Tag: Chargers mock draft

Chargers get best player available, fill holes in Chad Reuter’s latest 4-round mock draft

Breaking down the Chargers’ picks in Chad Reuter’s latest four-round mock draft.

The Chargers have a smidge bit of leeway heading into the NFL draft after addressing a few positional needs in free agency, but there are still some critical spots on the roster that need to be filled next month.

In NFL Media’s Chad Reuter’s latest four-round mock draft, he sees Los Angeles taking the best player available at a glaring position of need in the first round and building out the depth chart the rest of the way out.

In Round 1, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. falls in their lap.

The Cardinals, who have the No. 4 overall pick, trade back with the Vikings in this scenario. Minnesota takes their quarterback of the future in J.J. McCarthy, leaving Harrison for the taking.

With Keenan Allen and Mike Williams gone, the Bolts must add to the wideout room in the worst way.

Harrison is a bonafide star skill player with athleticism, speed, route-running savvy and elite ball skills. He would quickly develop close chemistry with Justin Herbert and boost the offense significantly.

In Round 2, L.A. takes defensive tackle Braden Fiske.

Fiske, the 6-foot-4 and 292-pounder, was a standout at the NFL Scouting Combine. He led all defensive tackles in the vertical (33.5″), broad jump (9’9), and 40-yard dash (4.78 seconds).

That immense athleticism shows up on the football field, as Fiske plays with good movement skills and quickness. While he possesses below-average length, Fiske is crafty with his hands and is strong at the point of attack.

The Chargers signed Poona Ford last week, but they still need to fill out the interior part of the defensive line depth chart.

In Round 3, the Chargers select cornerback DJ James.

James has a lot of experience, having spent his final two seasons at Auburn after three with Oregon. He is a great athlete with the desired coverage skills and knack for the football, as evidenced by leading the SEC in forced incompletions (15) in 2023.

With their first pick in the fourth round, Los Angeles selects running back Will Shipley.

Shipley shows the burst, decisiveness, and receiving ability to be a rotational back, which are all traits that the Bolts could use in the backfield as they look to finish building out the group.

With the additional fourth-round pick they got from the Bears in return for Keenan Allen, L.A. takes offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea.

Jim Harbaugh wants to be more physical up front to aid the running game and that means bolstering the offensive line with his guys. Laumea is an experienced player who logged 44 straight games between right tackle and right guard. He is a fleet-footed mover with a nasty streak.

Daniel Jeremiah’s new mock draft has Chargers trading out of Marvin Harrison Jr.

Daniel Jeremiah chose chaos.

Daniel Jeremiah’s self-proclaimed “chaos” mock draft left some Chargers fans asking questions after he projected the team trading out of the Marvin Harrison Jr. pick at 5.

The compensation, in particular, was a confusing aspect here. Trading up into the top five is historically expensive, yet the Chargers yielded just a 2025 second-rounder. This is partially because the Jets are low on premium draft capital if you’re trying to create a scenario where they trade up into the top five.

It’s not inconceivable that the Chargers could trade out of the fifth pick, even with Harrison Jr. on the board. They have significant roster holes, and as we saw with the Keenan Allen trade, Joe Hortiz is willing to play the long game. But any trade value chart that one could consult suggests that LA gets much more than the compensation projected in this mock.

The Chargers ended up drafting Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga at pick 10 after their trade down. Fuaga has been a name that’s been projected to the Bolts before, with his physicality as a blocker and the goal of bulking up their run blocking. Interestingly, Jeremiah has Fuaga starting at right guard in Year 1, with Trey Pipkins presumably keeping his right tackle spot. That would send one of Jamaree Salyer or Zion Johnson to the bench.

The connection between Jim Harbaugh and having trench-built teams with strong offensive lines is understandable. However, I’m not sure this offensive line needs as much uprooting as some draft analysts believe. The Chargers signed Bradley Bozeman to address arguably their biggest weakness on the line. It’s one thing to take Joe Alt or Fuaga if the reasoning is simply that Pipkins is more serviceable than elite. But again, the more chronic need right now is wide receiver, given how they’ve maneuvered.

This draft has a great wide receiver class to Jeremiah’s point. But even with the Chargers’ depth issues, it doesn’t make sense for them to trade out of selecting Harrison, Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze for this small of a package in return. With needs at linebacker, running back, tight end, cornerback and interior defensive line, I’m also not sure if it’s the best thing to need two wide receivers in the draft going into April.

Breaking down Chargers’ pick in Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft

The Chargers trade back in Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his latest mock draft on Tuesday.

Let’s break down what one of the highly touted draft analysts thinks for Los Angeles in the 2024 NFL draft after the NFL Scouting Combine.

Round 1, No. 9, OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State (via Bears)

Brugler included a few trades in this mock draft, including the Chargers, who moved back four spots with the Bears. Chicago jumped up to grab Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. In return, Los Angeles acquired a third-round pick (No. 75 overall) and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

The Bolts selected Fuaga at No. 9 overall to take over as the team’s starting right tackle. Jim Harbaugh has a vision of running the ball, and they need road graders up front to make it come to fruition. Fuaga is a massive man with the power and plus run-blocking skills.

Joe Alt has been the commonly mocked player to the Chargers at No. 5 overall, but I believe that if they want to address the offensive line, they’re better off trading down to get a true right tackle, like Fuaga or Alabama’s JC Latham and acquiring more draft ammo.

Chargers post-2024 NFL Scouting Combine 4-round mock draft

The Chargers trade back eight spots and end up with six picks in the first four rounds.

This year’s NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, with those who performed well skyrocketing up draft boards while those who had a week to forget fade into obscurity.

Here are my four-round projections following the event.

Los Angeles Chargers three-round 2024 NFL mock draft Thursday 1.0

The Chargers select a wide receiver, cornerback and center.

The 2024 NFL draft is two months away, and we will supply you with in-depth coverage between now and then to inform you who the Chargers could be targeting when they’re on the clock.

With that being said, this will be the first installment of the three-round mock draft Thursday, where I will lay out different scenarios every week on how the first three rounds could play out for Los Angeles.

Chargers bolster trenches in Daniel Jeremiah’s second mock draft

The Chargers address the offensive line in Daniel Jeremiah’s second mock draft.

In NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah’s first mock draft, the Chargers took Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

In his second one, Los Angeles addresses the same side of the ball by getting Justin Herbert protection in Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.

This feels like a statement pick, seeing how it’ll be Jim Harbaugh’s first selection since becoming the Chargers’ head coach. Alt would take over at right tackle in short order. Keep in mind that new GM Joe Hortiz came from Baltimore, where eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden started at guard his rookie year before taking over at tackle.

Alt was a staple up front for the Fighting Irish over the past three seasons. He was a starter during his freshman year in 2021 and held that role throughout his college career.

A consensus All-American in 2023, Alt only allowed four sacks throughout his career and was the highest-graded offensive lineman in the country this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Chargers will look to improve the running game and ensure that Justin Herbert is kept upright, so Alt has been and will continue to be mocked to Los Angeles.

However, with Rashawn Slater at left tackle and Alt only playing that position his entire college career, that would require a change to right tackle over Trey Pipkins.

While it could be done, banking on it working with someone with the No. 5 overall selection might be a risk.

That’s why I believe they’re better off trading down and selecting a true right tackle, like Alabama’s JC Latham or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga.

Chargers take wide receiver in Touchdown Wire’s latest mock draft

The Chargers go wide receiver, and it is not Malik Nabers.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar put out his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, and he has the Chargers taking Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 5 overall selection.

LSU’s Malik Nabers has been the wide receiver commonly pegged to Los Angeles, but Odunze should also be in consideration when they’re on the clock.

While he doesn’t possess the same level of explosiveness as Nabers, Odunze is still a talented receiver with great size, good route running and savvy, strong hands, and contested catch ability.

Odunze set a school record this past season with 1,640 receiving yards, which was the most in the NCAA. His 92 receptions were just two shy of a single-season program record, and he was named a First-Team All-American.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh has already had a look at Odunze when Washington faced Michigan in the National Championship game. Odunze finished with five catches for 87 yards.

Mike Williams could be relieved to clear cap space. Keenan Allen could be a cap casualty too, but even if he stays, he isn’t getting any younger. Quentin Johnston still has to prove himself after an underwhelming rookie season. Odunze would be a solid addition to the positional room.

Chargers stack deck in Chad Reuter’s 3-round mock draft

The Los Angeles Chargers draft Brock Bowers, a cornerback and a defensive tackle.

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter released his latest three-round mock draft, where he sees the Chargers getting Justin Herbert a weapon in Round 1 and addressing the defensive side of the ball in the next two rounds.

With their first-round selection, Los Angeles selects former Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

Bowers has a chance to be the best player not named Caleb Williams in this draft because of his combination of reliable hands, strong running and blocking ability.

Bowers has been pegged to L.A. quite a bit and will continue to be until April’s draft rolls around. He provides the offense with a mismatch in the passing game and a serviceable run blocker. Bowers could quickly develop a solid rapport with Herbert.

In Round 2, L.A. addresses the secondary by selecting Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Rakestraw is a cornerback with great length and athleticism who possesses good speed and fluid hips, which allows him to match and stay in phase with receivers. Versus the run, he is an aggressive and willing tackler with good instincts.

With their selection in the third round, the Chargers add beef in the trenches with Miami defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III.

Taylor has the get-off and explosiveness to get in the backfield, as well as the strength and physicality to hold up against the run, but he will have to work on his pad level at the next level.

2024 NFL mock draft: Chargers trade back, add pair of Michigan players in three-round projections

The Chargers moved back five spots in this scenario.

The Chargers must load up on as much talent as possible this offseason to compete with the back-to-back Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, next season.

With the No. 5 overall selection, Los Angeles is in an excellent position to trade back and stockpile more draft picks.

For this mock draft, L.A. trades picks with the Jets, who move up five spots to select Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. Meanwhile, the Bolts acquire an additional third-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick.

Let’s dive in!

2024 NFL draft: Chargers go wide receiver, linebacker in ESPN’s latest two-round projections

The Chargers go wide receiver and linebacker with these two selections.

ESPN’s Matt Miller released his latest two-round mock draft on Monday.

With their first-round selection, Miller pegged former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers to Los Angeles.

The explosive Nabers shouldn’t be considered a mere consolation prize for whatever team misses out on Harrison. In fact, three NFL scouts I spoke to at the Senior Bowl told me they actually have Nabers ranked ahead of Harrison on their initial draft boards. Nabers’ speed, ability to make defenders miss and consistent hands throughout contact and traffic are why some teams are falling in love with his game. He would be a great fit with Justin Herbert — especially with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams exiting their peak years and struggling to stay healthy. Nabers is coming off an 89-catch, 1,569-yard, 14-TD season.

Nabers, the 6-foot and 200-pound wideout, is a dynamic playmaker whose release, play speed and run-after-catch ability make him a home-run threat each time he touches the ball.

Nabers is coming off his most productive season, as he finished with 89 receptions for 1,569 yards (17.6 yards per catch) and 14 touchdowns. 17 of those catches went over 30 yards.

Even though the Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston this past year, they still lack an explosive element in the offense. Furthermore, Mike Williams could be a cap casualty, and Keenan Allen is not getting any younger.

Insert Nabers into the offense and he and Justin Herbert would do wonders together.

With their second-round selection, Miller gave the Chargers former Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.

The middle of the field has long been an issue for the Chargers’ defense, and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. hits free agency this offseason. Cooper, a top-25 player on my board who is here only because of positional value, could upgrade the defense with his three-down ability. He posted 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three pass breakups in 2023.

It’s not being talked about as much as other positions, but linebacker is a big need for the Chargers. Kenneth Murray is set to hit the free agency market and Eric Kendricks could be released to clear up some salary cap space.

Cooper is a speedy, rangy, explosive linebacker whose coverage skills and ability to defend the run and blitz are high-quality NFL traits.