SAN DIEGO – As we begin our preview of the tight ends available in the 2012 NFL Draft, here’s a look at players the Chargers have drafted at the position.
Player: Pete Holohan
Drafted: 1981, seventh round (189th overall)
School: Notre Dame
Career with Chargers: One of the leading pass-catchers of the Don Coryell/Dan Fouts era behind Charlie Joiner, Kellen Winslow and Wes Chandler, Holohan thrived in the two-tight end, downfield offense. Holohan finished second on the team to Joiner with 56 catches and 734 yards in ’84, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. He played 90 games for San Diego, catching 171 passes for 2,073 yards before finishing his career elsewhere.
Player: Eric Sievers
Drafted: 1981, fourth round (107th overall)
School: Maryland
Career with Chargers: A near mirror of Holohan’s career, Sievers was option 2B for the Chargers at tight end behind Winslow. Perhaps the best run-blocker of the three, Sievers played 97 games for San Diego, catching 152 passes for 1,793 yards and 16 touchdowns. Like Holohan, he bounced around the NFL the final few seasons of his career.
Player: Kellen Winslow
Drafted: 1979, first round (13th overall)
School: Missouri
Career with Chargers: A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Chargers Hall of Fame, Winslow also earned a spot on the NFL’s 75th-Anniversary All-Time Team, was a first-team All-Pro selection on three occasions, and is a member of the Chargers’ 50th-Anniversary All-Time Team. Winslow is third in franchise history with 541 career catches behind Charlie Joiner and ![]()
| OTHER DRAFTED TIGHT ENDS | |||
| Year | Player | Round Drafted | School |
| 2010 | Dedrick Epps | 7th (235 overall) | Miami |
| 2007 | Scott Chandler | 4th (129) | Iowa |
| 2004 | Ryan Krause | 6th (169) | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 2002 | Justin Peele | 4th (103) | Oregon |
| 1999 | Steve Heiden | 3rd (69) | South Dakota State |
| 1997 | Freddie Jones | 2nd (45) | North Carolina |
| 1996 | Brian Roche | 3rd (81) | San Jose State |
| 1994 | Aaron Laing | 5th (137) | New Mexico State |
| 1992 | Deems May | 7th (174) | North Carolina |
| 1991 | Duane Young | 5th (123) | Michigan State |
| 1990 | Derrick Walker | 6th (163) | Michigan |
| 1989 | Pat Davis | 9th (231) | Syracuse |
| 1987 | Rod Bernstine | 1st (24) | Texas A&M |
| 1985 | Bret Pearson | 12th (329) | Wisconsin |
| 1978 | Charles Price | 10th (264) | Cincinnati |
| 1977 | Jim Stansik | 12th (319) | Eastern Michigan |
| 1976 | Ron Singleton | 4th (113) | Grambling |
| 1975 | Charles Waddell | 5th (125) | North Carolina |
| 1974 | Dave Grannell | 11th (261) | Arizona State |
| Greg Meczka | 15th (386) | Bowling Green | |
| 1973 | James Thaxton | 4th (84) | Tennessee State |
| Gary Parris | 15th (372) | Florida State | |
| 1972 | Jim Bishop | 5th (116) | Tennessee Tech |
| John Turner | 11th (270) | Long Beach State | |
| 1971 | John Tanner | 9th (221) | Tennessee Tech |
| Gary Nowak | 10th (247) | Michigan State | |
| 1970 | Bill Maddox | 4th (94) | Syracuse |
| Howard Gravelle | 12th (302) | UC Davis | |
| 1969 | Willie Norwood | 11th (278) | Alcorn A&M |
| 1968 | William Perry | 5th (129) | Kent State |
| Dan Andrews | 17th (453) | West Texas State | |