out in space. With that said, there is major technical development needed with his punch, footwork and the need for added functional strength that is necessary for him to be relied upon on Sunday’s. Charles has an exciting ceiling with improvement but there’s considerable work needed.”
WHAT PFF SAYS
Overall grade under 70 all three seasons
20+ pressures allowed each season
70.0 run-block grade (above average)
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
