Draft season kicks into high gear next week, with both the East-West Shrine Bowl and Reese’s Senior Bowl scheduled to be played in the following days. These events are widely regarded as the official beginning of draft season for NFL teams and media.
Here are six offensive players to keep an eye on for the Chargers in Frisco, TX.
RB Jaden Shirden, Monmouth
It’s rare that an FCS player declares for the draft with eligibility remaining, but fourth-year junior Shirden is one of the lone exceptions in this year’s class. An all-state performer in track as a high schooler and two-time podium finisher for the Walter Payton Award, Shirden had a run of at least 20+ yards in 16 of his final 22 games.
NFL teams flocked to New Jersey to visit Monmouth during the season, including the Chargers, who visited practice in mid-October. With Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley both set to hit free agency, LA only has Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson, and Jaret Patterson under contract at running back. Shirden would add a home run threat that the Chargers have been missing for the last half decade.
RB Carson Steele, UCLA
A true junior eligible for the Shrine Bowl under the new NFL rules established this season, Steele transferred to UCLA from Ball State prior to the 2023 season. As a Cardinal, he was one of seven true freshmen to log at least 1,000 all-purpose yards and led the MAC in rushing as a sophomore. His production slipped a bit in Westwood, but he still finished sixth in the Pac-12 in total rushing.
While Steele isn’t a premier receiving threat, he had at least one reception in nine of UCLA’s 12 games this season. His calling card is a slippery but hard-nosed running style that may not fully pop in practices but should shine in the Shrine Bowl game on Thursday night.
WR Jalen Coker, Holy Cross
Holy Cross’ all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns, Coker is another FCS fourth-year junior making the leap to the NFL. The only wide receiver to finish in the top ten in Walter Payton Award voting this season, Coker had 59 receptions for 1,040 yards and a program record 15 touchdowns.
A late invite after standing out at Orlando’s Hula Bowl held earlier this month, Coker profiles as the type of player who will only continue to rise as his exposure grows. His 17.6 yards a reception could be a huge benefit for the Chargers, who continue to search for a true big play threat to pair with the arm of Justin Herbert.
WR Malik Washington, Virginia
Projected as a fifth or sixth round pick, Washington transferred to Virginia after four seasons at Northwestern. The Wildcats’ outdated and pedestrian offense did him no favors, but a more wide-open Virginia offense led Washington to 110 receptions for 1,426 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2023. That reception number led the nation and set an ACC record, while the yardage number set a program best.
Washington finished his college career with at least one reception in 37 consecutive games, a good indication that his speciality is getting open. Players of that skillset tend to shine in all-star formats, where practices are designed for one-on-one competition. Don’t be surprised if Washington ends up on the week’s standout list.
TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas
Perhaps the most marquee player set to actually participate in the week’s event (teammate Jonathon Brooks and quarterback Jordan Travis will attend but not play), Sanders has long been thought of as the second-best tight end in this draft class behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. A two-time Mackey Award semifinalist, the junior is also the only Longhorn tight end with multiple 100-yard games in his career.
While the play on the field will no doubt be electric, the week in Frisco will be all about the meetings for Sanders. It’s a similar situation as Zay Flowers’ last season at the event: Flowers dominated practice on the first day, electing from that point on to focus on interviews. The Chargers met with Flowers twice during that week before ultimately selecting Quentin Johnston last April.
OL Trente Jones, Michigan
This list would not be complete without at least one Michigan player, considering LA’s recent hire of Jim Harbaugh to lead the franchise into a new era. Of the offensive options, Jones is the most intriguing, thanks to his positional versatility at either tackle or guard.
Listed at 6’3”, 325, Jones will likely move to guard on a more full-time basis in the pros. But he fits the profile of what the Chargers have valued in offensive linemen in the past and should be available in the later rounds, allowing LA to address some of their bigger needs before adding depth to the offensive line. Harbaugh inherits a mostly intact line with the primary question at center, but adding more competition for Jamaree Salyer and Jordan McFadden at the right guard spot could also be in order as the Chargers reform their identity.
