With the sixteenth pick in the 2009 draft, the San Diego Chargers chose Larry English from Northern Illinois. English comes in at 6’2” and 274 lbs. The Chargers have one of the best sack specialists in the NFL with Shawn Merriman, but wanted to add depth to their blitz attack with English. English is also a possibility to fill in for Merriman if he misses any more time.

At Northern Illinois, English dominated the Mid-American Conference. He won the Vern Smith Leadership Award twice. His college career includes 31.5 sacks and 63 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He played his senior year with pins in a broken thumb but still managed 8 sacks. He turned down a scholarship offer to the University of Iowa that could have brought him more national attention. He also suffered injuries throughout his career, bringing his stats down. Despite those facts, he has made a name for himself on the gridiron.

Larry English is the definition of football player. He is tough, works hard, and is intimidating on the field. His strength is above average for the position. He works on every down, not stopping until the ball is dead. He uses his hands a lot to break free from blocks. English is a solid tackler who knows how to wrap up his man.

A big question surrounds English’s competition at the collegiate level. Some of his basic techniques are lacking and that may be due to the level of play in the Mid-American Conference. His speed isn’t all there when he goes to the corners and he doesn’t always have the brute strength to rush straight through blockers. Under a player like Merriman, English will be able to learn a lot about the position at the pro-level.