SAN DIEGO ---- Don't expect a quick answer out of the Chargers concerning their No. 1 draft pick. None will be forthcoming.

"I have no idea who we are going to pick," coach Marty Schottenheimer said.

Come on, Marty, you have the first pick in the draft. You and general manager A.J. Smith must have some idea, don't you?

"I really don't know," Schottenheimer said.

Said Smith: "It's too soon."

This is an organization that loves secrecy. Reporters are not allowed to watch practice, and we are not allowed to talk to Schottenheimer's assistant coaches. It is Schottenheimer's one-voice theory, which is a bad one.

In the case of selecting the first player in the draft, however, the Chargers are wise to remain silent. There is no reason for them to tip their hand to anyone. They should be good poker players and not let anyone know whether they are going to hold 'em or fold 'em.

The thinking among the Chargers is the less said the better the offers will be for that coveted first pick.

Believe me, someone will come to the Chargers ala Monty Hall and say, "Let's Make a Deal." Until draft day April 24, Smith and his staff will go over every possible scenario and keep the details to themselves.

It would seem obvious that the Chargers should use the pick on a franchise quarterback such as Mississippi's Eli Manning or Miami of Ohio's Ben Roethlisberger.

Then again, there are so many holes to fill in the offensive and defensive lines, not to mention at linebacker, that the Chargers could use more than one first-round pick. They might want to follow the lead of the San Francisco 49ers' 2000 draft. The 49ers traded down several times to get two picks in each of the first three rounds.

Out of that draft came five defenders who have started for the 49ers: Julian Peterson, Ahmed Plummer, John Engelberger, Jason Webster and Jeff Ulbrich. For good measure, they picked up backup quarterback Tim Rattay in the seventh round.

Ourlads Scouting Services, which keeps track of such things, rates San Francisco's draft as the best in 2000. The Chargers should be so fortunate. First, they need to find out where they stand before they can ---- and this is being very positive ---- can move forward.

The first order of business is to get new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips up to speed on what he has to work with. Phillips spent the past three seasons in Atlanta and admitted he doesn't know much about the Chargers' defense.

He will find out quickly that the defense is lacking. It is young, fast, easily confused and not very physical.

Phillips said he likes to see players in the classroom and on the field to get a proper evaluation, but he won't get that chance before the draft. He will have to make judgments by watching them on film.

"You can see those players on film, but when you're in the classroom with them and you're on the field during the game with them, you know more about them," Phillips said.

He said he would rely on Schottenheimer and the other coaches to fill him on what makes each defender tick.

"Marty has a wealth of experience knowing players, so I am going to utilize that," Phillips said.

The one player Phillips does know is Marcellus Wiley. He coached him in Buffalo, where Wiley recorded 10 1/2 sacks in 2000, his final year there before moving to San Diego.

"As far as Marcellus, he's a great guy and a great worker and I think he'll respond to our coaching," Phillips said. "He'll have a good year this year."

The Chargers' brass plans to meet after the Super Bowl and go over every player in the organization. This has become an annual self-diagnosis session. Out of those meetings come the answers to such questions as the following: