We are just three days away from the 2020 NFL Draft.
With that being said, we wanted to rank every position based on level of need for the Chargers entering the draft:
We’ll start from the bottom and work our way up.
11. Safety
The Chargers have a strong corps with Derwin James, Rayshawn Jenkins, Nasir Adderley and possibly Desmond King being thrown in the mix. Los Angeles doesn’t need to make major additions, but they could benefit from more depth in the undrafted free agency pool.
10. Tight end
Hunter Henry will be back for at least one more year after having the franchise tag placed on him. Virgil Green, Sean Culkin and newly acquired Donald Parham will serve as depth pieces. Like the safety position, the Chargers could afford signing one after the draft if need be, especially for insurance.
9. Defensive tackle
There is still hope for the young tandem of Jerry Tillery and Justin Jones. The addition of Linval Joseph is big for the middle of the defensive line, but they need more depth at the nose tackle position. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team chose to re-sign Damion Square or Sylvester Williams after the draft.
8. Edge rusher
Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram have been a dynamic duo for the past few seasons, but both of them are slated to become free agents – barring any extension between now and then. Uchenna Nwosu has proven to have a significant workload, but they should look to add another situational pass-rusher into the mix.
7. Guard
Newly acquired Trai Turner will shore up the right guard spot. But the left side is still questionable with the up and down play of Dan Feeney and durability concerns of Forrest Lamp. It remains to be seen if Trent Scott will slide down to guard, too.
6. Running back/Fullback
Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson have proven to be a reliable one-two punch. But the backfield could benefit from one more member, primarily a bigger back to compliment the two, especially because Ekeler will still have responsibilities of lining up out wide and in the slot. Coach Anthony Lynn made the point that they will also fill in Derek Watt’s spot rather than choosing to leave the position empty.
5. Cornerback
The Chargers signed Chris Harris Jr., adding a four-time Pro Bowler in the slot. However, the outside corner spot opposite of Casey Hayward is still questionable because Michael Davis was up-and-down last season combined with the inability to stay on the field the last few games. On top of that, he only has one more year remaining on his contract.
4. Wide receiver
Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are both coming off productive seasons, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards. However, there is no one behind the two that can be called upon. Travis Benjamin was released and the other guys at the position didn’t produce when they had the opportunity last season. Look for the Chargers to add someone who is capable of taking the top off of defenses.
3. Linebacker
The Chargers struck gold with former fourth-round selection Drue Tranquill, but there are a lot of questions in regards to the positional group. Thomas Davis was let go of, Jatavis Brown signed with the Eagles, Denzel Perryman only has one more year remaining on his contract, and there appear to be durability concerns with Kyzir White, who sustained a knee injury in 2018.
2. Offensive tackle
The Chargers signed Bryan Bulaga, solidifying the right tackle spot. But the left tackle position remains at question. Former third-round pick Trey Pipkins is currently the projected starter, but it remains to be seen if he needs more time to develop. General manager Tom Telesco said that Forrest Lamp and Sam Tevi could be in the mix to start, no one knows if Lamp will stay healthy and Tevi has proven to be a liability.
1. Quarterback
The most important position on the field. After coming up short in the Tom Brady sweepstakes, Tyrod Taylor is slated to start the upcoming season. With Taylor’s contract expiring after this season, they need a plan for the future now, which is why Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Utah State’s Jordan Love should be at the very top of their big board.