With many needs across the board, it’s a good question as to who the Los Angeles Chargers draft first. Is it going to be a receiver? Will they possibly trade down? Let’s find out, as we head to LA in our mock draft series.
Picks
*Chargers trade fifth overall pick for picks 11 and 23 from Minnesota
- Round 1, Pick 11: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
- Round 1, Pick 23: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
- Round 2, Pick 37: WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
- Round 3, Pick 69: RB Blake Corum, Michigan
- Round 4, Pick 105: DL Michael Hall Jr, Ohio State
- Round 4, Pick 110: TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
- Round 5, Pick 140: LB Michael Barrett, Michigan
- Round 6, Pick 181: DL Jordan Jefferson, LSU
- Round 7, Pick 225: C Dylan McMahon, NC State
- Round 7, Pick 253: LB Dallas Gant, Toledo
Explanation
I knew the Vikings wanted to trade up, especially since they need a quarterback. I put my faith and trust that there would be at least one of the top-tier receivers still on the board at 11. Luckily, it worked out. Odunze fell, and the Chargers would nab him before anyone else could. With the other first-round pick, Los Angeles needed to address the cornerback position outside of Asante Samuel Jr. Enter DeJean, who at 6’1″, has great footwork and solid ball skills. Whether in the slot or the outside, put him on an island and you’ll see the results.
The more weapons, the better for quarterback Justin Herbert. He lost Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, for Pete’s sake. So, I went with Franklin in the second round. Serving as Oregon’s explosive receiver for the past two years, he is a phenomenal vertical threat. With 1,383 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns for the Ducks in 2023, he comes in and serves as the WR2 immediately for the Chargers.
Ready For The Fun Part?
From rounds three to five, we all see the theme: Big Ten players. Corum in round three brought a smile to my face, as head coach Jim Harbaugh reunites with his running back from college. It’s a need anyway, as the Los Angeles Chargers only added Gus Edwards at the position (which, let’s be honest, doesn’t scream dangerous).
Harbaugh saw what Hall and Stover did during his tenure as a coach, despite them playing for rival Ohio State. The former was productive, as he is great at shooting gaps and has decent pass rush abilities to be solid at the next level. As for Stoer, he brings improvement to the tight end position with his blocking skills and reliable hands in the receiving game.
To no surprise, my favorite Day 3 pick was Barrett, who played for Harbaugh at Michigan. He had an 84.3 PFF grade in 2023, showing his ability to move well, be physical, and be solid in coverage.
PFF graded my draft choices an A. Not to toot my own horn, but I agree.
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Featured Image: Harry How/Getty Images
