5 potential replacements for Chargers’ Melvin Ingram in 2021 NFL draft

The Los Angeles Chargers should be looking for more help off the edge this offseason.

Melvin Ingram will be one of the most sought out options this offseason. While Ingram has been a key piece of the defense and locker room for years now, his time in the blue and gold is up in the air.

If the Chargers choose to not re-sign Ingram, the team will be thin at edge rusher. There’s Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu but not much else behind them.

With that being said, here are five prospects that Los Angeles should consider as replacements for Ingram in this year’s draft.

Quincy Roche, Miami

Roche eclipsed 11 quarterback pressures in three games for the Hurricanes in 2020. In total, he posted 27 pressures and 3.5 sacks. The year before that, he amassed 68 quarterback pressures, 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for Temple in 2019.

Roche, the 6-foot-2 and 243 pounder, is a slippery rusher with the initial burst, functional strength, and length to threaten the pocket on a regular basis and defend the run, projecting as a promising outside linebacker at the next level.

Jordan Smith, UAB

In his first season at UAB, Smith finished with 53 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. This past season in eight games, Smith amassed 22 tackles, nine for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and an interception.

Smith has the explosiveness, length and great agility to win around the edge and the ability to hold his own the run game. He needs to add some counter moves to be a more well-rounded player but with refinement, he could be a steal.

Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State

Earning first-team All-American honors in 2019, Rashed burst onto the scene in 2019. That season he amassed 62 total tackles, 14.0 sacks, and 22.5 tackles for loss. Despite a lack of production in his senior season, his tools still translate to the next level.

His pass-rush arsenal lacks variety, and his production is based more on effort and athleticism than technique. However, Rashed is only scratching the surface of his ability and shows the athleticism, competitive toughness and physical traits to be a productive NFL pass rusher.

Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma

Perkins had at least five sacks in every season and had a career-high 13.5 tackles for loss in 2019. He followed that up with arguably his best season in 2020.

In only six games, Perkins had 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for losses en route to being named Pro Football Focus’ second-best edge defender.

Perkins is a naturally gifted pass rusher, with an excellent first step, a very good ability to get up the arc and out-leverage tackles and closing burst, while showing great competitive toughness and physicality.

He doesn’t have the ideal length and he must improve his use of hands at the next level, but he is a guy who could be posting double-digit sacks in the NFL.

Shaka Toney, Penn State

Toney led the Nittany Lions this past season with five sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss were second. In his 47-game Penn State career, Toney finished with 20.5 sacks, which was eighth on the program’s all-time list, and had five games with two or more sacks.

Overall, Toney is a twitchy & athletic pass rusher, who has the ideal profile to play in space as a 3-4 OLB. His ability to string pass rushing moves together, while utilizing his excellent quickness, cornering/flexibility at the top of the arc and speed in space is invaluable.