CHARGERS DRAFT SERIES: Bolts eye running back to go after Burner

Turner's departure has Chargers searching for L.T.'s new backup

By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Monday, April 21, 2008 4:49 AM PDT ∞

LaDainian Tomlinson will have a new backup this season following the departure of Michael Turner to the Falcons. BILL WECHTER/Staff photo

SAN DIEGO ---- LaDainian Tomlinson won't play for the Chargers forever. In fact, he admitted last season that longevity-wise he's on the downside of his career.

Shortly after he reached 10,000 career rushing yards during his seventh NFL season, Tomlinson shot down any chance that he would play the six or seven more seasons it would take to chase down Emmitt Smith's career rushing-yardage record of 18,355 yards.

With four seasons remaining on Tomlinson's contract, there's no overwhelming urgency to find his eventual replacement. But it definitely rates as a priority to find someone who can spell Tomlinson this season and fill the void left by free agent Michael Turner's departure.

This year's draft is a good time to be in need of a running back. There are high-end talents in Arkansas' Darren McFadden, Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall and Oregon's Jonathan Stewart. There are intriguing players such as Texas' Jamaal Charles, Arkansas' Felix Jones and East Carolina's Chris Johnson and there are a slew of third- or fourth-round talents that could develop into productive starting backs.

Barring a trade, the Chargers won't have picks in the second, third and fourth rounds. But there will likely be a quality running back still on the board in the fifth round, which is the same round in which the Chargers selected Turner in the 2004 draft.

The Chargers will undoubtedly draft a running back at some point. But in what round is the mystery.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith has never been one to care about when in the draft he finds a player as long as he gets his man.

"I'm more interested in the player than I am the round," said Smith, talking in general and not specifically about running backs. "A lot of people get caught up in the round."

There will certainly be some teams hoping to catch a future superstar in the first round.

McFadden might be the best athlete in the entire draft. He can break the long runs as well as gain the tough yards. He even threw seven career touchdown passes at Arkansas. He'll definitely be among the first half-dozen players selected.

Mendenhall is a power back who gains a lot of yards after contact. He's viewed as a player who will improve over time after gaining 1,681 yards last season in his first season as a full-time starter. He should be gone by the middle of the first round.

Stewart set an Oregon record with 1,722 rushing yards and has an impressive blend of size and speed. Durability issues have caused him to be graded slightly below Mendenhall. He'll go somewhere in the second half of the first round, but it's highly doubtful he'll be on the board when the Chargers pick at No. 27.

Charles and Jones are both impressive talents who have the same question hovering above them: Can they carry the load over an entire 16-game season? Either player could go late in the first round or early in the second.

Johnson was highly productive at East Carolina primarily because of his speed. He has had fumble issues and underwent neck surgery two years ago. Expected to be taken somewhere in the second round, Johnson could develop into more of a change-of-pace back rather than an every-down back.

Ray Rice of Rutgers was a highly productive college player but has speed and size issues. He stands just 5-foot-8. But the success of Jacksonville's pint-sized Maurice Jones-Drew might prompt a team to take Rice in the second round.

Tulane's Matt Forte and Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice are under-the-radar backs who could flourish in the right system. Central Florida's Kevin Smith doesn't have ideal speed but led the nation with 2,567 rushing yards last season.

West Virginia's Steve Slaton isn't viewed as an every-down NFL back but showed the ability to break long runs at any time in college. Michigan's Mike Hart likely won't go before the fourth round because he lacks the measurables NFL teams look for, but he was a very productive four-year starter for the Wolverines.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.