The Chargers have a few offseason needs that need to be addressed, with the wide receiver position being one of them.
Last season, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams both topped 1,000 receiving yards, but there was no production from the guys at the position outside of those two.
Los Angeles also recently mutually parted ways with Travis Benjamin, indicating that they will likely be looking to find a reliable third receiver within the next couple of months.
Luckily, the wide receiver class in this year’s draft is one of the deepest positional groups. Therefore, they will plenty of options that can be found as early as Round 2 and beyond.
With that, here are nine receivers that the Bolts should target in April:
Jalen Reagor, TCU
Reagor is one of the fastest receivers in this year’s class, but it’s more than just his straight-line speed that makes him so dangerous. While many receivers have track-like speed, the former Horned Frog has the functional athleticism, burst and agility that makes him so lethal in the open field. Speed is something Los Angeles has been lacking at the wide receiver position. Given his blazing speed and elusiveness in the open field, he would be able to serve as a return specialist, too.
Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
In a league where getting open and stretching the field has become a must to have offensive success, there’s no denying that Aiyuk has a skillset that matches what is being needed in today’s NFL. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Aiyuk has been blessed with an uncommon blend of burst, agility and track-like long speed. He’s also explosive as a return specialist. He averaged 34 yards per kick return and 16 yards per punt return. The bottom line is that Aiyuk’s play-making athleticism is what would be the selling point for the Bolts.
Denzel Mims, Baylor
Mims has been getting top-100 buzz throughout the pre-draft process, but it would be surprising if he gets out of the top-50 after his Combine. At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Mims ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, a 6.66 3-cone drill and posted a 38.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-11 broad jump and 16 reps on the bench press with 34-inch arms. Mims would be a nice No. 3 option where he would be lined up on the outside, winning with his speed, wide catch radius and blocking ability.
Van Jefferson, Florida
In a league where winning at the line of scrimmage is essential, Jefferson possesses the skillset to do so. He isn’t going to win with physicality or speed, but he will with his route running and quickness at the top of his routes. When open, he uses his frame and strong hands at the catch point to reel in the football. Jefferson also has the ability to be a special teams contributor due to his speed and competitive nature.
Devin Duvernay, Texas
A high school track star in the state of Texas, Duvernay is a deep threat and an effective short area receiver. Built like a running back, Duvernay possesses the route savvy, explosiveness and long speed to beat defenders, sticky hands, vision, and blue-collar toughness. In four seasons for the Longhorns, Duvernay posted 176 receptions for 2,468 yards (14 yards per catch) and 16 touchdowns. The 5-foot-10 and 200 pounder also offers special teams value because of his runaway speed and tackle-breaking ability.
Quartney Davis, Texas A&M
Davis came on the map after an impressive campaign for the Aggies this past season. The 6-foot-1 and 201 pounder caught 54 passes for 616 yards and four touchdowns in 2019. Davis possesses very good speed, quickness and acceleration, where he can stretch the field and is an absolute terror in the open space. He competes in his routes and plays tough.
John Hightower, Boise State
While at Hinds Community College in Mississippi, he competed and earned sixth-place in the 400-meter hurdle and in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) outdoor nationals in 2016. On the football field, the track speed is evident, but he also possesses the separation skills, refined route running, ball skills and jumping ability to high point the football. Often used on sweep plays, Hightower is a threat to break off for a huge play whenever the ball is in his hands.
Gabriel Davis, UCF
Davis had a productive career at the college level. He caught 152 passes for 2,447 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns during his time at UCF. Davis, who ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, isn’t going to be known as a burner. However, he is a good athlete that is physical at the line of scrimmage and has the vertical separation skills, where he’s fluid and sudden with his routes and has enough build-up speed.
James Proche, SMU
Proche, the 5-foot-10 and 201 pounder, doesn’t have the prototypical measurements like these other wideouts in this year’s class, but he plays bigger than the numbers suggest. Proche is an explosive athlete who has great straight-line speed and has a big strike zone, showing the ability to go up and high-point the football and reel in every 50-50 pass thrown his way. He also has the ability to serve as a return specialist, given his speed and skills in open field.