The 2020 NFL Draft is nearly a week away, which means we are on the final leg of mock drafts.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently compiled his fourth mock draft, in which he gave the Chargers the quarterback of the future and a running back to bolster the backfield.
Kiper kicked things off by slotting former Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 6 overall selection.
With Herbert going to Miami in this scenario, Tagovailoa is there for the Chargers, and he’d create some much-needed buzz around a team that is competing with the Rams in a huge market. The Chargers also have Tyrod Taylor to play right away, so Tagovailoa could take his time with his rehab from the injury that ended his season in November. If the Chargers decide to pass on a quarterback with this pick, keep an eye on their taking the top offensive tackle on the board.
Tagovailoa to Los Angeles has been a more popular pairing as of late because many believe that the Dolphins are now all in on Oregon QB Justin Herbert.
Originally, if L.A. wanted Tua they would have to jump in front of Miami in order to secure him. Now there’s a possibility that the former Alabama product could slide to where they’re picking.
There are many that are concerned with his injury history, but Tagovailoa has made steady progress with his recovery, recently going through a 75-throw workout that showed him moving around effortlessly.
Tagovailoa is the type of quarterback that Chargers are looking for, bringing a rare skillset to the table as a passer. He has the characteristics and leadership ability they would covet. His presence would also aide in bringing fans into their brand new stadium.
With their second-round pick Kiper has the Bolts taking Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins.
This is a great landing spot for Dobbins, a north-south runner who ran for 2,003 yards last season. With Melvin Gordon gone and Austin Ekeler taking over the lead role, Dobbins can work his way into the rotation and pick up first downs. The Chargers have the talent to make a run at a wild-card spot this season — if they can get consistent quarterback play.
Recently, I made three bold predictions, with one of them being Los Angeles taking a running back in Round 2. Kiper doesn’t think it’s far fetched.
After the departure of Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson make up the backfield.
Can Ekeler and Jackson get the job done? Absolutely. However, with their new offense likely to shift to a zone scheme and involve more run-pass options (RPOs), the running game will be a priority.
Allowing Ekeler to still serve a Swiss-Army knife and Jackson to be a third-down option, while adding Dobbins to be the feature back would give Los Angeles one of the best backfields they’ve had in years.
Dobbins wins with his tough and physical downhill running style, displaying great vision and contact balance to break off defenders. In the pass game, he is a solid check-down option and he’s a reliable pass protector.
In 42 career games, Dobbins totaled 4,459 rushing yards, 71 receptions for 645 yards and 43 total touchdowns.