San Diego Chargers snag DE Joey Bosa with third overall pick

SAN DIEGO -- The Bolts got a Buckeye.

The Chargers snagged Ohio State's Joey Bosa with the NFL Draft's third overall pick.

Bosa, a defensive end coming off his second All-America season, will be asked to boost a pass rush that was sporadic.

While Melvin Ingram led the Chargers with 10.5 sacks last year, it wasn't enough to expose a leaky secondary on a 4-12 team.

With Bosa's arrival, the Chargers get a disruptive force who was the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 13.5 sacks last year (26 in his career) and added 21 tackles for loss.

"I'm so happy, so relieved," the 6-foot-5, 269-pound Bosa said. "San Diego is going to be awesome. I can't wait to play for the Chargers. I'm going to give them everything I have every single day."

Many thought the Chargers would address their offensive line needs, selecting either Ole Miss' Laremy Tunsil or Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley. Or possibly shore up a secondary with Florida's Jalen Ramsey, after it lost All-Pro safety Eric Weddle to free agency.

Or if going with a defensive lineman, it would be Oregon's DeForest Buckner, not Bosa.

But Bosa was their guy.

The Chargers decided to keep pace in the AFC West, they needed multiple pass-rushing threats. With Oakland, Kansas City and Denver all featuring at least two productive rushers, the Chargers, who didn't win a divisional game last year, hope they have followed suit.

The Chargers haven't finished in the top 10 in sacks since 2010.

Bosa seemed as surprised as others that the Chargers plucked him so high in the draft.

"There were a lot of great players," Bosa said. "For them to pick me third overall is amazing. I can't wait to get out there."

If he stays at end along the Chargers' 3-4 line, Bosa fills a need. The Chargers let Kendall Reyes leave after the season and need someone sturdy to play opposite of Corey Liuget.

Bosa, who played end in a 4-3 alignment at Ohio State, could also aid a challenged run defense. The Chargers ranked near the bottom in every significant run-defense category.

But he's been brought in to put heat on quarterbacks. In whatever package that translates into, Bosa will be rushing the edge on passing downs.